2004 Mercury Mountaineer Owner's Manual - Page 116

Seating and Safety Restraints Always transport children 12 years old and under in the back seat and always properly use appropriate child restraints. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends a minimum distance of at least 25 cm (10 inches) between an occupant's chest and the driver air bag module. 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 air bag: • 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. 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. Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the air bag supplemental restraint systems or its fuses. See your Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealer. Modifications to the front end of the vehicle, including frame, bumper, front end body structure and non-Ford tow hooks may effect the performance of the air bag sensors increasing the risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of the vehicle with anything other than authorized Ford accessories for your vehicle. Additional equipment may affect the performance of the air bag sensors increasing the risk of injury. Please refer to the Body Builders Layout Book for instructions about the appropriate installation of additional equipment. 116 2004 Mountaineer (mnt) Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) USA English (fus)