2009 Mercury Sable Owner's Manual - Page 131

Seating and Safety Restraints • The energy management feature has a retractor assembly that is designed to extend the safety belt webbing in a controlled manner. This helps reduce the belt force acting on the user's chest. WARNING: Failure to inspect and replace if necessary the belt and retractor assembly after an accident could increase the risk of injury in a collision. All safety restraints in the vehicle are combination lap and shoulder belts. All of the passenger combination lap and shoulder belts have two types of locking modes described below: Vehicle sensitive mode This is the normal retractor mode, which allows free shoulder belt length adjustment to your movements and locking in response to vehicle movement. For example, if the driver brakes suddenly or turns a corner sharply, or the vehicle receives an impact of approximately 5 mph (8 km/h) or more, the combination safety belts will lock to help reduce forward movement of the driver and passengers. Automatic locking mode When to use the automatic locking mode In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-locked. The belt will still retract to remove any slack in the shoulder belt. The automatic locking mode is not available on the driver safety belt. This mode should be used any time a child safety seat (except a booster) is installed in a passenger front or outboard rear seating position (if equipped). Children 12 years old and under should be properly restrained in the rear seat whenever possible. Refer to Safety restraints for children or Safety seats for children later in this chapter. 131 2009 Sable (mgo) Owners Guide, 2nd Printing USA (fus)