Ford Five Hundred (2007 year). Manual — part 31

hardware, should be inspected after a collision. Ford Motor Company
recommends that all safety belt assemblies in use in vehicles involved in
a collision be replaced. However, if the collision was minor and an
authorized dealer finds that the belts do not show damage and continue
to operate properly, they do not need to be replaced. Safety belt
assemblies not in use during a collision should also be inspected and
replaced if either damage or improper operation is noted.

Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the safety belt
assembly under the above conditions could result in severe

personal injuries in the event of a collision.

For proper care of soiled safety belts, refer to Interior in the Cleaning
chapter.

Safety belt warning light and indicator chime

The safety belt warning light illuminates in the instrument cluster and a
chime sounds to remind the occupants to fasten their safety belts.

Conditions of operation

If...

Then...

The driver’s safety belt is not
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the ON
position...

The safety belt warning light
illuminates 1-2 minutes and the
warning chime sounds 4-8 seconds.

The driver’s safety belt is
buckled while the indicator
light is illuminated and the
warning chime is sounding...

The safety belt warning light and
warning chime turn off.

The driver’s safety belt is
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the ON
position...

The safety belt warning light and
indicator chime remain off.

Belt-Minder

姞

The Belt-Minder

威 feature is a supplemental warning to the safety belt

warning function. This feature provides additional reminders by
intermittently sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning
light in the instrument cluster when the driver’s and front passenger’s
safety belt is unbuckled.

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126

The Belt-Minder

威 feature uses information from the front passenger

sensing system to determine if a front seat passenger is present and
therefore potentially in need of a warning. To avoid activating the
Belt-Minder

威 feature for objects placed in the front passenger seat,

warnings will only be given to large front seat occupants as determined
by the front passenger sensing system.

Both the driver’s and passenger’s safety belt usages are monitored and
either may activate the Belt-Minder

威 feature. The warnings are the same

for the driver and the front passenger. If the Belt-Minder

威 warnings have

expired (warnings for approximately 5 minutes) for one occupant (driver
or front passenger), the other occupant can still activate the
Belt-Minder

威 feature.

If...

Then...

The driver’s and front
passenger’s safety belts are
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the ON
position or less than
1-2 minutes have elapsed since
the ignition switch has been
turned ON...

The Belt-Minder

威 feature will not

activate.

The driver’s or front
passenger’s safety belt is not
buckled when the vehicle has
reached at least 3 mph
(5 km/h) and 1-2 minutes have
elapsed since the ignition
switch has been turned to ON...

The Belt-Minder

威 feature is activated

- the safety belt warning light
illuminates and the warning chime
sounds for 6 seconds every
30 seconds, repeating for
approximately 5 minutes or until the
safety belts are buckled.

Seating and Safety Restraints

127

If...

Then...

The driver’s or front
passenger’s safety belt becomes
unbuckled for approximately
1 minute while the vehicle is
traveling at least 3 mph
(5 km/h) and more than
1-2 minutes have elapsed since
the ignition switch has been
turned to ON...

The Belt-Minder

威 feature is activated

- the safety belt warning light
illuminates and the warning chime
sounds for 6 seconds every
30 seconds, repeating for
approximately 5 minutes or until the
safety belts are buckled.

The following are reasons most often given for not wearing safety belts
(All statistics based on U.S. data):

Reasons given...

Consider...

“Crashes are rare events”

36700 crashes occur every day. The
more we drive, the more we are
exposed to “rare” events, even for
good drivers. 1 in 4 of us will be
seriously injured in a crash during
our lifetime.

“I’m not going far”

3 of 4 fatal crashes occur within
25 miles (40 km) of home.

“Belts are uncomfortable”

We design our safety belts to enhance
comfort. If you are uncomfortable -
try different positions for the safety
belt upper anchorage and seatback
which should be as upright as
possible; this can improve comfort.

“I was in a hurry”

Prime time for an accident.
Belt-Minder

威 reminds us to take a few

seconds to buckle up.

“Safety belts don’t work”

Safety belts, when used properly,
reduce risk of death to front seat
occupants by 45% in cars, and by
60% in light trucks.

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128

Reasons given...

Consider...

“Traffic is light”

Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in
single-vehicle crashes, many when
no other vehicles are around.

“Belts wrinkle my clothes”

Possibly, but a serious crash can do
much more than wrinkle your clothes,
particularly if you are unbelted.

“The people I’m with don’t
wear belts”

Set the example, teen deaths occur
4 times more often in vehicles with
TWO or MORE people. Children and
younger brothers/sisters imitate
behavior they see.

“I have an airbag”

Airbags offer greater protection when
used with safety belts. Frontal airbags
are not designed to inflate in rear and
side crashes or rollovers.

“I’d rather be thrown clear”

Not a good idea. People who are
ejected are 40 times more likely
to DIE. Safety belts help prevent
ejection, WE CAN’T “PICK OUR
CRASH”.

Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt or insert a latchplate
into the buckle to avoid the Belt-Minder

威 chime. To do so may

adversely affect the performance of the vehicle’s air bag system.

One time disable
If at any time the driver/front passenger quickly buckles then unbuckles
the safety belt for that seating position, the Belt-Minder

威 is disabled for

the current ignition cycle. The Belt-Minder

威 feature will enable during

the same ignition cycle if the occupant buckles and remains buckled for
approximately 30 seconds. Confirmation is not given for the one time
disable.
Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minder

姞 feature

The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder

威 are

deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating
one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will
terminate the process.

Seating and Safety Restraints

129