1996 FORD E SERIES Owners Manual

30
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[SR10900(BEF )01/95]
There are four very important reasons to use
safety belts even with an air bag system. Use
your safety belts to:
[SR11000(BEF )02/95]
q
help keep you in the proper seating position
(away from the air bag) when it inflates
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[SR11100(BEF )01/95]
q
reduce the risk of harm in rollover, side or
rear impact collisions, because an air bag is
not designed to inflate in such situations
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[SR11200(BEF )01/95]
q
reduce the risk of harm in frontal collisions
that are not severe enough to activate the
supplemental air bag
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q
reduce the risk of being thrown from your
vehicle
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The Importance of Being Properly Seated
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In a collision, the air bag must inflate extremely
fast to help provide additional protection for
you. In order to do this, the air bag must inflate
with considerable force. If you are not seated in
a normal riding position with your back against
the seatback, the air bag may not protect you
properly and could possibly hurt you as it
inflates.
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[SR11600(BEF )06/95]
RWARNING
Do not place objects or mount equipment
on or near the air bag cover on the
steering wheel or in front seat areas that
may come in contact with a deploying air
bag. Failure to follow this instruction may
increase the risk of personal injury in the
event of a collision.
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Update:Wed Apr 17 08:51:22 1996

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[SR11800(BEF )01/95]
How the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint
System Operates
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[SR11900(BEF )05/95]
The air bag supplemental restraint system has
two main parts. One part is the air bag system
with the driver air bag and inflator located in
the center of the steering wheel. The second part
is the electrical system, which has impact
sensors, and a diagnostic module, and backup
power supply. The diagnostic module monitors
its own internal circuits and the supplemental air
bag electrical system readiness, including the
impact sensors, the system wiring, the air bag
system readiness light, air bag power, and the
air bag ignitor.
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half page art:0020843-B
The location of the air bag and warning label
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[SR12200(BEF )06/95]
The air bag system uses a readiness light on the
instrument cluster or a tone to indicate the
condition of the system. When you turn the
ignition to the ON position, this light will
illuminate for approximately six (6) seconds and
then turn off. This indicates that the system is
operating normally.NOTE:Maintenance of the
air bag system is not required.
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[SR12300(BEF )05/95]
A problem with the system is indicated by one
or more of the following: the readiness light will
either flash or stay lit, or it will not light, or a
group of five beeps will be heard.
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RWARNING
If any of these things happen, even
intermittently, have the air bag system
serviced at your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury
dealer immediately.
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[SR12400(BEF )03/95]
Tone generator
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[SR12500(BEF )03/95]
The air bag readiness light indicates the air bag
system condition. However, a series of five sets
of five beeps will be heard only if the readiness
light does not work and there is a problem with
the air bag system. This also means that the Air
Bag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) is in
need of service. The tone pattern will repeat
(five sets of five beeps) periodically until the
problem and light are repaired. Unless serviced,
the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System may
not function properly in the event of a collision.
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[SR12600(BEF )05/95]
RWARNING
Do not attempt to service, repair, or
modify the Air Bag Supplemental
Restraint System or its fuses. See your
Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
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33 [SR12700(BEF )04/95]
The air bag system is designed to stay out of
sight until it is activated. The air bag system is
designed to deploy in frontal and front-angled
collisions more severe than hitting a parked
vehicle of similar size and weight head-on at
about 28 mph (45 km/h). Because the system
senses the crash severity rather than vehicle
speed,somefrontal collisions at speeds above
28 mph (45 km/h) will not inflate the air bag.
The system activates when the sensors detect a
forward deceleration equal to or greater than the
deceleration experienced if you would drive
your vehicle into a solid wall at 14 mph. In
some side impacts, the forward deceleration of
your vehicle can be great enough to deploy your
air bag.
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The following four steps show how the air bag
system works:
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1. Sensors in the vehicle will detect the degree
of severity of a frontal impact. When the
sensor system is activated, electric current
flows to the inflator and the system ignites
the gas generant.
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[SR12760(BEF )03/95]
2. The propellant then rapidly burns in the
metal container. The rapid burning produces
nitrogen gas and small amounts of dust. The
nitrogen gas and dust are cooled and filtered
during inflation of the air bag.
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3. The inflating supplemental air bag splits
open the trim cover. The supplemental air
bag then rapidly unfolds and inflates in front
of the driver.
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NOTE: STEPS 1-3 TAKE PLACE IN A
FRACTION OF A SECOND.
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[SR12820(BEF )03/95]
4. After inflation, the gas empties through holes
in the air bag. The air bag deflates at once.
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34
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[SR12840(BEF )03/95]
The surface of the air bags and the vehicle
interior may be dusted with a powdery residue.
The powder is cornstarch or talcum powder,
which is used to lubricate the air bag as it
inflates, and sodium compounds such as sodium
carbonates (e.g., baking soda), and possibly a
very small amount of sodium hydroxide that
may be irritating to the skin and eyes, but is not
toxic.
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[SR12860(BEF )03/95]
Right after air bag inflation, you may notice
smoke (from the powder and dust) and smell
the burnt propellant. This is normal.
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[SR12880(BEF )06/95]
RWARNING
Air bag system components get hot after
inflation. Do not touch them after
inflation.
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[SR12901(BEF )06/95]
Air bags may not inflate in certain frontal
collisions, even though the vehicle may be badly
damaged. The fact that your air bag did not
inflate in such a collision does not mean that
something is wrong with the air bag system.
Rather, it means the crash forces were not severe
enough to need an air bag to prevent serious
injury.
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Update:Wed Apr 17 08:51:22 1996

35
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[SR13000(BEF )05/95]
half page art:0011063-A
Inflated driver side air bag
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[SR13500(BEF )06/95]
RWARNING
If the air bag is inflated, THE AIR BAG
WILL NOT FUNCTION AGAIN AND
MUST BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. If
the air bag is not replaced, the unrepaired
area will increase the risk of injury in a
collision.
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Update:Wed Apr 17 08:51:22 1996

36 %
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Disposal of supplemental air bag equipped
vehicles
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[SR13700(BEF )03/95]
For disposal of air bags or air bag equipped
vehicles, see your local Ford or Lincoln-Mercury
dealer, or refer to the procedures in the 1995
Ford Service Manual. Information on how to
order a service manual is available at an
authorized Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer. You
can also order a service manual using the order
form in theAccessorieschapter of your Owner
Guide.
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Service and information labels
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Service and information labels are attached to
the sun visors, the headliner above the sun
visors (Canadian vehicles), and the radiator
support in the engine compartment.
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Update:Wed Apr 17 08:51:22 1996

37
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[SR14000(BEF )05/95]
full page art:0020847-D
The label located on the back of the driver's sun visor
File:03ltsre.ex
Update:Wed Apr 17 08:51:22 1996