2002 Ford Windstar Owner Guide 2nd Printing - Page 145

Seating and Safety Restraints How to fasten the cinch tongue 1. Pull the combination lap and shoulder belt from the retractor so that the shoulder belt portion of the safety belt crosses your shoulder and chest. 2. Be sure the belt is not twisted. If the belt is twisted, remove the twist. 3. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle for your seating position until you hear a snap and feel it latch. 4. Make sure the tongue is securely fastened to the buckle by pulling on the tongue. The lap belt should fit snugly and as low as possible around the hips, not across the waist. Front and rear seat occupants, including pregnant women, should wear safety belts for optimum protection in an accident. Each seating position in your vehicle has a specific safety belt assembly which is made up of one buckle and one tongue that are designed to be used as a pair. 1) Use the shoulder belt on the outside shoulder only. Never wear the shoulder belt under the arm. 2) Never swing the safety belt around your neck over the inside shoulder. 3) Never use a single belt for more than one person. While you are fastened in the seat belt, the combination lap/shoulder belt with a cinch tongue adjusts to your movement. However, if you brake hard, turn hard, or if your vehicle receives an impact of 8 km/h (5 mph) or more, the safety belt will become locked and help reduce your forward movement. Energy Management Feature • This vehicle has a seat belt system with an energy management feature at the driver and front passenger seating positions and second row bench seat belt assemblies adjacent to a sliding door to help further reduce the risk of injury in the event of a head-on collision. • This seat belt system has a retractor assembly that is designed to pay out webbing in a controlled manner. This feature is designed to help reduce the belt force acting on the occupant's chest. 145