Page 19 of 256

2006 VOLVO XC90
Disabling the passenger's side front airbag
Volvo recommends that ALL occupants (adults and children) shorter than\
four feet seven inches (140
cm) be seated in the back seat of any vehicle with a front passenger si\
de airbag, and be properly
restrained for their size and weight. See also the child safety recommen\
dations on
page 19.
The passenger's side front airbag is automatically enabled/disabled by t\
he Occupant Weight Sensor
(OWS), a system that monitors the weight of the person or object in th\
e front passenger's seat. The
system consists of a silicone-filled bag located under the padding in th\
e front passenger's seat cushion, a
control module located under this seat, and a seat belt tension sensor, \
located on the outboard side of the
seat.
The OWS system continuously monitors the pressure on the front passenger\
's seat cushion and the
tension applied to the seat belt. Based on this data, OWS assesses the w\
eight of the occupant or object in
the front passenger's seat. This information is transmitted to the SRS s\
ystem control module, which
enables or disables the passenger's side front airbag accordingly, as in\
dicated in the table below.
If the system is functioning normally, the status of the front passenger\
's side airbag (enabled/ disabled)
will be shown by the OWS indicator light as explained in the table to th\
e right. The OWS indicator light
is separate and in addition to the SRS warning light in the instrument p\
anel.
NOTE: When the ignition is switched on, the OWS indicator light will go on fo\
r up to 10 seconds while
the system performs a selfdiagnostic test and then go out. However, if a\
fault is detected in the system:
l The OWS indicator light will stay on
l The SRS warning light (see page 5) will come on and stay on
l The message PASS. AIRBAG OFF SERVICE URGENT will be displayed in the inf\
ormation display.
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Page 22 of 256

2006 VOLVO XC90
WARNING!
l Never try to open, remove, or repair any components in the OWS system. T\
his could result in
system malfunction. Maintenance or repairs should only be carried out by\
an authorized Volvo
service technician.
l The front passenger's seat should not be modified in any way. This could\
reduce pressure on the
seat cushion, which might interfere with the OWS system's function.
pg. 11 Safety
Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS) (contd)
WARNING!
Keep the following points in mind with respect to the OWS system. Failur\
e to follow these
instructions could adversely affect the system's function and result in \
serious injury to the occupant of
the front passenger's seat:
l The full weight of the front seat passenger should always be on the seat\
cushion. The passenger
should never lift him/herself off the seat cushion using the armrest in \
the door or the center console,
by pressing the feet on the floor, by sitting on the edge of the seat cu\
shion, or by pressing against the
backrest in a way that reduces pressure on the seat cushion. This could \
cause OWS to disable the
front passenger's side airbag.
l Do not place any type of object on the front passenger's seat in such a \
way that jamming, pressing,
or squeezing occurs between the object and the front seat, other than as\
a direct result of the correct
use of the ALR/ ELR seat belt (see
page 19).
l No objects should be placed under the front passenger's seat. This could\
interfere with the OWS
system's function.
pg. 12 Safety
Side impact (SIPS) airbag
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2006 VOLVO XC90
pg. 19 Safety
Automatic Locking Retractor/ Emergency Locking Retractor
To make child seat installation easier, each seat belt (except for the \
driver's belt) is equipped with a
locking mechanism to help keep the seat belt taut.
When attaching the seat belt to a child seat:
l Attach the seat belt to the child seat according to the child seat manuf\
acturer's instructions.
l Pull the seat belt out as far as possible.
l Insert the seat belt latch plate into the buckle (lock) in the usual w\
ay.
l Release the seat belt and pull it taut around the child seat.
A sound from the seat belt retractor will be audible at this time and is\
normal.
The belt will now be locked in place.
This function is automatically disabled when the seat belt is unlocked a\
nd the belt is fully
retracted.
WARNING!
Do not use child safety seats or child booster cushions/backrests in the\
front passenger's seat. We also
recommend that children who have outgrown these devices sit in the rear \
seat with the seat belt
properly fastened.
Volvo's recommendations
Why does Volvo believe that no child should sit in the front seat of a c\
ar? It's quite simple really. A front
airbag is a very powerful device designed, by law, to help protect an ad\
ult. Because of the size of the
airbag and its speed of inflation, a child should never be placed in the\
front seat, even if he or she is
properly belted or strapped into a child safety seat. Volvo has been an \
innovator in safety for over
seventy-five years, and we'll continue to do our part. But we need your \
help. Please remember to put
your children in the back seat, and buckle them up.
Volvo has some very specific recommendations:
l Always wear your seat belt.
l Airbags are a SUPPLEMENTAL safety device which, when used with a three-p\
oint seat belt can help
reduce serious injuries during certain types of accidents. Volvo recomme\
nds that you do not disconnect
the airbag system in your vehicle.
l Volvo strongly recommends that everyone in the vehicle be properly restr\
ained.
l Volvo recommends that ALL occupants (adults and children) shorter than\
4 feet 7 inches (140 cm) be
seated in the back seat of any vehicle with a front passenger side airba\
g.
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