Ford 2010 Escape Hybrid Owner's Manual page 139

Reasons given...
I have an airbag
I'd rather be thrown clear
WARNING: Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt or insert a
latchplate into the buckle to avoid the Belt-Minder chime. To
do so may adversely affect the performance of the vehicle's air bag
system.
Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minder feature
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder are
deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating
one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will
terminate the process.
Read Steps 1 - 4 thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
Note: If you are using MyKey™, the Belt-Minder cannot be disabled.
Also, if the Belt-Minder has been previously disabled, it will be
re-enabled after the use of MyKey™. Refer to MyKey™ in the Locks
and security chapter.
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder features can be
deactivated/activated by performing the following procedure:
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
• The parking brake is set
• The gearshift is in P (Park)
• The ignition switch is in the off position
• The driver and front passenger safety belts are unbuckled
WARNING: While the design allows you to deactivate your
Belt-Minder , this system is designed to improve your chances of
being safely belted and surviving an accident. We recommend you
leave the Belt-Minder system activated for yourself and others who
may use the vehicle. To reduce the risk of injury, do not
deactivate/activate the Belt-Minder feature.
2010 Escape Hybrid (ehv)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA (fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
Consider...
Airbags offer greater protection when
used with safety belts. Frontal airbags
are not designed to inflate in rear and
side crashes or rollovers.
Not a good idea. People who are
ejected are 40 times more likely to
DIE. Safety belts help prevent ejection,
WE CAN'T PICK OUR CRASH .
139