2005 FORD FREESTAR airbag

Reasons given... Consider...
“Belts are
uncomfortable”We design our safety belts to enhance comfort. If
you are uncomfortable - try different positions for
the safety belt upper anchorage and seatback
which should be as upright as possible; this can
improve comfort.
“I was in a hurry”Prime time for an accident.BeltMinder reminds
us to take a few seconds to buckle up.
“Safety belts don’t
work”Safety belts,when used properly,reduce risk of
deathto front seat occupants by45% in cars,
and by60% in light trucks.
“Traffic is light”Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in single-vehicle
crashes,many when no other vehicles are around.
“Belts wrinkle my
clothes”Possibly, but a serious crash can do much more
than wrinkle your clothes, particularly if you are
unbelted.
“The people I’m
with don’t wear
belts”Set the example, teen deaths occur 4 times more
often in vehicles with TWO or MORE people.
Children and younger brothers/sisters imitate
behavior they see.
“I have an air bag”Air bags offer greater protection when used with
safety belts. Frontal airbags are not designed to
inflate in rear and side crashes or rollovers.
“I’d rather be
thrown clear”Not a good idea.Peoplewho areejected are 40
times more likely to DIE.Safety belts help
prevent ejection, WE CAN’T“PICK OUR CRASH”.
Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt to avoid the Belt
Minder chime. Sitting on the safety belt will increase the risk of
injury in an accident. To disable (one-time) or deactivate the Belt
Minder feature please follow the directions stated below.
One time disable
If at any time the driver/front passenger quickly buckles then unbuckles
the BeltMinder feature for that seating position, the BeltMinder is
disabled for the current ignition cycle. The BeltMinder feature will
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re-enable during the same ignition cycle if the occupant buckles and
remains buckled for approximately 30 seconds. Confirmation is not given
for the one time disable.
Deactivating/activating the BeltMinder feature
The driver and front passenger BeltMinder are
deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating
one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will
terminate the process.
Read steps1-4thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
The driver and front passenger BeltMinder 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) (automatic transmission)
•The ignition switch is in the OFF position
•The driver and front passenger safety belts are unbuckled
To reduce the risk of injury, do not deactivate/activate the Belt
Minder feature while driving the vehicle.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the RUN (or ON) position. (DO NOT
START THE ENGINE)
2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off. (Approximately 1
minute)
•Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the safety belt
warning light turns off.
3. For the seating position being disabled, buckle then unbuckle the
safety belt 9 times, ending in the unbuckled state. (Step 3 must be
completed within 50 seconds after the safety belt warning light turns
off.)
•After step 3, the restraint system warning light (airbag light) will be
turned on for three seconds.
4. Within 10 seconds of the light turning on, buckle then unbuckle the
safety belt.
•This will disable the BeltMinder feature for that seating position if it is
currently enabled. As confirmation, the restraint system warning light
will flash 4 times per second for 3 seconds.
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Refer toInteriorin theCleaningchapter.
Replacing the front seat belt assemblies after a collision
The front outboard safety belt assemblies have a special energy
management retractors designed to further reduce the risk of injury in
the event of a head-on collision. These retractors should be replaced if
they were used in any accident in which the front airbags deploy. If the
safety belt assemblies are not replaced, there may be increased risk of
injury in the event of a subsequent collision.
Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the safety belt
assembly under the above conditions could result in severe
personal injuries in the event of a collision.
AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
The air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) is designed to work in
conjunction with the safety belts to help protect the driver and front
outboard passenger from certain upper body injuries. The term
“supplemental restraint”means the air bags are intended as a
supplement to the safety belts. Air bags alone cannot protect as well as
air bags plus safety belts in impacts for which the air bags are designed
to deploy, and air bags do not offer any protection in crashes for which
they do not deploy.
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•a front passenger takes his/her weight off the seat for a period of time
For larger children and very small adults, the passenger sensing system
may leave the air bag system enabled, or turn it OFF. The occupant’s
seating position may determine whether or not the air bag is enabled.
Even with the front passenger sensing system, children 12 and
under should be properly restrained in the back seat.
When the front passenger seat is
occupied and the sensing system
has turned off the passenger’s
frontal air bag, thepassenger airbag
offorpass airbag offindicator will
light and stay lit to remind you that
the front passenger frontal air bag is
off. When the front passenger seat is
not occupied (empty seat) or in the
event that the front passenger
frontal air bag is enabled (may
inflate), the indicator light will be unlit.
The indicator light is located in the center stack of the instrument panel
to the right of the radio.
The front passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the front
passenger’s frontal air bag when a rear facing infant seat, a
forward-facing child restraint, or a booster seat is detected. If the child
restraint has been installed and the indicator is not lit, then turn the
vehicle off, remove the child restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the
restraint following the child restraint manufacturer’s directions.
The front passenger sensing system is designed to enable (may inflate)
the right front passenger’s frontal air bag anytime the system senses that
a person of adult size is sitting properly in the front passenger seat.
When the passenger sensing system has allowed the air bag to be
enabled, the indicator will be unlit and stay unlit to remind you that the
air bag is enabled (may inflate).
If a person of adult-size is sitting in the front passenger’s seat, but the
passenger air bag offorpass air bag offindicator is lit, it could be
that the person isn’t sitting properly in the seat. If this happens, turn the
vehicle off and ask the person to place the seatback in the full upright
position, then sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with
the person’s legs comfortably extended. Restart the vehicle and have the
person remain in this position for about two minutes. This will allow the
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system to detect that person and then enable the passenger’s air bag. If
the indicator lamp remains lit even after this, then the occupant should
be advised to ride in the back seat.
