Ford Taurus X (2009 year). Manual — part 45

WARNING: 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.

Read Steps 1 - 4 thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.

Note: The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder

威 features must be

disabled/enabled separately. Both cannot be disable/enabled during the
same key cycle.

The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder

威 features can be

deactivated/activated by performing the following procedure:

Before following the procedure, make sure that:
• The parking brake is set
• The gearshift is in P (Park)
• The ignition switch is in the off position
• The driver and front passenger safety belts are unbuckled

WARNING: While the design allows you to deactivate your
Belt-Minder

威, this system is designed to improve your chances of

being safely belted and surviving an accident. We recommend you
leave the Belt-Minder

威 system activated for yourself and others who

may use the vehicle. To reduce the risk of injury, do not
deactivate/activate the Belt-Minder

威 feature while driving the vehicle.

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182

1. Turn the ignition switch to the on position. DO NOT START THE
ENGINE.

2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off (Approximately one
minute).
• Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the safety belt

warning light turns off.

3. For the seating position being disabled, at a moderate speed, buckle
then unbuckle the safety belt nine times, ending in the unbuckled state.
Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the safety belt
warning light turns off.
• After Step 3, the safety belt warning light will be turned on for three

seconds.

4. Within approximately seven seconds of the light turning off, buckle
then unbuckle the safety belt.
• This will disable the Belt-Minder威 feature for that seating position if it

is currently enabled. As confirmation, the safety belt warning light will
flash four times per second for three seconds.

• This will enable the Belt-Minder威 feature for that seating position if it

is currently disabled. As confirmation, the safety belt warning light will
flash four times per second for three seconds, followed by three
seconds with the light off, then followed by the safety belt warning
light flashing four times per second for three seconds again.

AIRBAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)

Seating and Safety Restraints

183

WARNING: The area surrounding the instrument panel grab
handle should never be used for storage. The path of an inflating

airbag must be kept clear at all times.

The airbag supplemental restraint system (SRS) is designed to work in
conjunction with the safety belts to help protect the driver and front
outboard passenger from certain upper body injuries. The term
“supplemental restraint” means the airbags are intended as a supplement
to the safety belts. Airbags alone cannot protect as well as airbags plus
safety belts in impacts for which the airbags are designed to deploy, and
airbags do not offer any protection in crashes for which they do not
deploy.

Important SRS precautions

The SRS is designed to work with
the safety belt to help protect the
driver and right front passenger
from certain upper body injuries.
Airbags DO NOT inflate slowly;
there is a risk of injury from a
deploying airbag.

WARNING: Do not place any object between an occupant and
an airbag or near any other airbag covering. The airbag may not

inflate properly and might force an object into that person causing
severe injury or death. The instrument panel grab handle should never
be used for storage. The path of an inflating airbag must be kept clear
at all times.

WARNING: All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver,
should always properly wear their safety belts, even when an air

bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) is provided.

Seating and Safety Restraints

184

WARNING: When possible, all children 12 years old and under
should be properly restrained in a rear seating position.

WARNING: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) recommends a minimum distance of at least 10 inches

(25 cm) between an occupant’s chest and the driver airbag module.

WARNING: Never place your arm over the air bag module as a
deploying air bag can result in serious arm fractures or other

injuries.

To properly position yourself away from the airbag:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the

pedals comfortably.

• Recline the seat slightly one or two degrees from the upright position.

WARNING: Do not put anything on or over the air bag module.
Placing objects on or over the air bag inflation area may cause

those objects to be propelled by the air bag into your face and torso
causing serious injury.

WARNING: Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
airbag supplemental restraint systems or its fuses. See your

authorized dealer.

WARNING: Modifying or adding equipment to the front end of
the vehicle (including frame, bumper, front end body structure

and tow hooks) may affect the performance of the airbag system,
increasing the risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of the
vehicle.

Seating and Safety Restraints

185