2005 Mercury Sable airbag

MANUAL HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
(IF EQUIPPED)
1.Temperature selection:
Controls the temperature of the
airflow in the vehicle.
2.Passenger airbag indicator
light:Indicates whether the
Passenger front air bag is currently
ON or OFF. Refer toFront
passenger sensing systemin the
Seating and Safety Restraintschapter.
3.Air flow selections:Controls the direction of the airflow in the
vehicle. See the following for a brief description on each control.
MAX A/C:Distributes recirculated air through the instrument panel
registers to cool the vehicle. This re-cooling of the interior air is more
economical and efficient. Recirculated air may also help reduce
undesirable odors from entering the vehicle.
A/C:Distributes outside air through the instrument panel vents to cool
the vehicle.
:Distributes outside air through the instrument panel vents.
OFF:Outside air is shut out and the climate system is turned off.
:Distributes air through the instrument panel and floor vents.
:Distributes air through the floor vents.
:Distributes air through the windshield defroster vents and floor
vents.
:Distributes outside air through the windshield defroster vents. Can
be used to clear the windshield of fog and thin ice.
4.Fan speed adjustment:Controls the volume of air circulated in the
vehicle.
5.Rear defroster control:Press
to activate/deactivate the rear
window defroster. For more
information, refer toRear window defrosterlater in this chapter.
REVIEW COPY
2005 Sable(sab), Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)(own2002),
Market:USA_English(fus)
Climate Controls
Climate Controls
23

AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
1.OFF:Outside air is shut out and
the climate control system is turned
off.
2.A/C:Press to activate/deactivate air conditioning. Use with the
recirculated air to improve cooling performance and efficiency. Engages
automatically in the AUTO,F
(defrost) and(floor/defrost)
modes.
3.Passenger airbag off:Indicates whether the front airbag is ON or
OFF. Refer toFront passenger sensing systemin theSeating and
Safety Restraintschapter.
4.
Recirculated air:Press to activate/deactivate air circulation in
cabin. Recirculated air may reduce the amount of time to cool down the
vehicle and may also help reduce undesired odors from reaching the
interior of the vehicle. Recirculation can be engaged manually in any
airflow selection exceptF
(defrost). Recirculation may turn off
automatically in all airflow selections.
5.Temperature control:Press to
increase or decrease the
temperature in the cabin.Note:The
recommended vehicle cabin setting is between 72°F (22°C) and 75°F
(24°C).
F
R
AUTO
TEMPOFFA/C
PASS
AIRBAG
OFF
1
53
2
11121314
10
96784
REVIEW COPY
2005 Sable(sab), Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)(own2002),
Market:USA_English(fus)
Climate Controls
25

Always transport children 12 years old and under in the back
seat and always properly use appropriate child restraints.
The front passenger sensing system can automatically turn off the
passenger front air bag. The system is designed to help protect small
(child size) occupants from air bag deployments when they are
improperly seated or restrained in the front passenger seat contrary to
proper child-seating or restraint usage recommendations. Even with this
technology, parents are STRONGLYencouraged to always properly
restrain children in the rear seat. The sensor also turns off the air bag
when the passenger seat is empty to prevent unnecessary replacement of
air bag(s) after a collision.
When the front passenger seat is occupied and the sensing system has
turned off the passenger’s frontal air bag, the “pass air bag off” indicator
will light and stay lit to remind you that the front passenger frontal air
bag is off. See Front passenger sensing system in the airbags section of
this chapter.
Front safety belt usage sensors
The front safety belt usage sensors detect whether or not the driver and
front outboard passenger safety belts are fastened. This information
allows your Personal Safety System to tailor the air bag deployment and
safety belt pretensioner activation depending upon safety belt usage.
Refer to Safety Belt section in this chapter.
Front safety belt pretensioners
The safety belt pretensioners are designed to tighten the front outboard
safety belts firmly against the occupant’s body during a collision. This
maximizes the effectiveness of the safety belts and helps properly
position the occupant relative to the air bag to improve protection. The
safety belt pretensioners can be either activated alone or, if the collision
is of sufficient severity, together with the air bags.
Front safety belt energy management retractors
The front outboard safety belt energy management retractors allow
webbing to be pulled out of the retractor in a gradual and controlled
manner in response to the occupant’s forward momentum. This helps
reduce the risk of force-related injuries to the occupant’s chest by
limiting the load on the occupant. Refer to Safety Beltsection in this
chapter.
REVIEW COPY
2005 Sable (sab), Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) (own2002),
Market: USA_English (fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
94