After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on safety belts, it’s
very important that they continue to sit upright, with their back against
the seatback, with their feet comfortably extended on the floor while the
vehicle is still in motion. Sitting improperly can increase the chance of
injury in a crash event. For example, if an occupant slouches, lies down,
turns sideways, sits forward, leans forward or sideways, or puts one or
both feet up, the chance of injury during a crash is greatly increased.
Sitting improperly out of position or with the seat back reclined
too far can take off weight from the seat cushion and affect the
decision of the passenger sensing system, resulting in serious injury or
death in a crash. Always sit upright against your seatback, with your
feet on the floor.
The front passenger sensing system may detect small or medium objects
placed on the seat cushion. For most objects that are in the front
passenger seat, the passenger airbag will be disabled. Even though the
passenger airbag is disabled, thepass airbag offlight may or may not
be illuminated according to the table below.
ObjectsPass Airbag Off
Indicator LightPassenger
Airbag
Empty seat Unlit Disabled
Small (i.e. 3 ring binder, small
purse, bottled water)Unlit Disabled
Medium (i.e. heavy briefcase,
fully packed luggage)Lit Disabled
Empty seat, Small or medium
object with safety belt buckledLit Disabled
In case there is a problem with the
passenger sensing system, the
airbag readiness light in the
instrument cluster will stay lit. DO
NOT attempt to repair or service the system; take your vehicle
immediately to the dealer.
If it is necessary to modify an advanced front air bag system to
accommodate a person with disabilities, contact the Ford Customer
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Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the air bag SRS, its
fuses or the seat cover on a seat containing an air bag. See your
Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealer.
All occupants of the vehicle should always wear their safety belts
even when an air bag SRS is provided.
How does the side air bag system work?
The design and development of the side air bag system included
recommended testing procedures that were developed by a group of
automotive safety experts known as the Side Air Bag Technical Working
Group. These recommended testing procedures help reduce the risk of
injuries related to the deployment of side air bags.
The side air bag system consists of
the following:
•An inflatable nylon bag (air bag)
with a gas generator concealed
behind the outboard bolster of
the driver and front passenger
seatbacks.
•A special seat cover designed to
allow airbag deployment.
•The same readiness airbag light,
electronic control and diagnostic
unit as used for the front air
bags.
•Two crash sensors located under
the outboard side of the front
seats, attached to the floor.
Side air bags, in combination with seat belts, can help reduce the risk of
severe injuries in the event of a significant side impact collision.
The side air bags are fitted on the outboard side of the seatbacks of the
front seats. In certain lateral collisions, the air bag on the side affected
by the collision will be inflated, even if the respective seat is not
occupied. The air bag was designed to inflate between the door panel
and occupant to further enhance the protection provided occupants in
side impact collisions.
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How does the Safety Canopysystem work?
The design and development of the
Safety Canopy
system included
recommended testing procedures
that were developed by a group of
automotive safety experts known as
the Side Air Bag Technical Working
Group. These recommended testing
procedures help reduce the risk of
injuries related to the deployment of
side airbags (including the Safety
Canopy
).
The Safety Canopy
system
consists of the following:
•An inflatable nylon curtain with a
gas generator concealed behind
the headliner and above the doors
(one on each side of vehicle).
•A headliner designed to flex open above the side doors to allow Safety
Canopy
deployment.
•The same readiness airbag light, electronic control and diagnostic unit
as used for the front airbags.
•Two crash sensors mounted under the front seats (one on each side).
•Two crash sensors located at the c-pillar behind the rear doors (one
on each side).
•Rollover sensor in the restraints control module (RCM).
The Safety Canopy
system, in combination with seat belts, can help
reduce the risk of severe injuries in the event of a significant side impact
collision or rollover event.
Children 12 years old and under should always be properly restrained in
the second or third row seats. The Safety Canopy
will not interfere
with children restrained using a properly installed child or booster seat
because it is designed to inflate downward from the headliner above the
doors along the side window opening.
The Safety Canopy
system is designed to activate when the vehicle
sustains lateral deceleration sufficient to cause the side crash sensor to
close an electrical circuit that initiates Safety Canopy
inflation or when
a certain likelihood of a rollover event is detected by the rollover sensor.
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The Safety Canopy
is mounted to roof side-rail sheet metal, behind the
headliner, along the entire side of the vehicle. In certain lateral collisions
or rollover events, the Safety Canopy
system will be activated,
regardless of which seats are occupied. The Safety Canopy
is designed
to inflate between the side window area and occupants to further
enhance protection provided in side impact collisions and rollover events.
The fact that the Safety Canopy
did not activate in a collision does not
mean that something is wrong with the system. Rather, it means the
forces were not of the type sufficient to cause activation. The Safety
Canopy
is designed to inflate in certain side impact collisions or
rollover events, not in rear impact, frontal or near-frontal collisions,
unless the collision causes sufficient lateral deceleration or rollover.
Several Safety Canopy
system components get hot after
inflation. Do not touch them after inflation.
If the Safety Canopy

system has deployed,the
Safety Canopy
will not
function again unless replaced.
The Safety Canopy
system
(including the A, B, C, and D
pillar trim) must be inspected
and serviced by a qualified
technician in accordance with
the vehicle service manual.
If
the Safety Canopy
is not replaced,
the unrepaired area will increase
the risk of injury in a collision.
Determining if the system is operational
The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the system. Refer to theAir bag readiness
section in theInstrument Clusterchapter. Routine maintenance of the
air bag is not required.
Any difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the
following:
•The readiness airbag light (same light as for front air bag system) will
either flash or stay lit.
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