Seat Belt Retractor: Description and Operation

Safety Belt System

WARNING: After any crash, all of the following safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware must be inspected by an authorized dealer to verify correct function:
- Retractors
- Buckles
- Belt tension sensor (BTS) (if equipped)
- Front safety belt buckle support assemblies (slide bar) (if equipped)
- Safety belt shoulder belt height adjusters (if equipped)
- Child safety seat tether bracket assemblies
- Automatic locking retractor (ALR) feature for child safety seats (passenger seating positions only)
If any safety belt assembly is damaged, does not operate correctly or does not pass all of the Functional Tests in the Diagnosis and Testing, a new safety belt assembly must be installed. If any safety belt assembly attaching areas are damaged or distorted, the sheet metal must be restored to its original structural integrity and new safety belt assembly and attaching hardware must be installed. Failure to install new safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware may increase the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.

After any crash that results in deployment of the driver and/or front outboard passenger safety belt pretensioners, new driver and/or front outboard passenger safety belt systems (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be installed. Failure to install new safety belt systems increases the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.

All outboard safety belts, and second and third row center safety belts (if equipped) are continuous-loop, 3-point systems. The combination lap and shoulder belt (continuous-loop) uses a common slip tongue and retractor.

The shoulder harness retractor is designed to let the webbing move freely in and out at all times, except during vehicle hard braking, hard cornering or an impact of 8 km/h (5 mph) or more, when it is automatically locked by a mechanically actuated inertia sensor.

When replacing safety belt buckles and/or retractor assemblies, use only the replacement parts specified in the Ford Customer Service Division Master Parts and Accessories Catalog.

Safety Belt Retractors

NOTICE: Rear outboard safety belt retractors are not interchangeable. Each safety belt retractor is equipped with a locator pin unique to that seating position, and it cannot be installed in any other location. Do not remove or alter the locator pin in any way when installing the safety belt retractor or the safety belt retractor will not function as intended.

The safety belt retractors consist of the following features:

- Energy management (front seats only)
- Dual locking mode feature
- Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)
- ALR (all except driver seat)

Safety Belt Retractor and Features

ELR

The safety belt retractor is designed to allow the occupant freedom of movement in normal operation. The ELR is a vehicle-sensitive feature designed to activate and lock the safety belt webbing when braking hard, cornering hard or in an impact of approximately 8 km/h (5 mph). The ELR feature helps to reduce the forward movement of the driver and passengers. Refer to the appropriate Functional Test procedure in Safety Belt System Component Tests and General Diagnostics.

ALR

The ALR mode is used when locking a child seat in an outboard seating position. The ALR mode is automatically activated when the safety belt webbing is fully extracted from the retractor and then allowed to retract. As the safety belt webbing is retracted back onto the spool, an audible clicking sound is made indicating the safety belt retractor is in ALR mode and the safety belt webbing will not pull back out of the safety belt retractor. To disengage the ALR mode, allow the safety belt webbing to fully retract back onto the spool. The ALR mode is disengaged when the webbing is free to extract and retract back into the retractor. The retractor should be checked to make sure it is not in the ALR mode after installation in the stowed position. Refer to the appropriate Functional Test procedure in Safety Belt System Component Tests and General Diagnostics.