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.
BELT AND RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED if
the seat belt assembly“automatic locking retractor”feature or
any other seat belt function is not operating properly when checked
according to the procedures in Workshop Manual.
Failure to replace the Belt and Retractor assembly could
increase the risk of injury in collisions.
Safety belt pretensioner
Your vehicle is equipped with safety belt pretensioners at the driver and
front outboard passenger seating positions.
The safety belt pretensioners are designed to activate when the safety
belt is fastened during certain frontal or near-frontal collisions, or in
certain side collisions that result in side airbag activation (if the vehicle
is equipped with side airbags). A safety belt pretensioner is a device
which tightens the webbing of the lap and shoulder belts in such a way
that they fit more snugly against the body.
When the front airbags are activated, the safety belt pretensioners for
the driver and right front passenger seating positions will be activated
when the respective safety belt is properly buckled. If a side airbag is
activated, the safety belt pretensioner for that seating position will be
activated if the seat belt is properly buckled.
The driver and front outboard passenger safety belt system (including
retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be replaced if the vehicle is
involved in a collision that results in the activation of the safety belt
pretensioners. Refer to theSafety belt maintenancesection in this chapter.
The driver and the right front passenger seat belt system
(including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be
replaced if the vehicle is involved in a collision that results in
deployment of front air bags or side airbags and safety belt
pretensioners.
REVIEW COPY
2005 Sable(sab), Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)(own2002),
Market:USA_English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
99

Reasons given... Consider...
“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 are
ejected 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
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 BeltMinderfeature
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.
Note: The driver and front passenger BeltMinder
features must be
disabled/enabled separately. Both cannot be disable/enabled during the
same key cycle.
The driver and front passenger BeltMinder
features can be
deactivated/activated by performing the following procedure:
REVIEW COPY
2005 Sable(sab), Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)(own2002),
Market:USA_English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
106

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.
•This will enable the BeltMinder
feature for that seating position if it
is currently disabled. As confirmation, the restraint system warning
light will flash 4 times per second for 3 seconds, followed by 3
seconds with the light off, then followed by the restraint system
warning light flashing 4 times per second for 3 seconds again.
Safety belt extension assembly
If the safety belt is too short when fully extended, there is a 8 inch (20 cm)
safety belt extension assembly that can be added (part number 611C22).
This assembly can be obtained from your dealer at no cost.
Use only extensions manufactured by the same supplier as the safety
belt. Manufacturer identification is located at the end of the webbing on
the label. Also, use the safety belt extension only if the safety belt is too
short for you when fully extended.
REVIEW COPY
2005 Sable(sab), Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)(own2002),
Market:USA_English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
107

Always transport children 12 years old and under in the back
seat and always properly use appropriate child restraints.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
recommends a minimum distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm)
between an occupant’s chest and the driver air bag module.
Never place your arm over the air bag module as a deploying air
bag can result in serious arm fractures or other injuries.
Steps you can take to properly position yourself away from the airbag:
•Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
•Recline the seat slightly (one or two degrees) from the upright
position.
Do not put anything on or over the air bag module. Placing
objects on or over the air bag inflation area may cause those
objects to be propelled by the air bag into your face and torso causing
serious injury.
Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the air bag
supplemental restraint system (SRS) or its fuses. See your Ford
or Lincoln Mercury dealer.
The front passenger air bag is not designed to offer protection to
an occupant in the center front seating position.
Modifying or adding equipment to the front end of the vehicle
(including frame, bumper, front end body structure and tow
hooks) may affect the performance of the air bag system, increasing
the risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of the vehicle.
REVIEW COPY
2005 Sable(sab), Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)(own2002),
Market:USA_English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
110

of air bag deployment. Thus, it is extremely important that occupants be
properly restrained as far away from the air bag module as possible while
maintaining vehicle control.
Several air bag system components get hot after inflation. Do not
touch them after inflation.
If the air bag has deployed,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.
Front passenger sensing system
The front passenger sensing system will turn off the front passenger’s
frontal airbag under certain conditions. For side airbag equipped
vehicles, the front passenger sensing system will turn off the passenger
seat side airbag if the seat is empty (unless for some reason the safety
belt is properly buckled). The front passenger sensing system works with
sensors that are part of the front passenger’s seat and safety belt. The
sensors are designed to detect the presence of a properly-seated
occupant and determine if the front passenger’s frontal airbag should be
enabled (may inflate) or not.
The front passenger sensing system is designed to meet the regulatory
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208
and is designed to turn off the front passenger’s frontal airbag if:
•the front passenger seat is unoccupied, or has small/medium objects in
the front seat,
•the system determines that an infant is present in a rear-facing infant
seat that is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions,
•the system determines that a small child is present in a forward-facing
child restraint that is installed according to the manufacturer’s
instructions,
•the system determines that a small child is present in a booster seat,
•a front passenger takes his/her weight off of the seat for a period of
time,
•A smaller person, such as a child who has outgrown child restraints,
or a small adult occupies the front passenger seat.
REVIEW COPY
2005 Sable(sab), Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)(own2002),
Market:USA_English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
112