Principles of Operation

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2010 Lincoln Town Car. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

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 DIAGNOSTIC TESTS , 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.

Safety Belt Warning System

The driver safety belt warning indicator illuminates and a chime sounds to remind the occupants to fasten their safety belts.

The conditions of operation for the driver safety belt warning indicator and chime are as follows:

If the driver safety belt is not buckled before the ignition switch is turned to RUN, then the safety belt warning indicator illuminates for 1 to 2 minutes and the warning chime sounds for 4 to 8 seconds.
If the driver safety belt is buckled while the warning indicator is illuminated and the warning chime is sounding, then the safety belt warning indicator and warning chime turn off.
If the driver safety belt is buckled before the ignition switch is turned to ON, the safety belt warning indicator and warning chime will remain off.

Belt-Minder®

The Belt-Minder® feature is a supplemental warning to the safety belt warning function. This feature provides an additional reminder to the driver that the driver and/or front passenger safety belt is unbuckled by intermittently sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning indicator in the instrument cluster.

Either the driver or front passenger safety belt systems may activate the Belt-Minder®. If the Belt-Minder® warnings have expired (warnings for approximately 5 minutes) for one occupant (driver or front passenger), the other occupant can still activate the Belt-Minder® feature.

The passenger Belt-Minder® feature is activated only when the Occupant Classification Sensor (OCS) system detects a passenger in the right front seat and the passenger weight exceeds a programmed limit. For information on the OCS system, refer to GENERAL PROCEDURES article.

To activate or deactivate the Belt-Minder® feature, refer to INSTRUMENTATION, MESSAGE CENTER, & WARNING CHIMES article.

If.	Then.
the driver and/or front passenger safety belt is buckled before the ignition switch is turned to the ON position or less than 1-2 minutes have elapsed since the ignition switch has been turned ON.	the Belt-Minder® feature will not activate.
the driver and/or front passenger safety belt is not buckled before the vehicle has reached at least 5 km/h (3 mph) and 1-2 minutes have elapsed since the ignition switch has been turned to ON.	the Belt-Minder® feature is activated - the safety belt warning indicator illuminates and the warning chime sounds for 6 seconds every 30 seconds, repeating for approximately 5 minutes or until the safety belt(s) is buckled.
the driver or front passenger safety belt becomes unbuckled for approximately one minute while the vehicle is traveling at least 5 km/h (3 mph) and more than 1-2 minutes have elapsed since the ignition switch has been turned to ON.	the Belt-Minder® feature is activated - the safety belt warning indicator illuminates and the warning chime sounds for 6 seconds every 30 seconds, repeating for approximately 5 minutes or until the safety belt(s) is buckled.