Energy Management Retractors - Mercury Sable 2001 Owner's Manual

2. To unfasten, push the release
button and remove the tongue from
the buckle.
The front and rear outboard safety restraints in the vehicle are
combination lap and shoulder belts. The front passenger and rear seat
outboard safety belts have two types of locking modes described below:

Energy management retractors

Your vehicle has a seat belt system equipped with energy management
retractors at the driver and front outboard passenger seating positions.
An energy management retractor is a device which pays out webbing in a
controlled manner. This feature is designed to help further reduce the
risk of force-related injuries to the occupant.
Seat belt systems equipped with an energy management retractor must
be replaced if they were in use during a frontal collision which resulted
in deployment of the frontal air bags. Refer to the Safety belt
maintenance section in this chapter.
In the event of a collision resulting in the deployment of the
front air bags, the front safety belts must be replaced if they
were in use.
After any vehicle collision, the seat belt system at all outboard
seating positions (except driver, which has no "automatic locking
retractor" feature) must be checked by a qualified technician to verify
that the "automatic locking retractor" feature for child seats is still
functioning properly. In addition, all seat belts should be checked for
proper function.
Seating and safety restraints
85