1996 Mercury Mystique Owner's Manual - Page 18

Safety Restraints RWARNING Failure to follow these instructions will affect the performance of the safety belts and increase the risk of personal injury. Safety Belt Maintenance Check the safety belt systems periodically to make sure that they work properly and are not damaged. Ford recommends that all safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware, should be inspected after any collision. Ford recommends that all safety belt assemblies used in vehicles involved in a collision be replaced. However, if the collision was minor and a qualified technician finds that the belts do not show damage and continue to operate properly, they do not need to be replaced. Safety belt assemblies not in use during a collision should also be inspected and replaced if either damage or improper operation is noted. Safety Belt Warning Label A warning label has been placed on the buckle of each of your vehicle's front seat safety belts. In a collision of sufficient severity while the safety belt is in use, the safety belt buckle will pull out of the sleeve so that all or part of the orange portion of the label is visible. RWARNING Whenever the orange portion of the label is visible, the safety belt must be replaced. 15