2004 Mercury Sable Owner Guide 3rd Printing - Page 98

Seating and Safety Restraints After any vehicle collision, the seat belt system at all outboard seating positions (except driver, which has no "automatic locking retractor" feature) must be checked by a qualified technician to verify that the "automatic locking retractor" feature for child seats is still functioning properly. In addition, all seat belts should be checked for proper function. BELT AND RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED if the seat belt assembly "automatic locking retractor" feature or any other seat belt function is not operating properly when checked according to the procedures in Workshop Manual. Failure to replace the Belt and Retractor assembly could increase the risk of injury in collisions. Safety belt pretensioner Your vehicle is equipped with safety belt pretensioners at the driver and front outboard passenger seating positions. The safety belt pretensioners are designed to activate when the safety belt is fastened during certain frontal or near-frontal collisions, or in certain side collisions that result in side airbag activation (if the vehicle is equipped with side airbags). A safety belt pretensioner is a device which tightens the webbing of the lap and shoulder belts in such a way that they fit more snugly against the body. When the front airbags are activated, the safety belt pretensioners for the driver and right front passenger seating positions will be activated when the respective safety belt is properly buckled. If a side airbag is activated, the safety belt pretensioner for that seating position will be activated if the seat belt is properly buckled. The driver and front outboard passenger safety belt system (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be replaced if the vehicle is involved in a collision that results in the activation of the safety belt pretensioners. Refer to the Safety belt maintenance section in this chapter. The driver and the right front passenger seat belt system (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be replaced if the vehicle is involved in a collision that results in deployment of front air bags or side airbags and safety belt pretensioners. 98 2004 Sable (sab) Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) USA English (fus)