Removal and Installation

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2005 Mercury Mountaineer and 2005 Ford Explorer. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

WARNING: Always wear safety glasses when repairing an air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) vehicle and when handling an air bag module. This will reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accidental deployment.

WARNING: The safety belt pretensioner is a pyrotechnic device. Always wear safety glasses when repairing an air bag equipped vehicle and when handling a safety belt buckle pretensioner or safety belt retractor pretensioner. Never probe a pretensioner electrical connector. Doing so could result in pretensioner or air bag deployment and could result in personal injury.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of personal injury, do not use any memory saver devices.

NOTE: If a seat equipped with a supplemental restraint system (SRS) component is being serviced, the SRS must be depowered.

NOTE: The air bag warning lamp illuminates when the RCM fuse is removed and the ignition switch is ON. This is normal operation and does not indicate a supplemental restraint system (SRS) fault.

NOTE: The SRS must be fully operational and free of faults before releasing the vehicle to the customer.

Depower the SRS. For additional information, refer to Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Depowering and Repowering in the General Procedures portion of SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM .
Remove the head restraint.
At the bottom of the seat cushion trim cover release the J-clip.

CAUTION: Use care when separating the seat back trim cover from the hook and loop strip, or the hook and loop strip could be torn from the seat back foam.

Release the backrest trim cover to foam pad retainers and invert the backrest trim cover in an inside-out fashion.
- Placing a hand between the seat backrest trim cover and pad, carefully separate the hook and loop strips.

NOTE: The inboard and outboard head restraint sleeves are not interchangeable.

NOTE: The head restraint sleeves incorporate and alignment tab that must face forward when installed.

Squeeze together the tip of the head restraint sleeve and pull the sleeve out of the frame tube.
- Repeat for the other head restraint sleeve.
  
  Fig 1: Identifying Tip Of Head Restraint Sleeves
  Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
Remove the backrest trim cover.
To install, reverse the removal procedure.
Repower the SRS. For additional information, refer to Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Depowering and Repowering in the General Procedures portion of SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM .