2012 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT airbag

•Locked
•Unlocked
PERSONAL SAFETY SYSTEM™
The Personal Safety System provides an improved overall level of frontal
crash protection to front seat occupants and is designed to help further
reduce the risk of airbag-related injuries. The system is able to analyze
different occupant conditions and crash severity before activating the
appropriate safety devices to help better protect a range of occupants in
a variety of frontal crash situations.
Your vehicle’s Personal Safety System consists of:
•Driver and passenger dual-stage airbag supplemental restraints.
•Front safety belts with pretensioners, energy management retractors,
and safety belt usage sensors.
•Driver’s seat position sensor.
•Two front crash severity sensors.
•Front passenger sensing system
•“Passenger airbag off” or “pass airbag off” indicator lamp
•Restraints Control Module (RCM) with impact and safing sensors.
•Restraint system warning light and backup tone.
Seating and Safety Restraints
95
2012 Transit Connect(tst)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
PAGE POSITION:95JOB:@zeta.tweddle.com/ford_pdm/ford/own2002/835536-en-tst/og pubnum:

•The electrical wiring for the airbags, crash sensor(s), safety belt
pretensioners, front safety belt usage sensors, driver seat position
sensor, and indicator lights.
How does the Personal Safety System work?
The Personal Safety System can adapt the deployment strategy of your
vehicle’s safety devices according to crash severity and conditions. A
collection of crash sensors provides information to the Restraints Control
Module (RCM). During a crash, the RCM may activate the safety belt
pretensioners and/or either none, one, or both stages of the dual-stage
airbag supplemental restraints based on crash severity and conditions.
The fact that the pretensioners or airbags did not activate for both front
seat occupants in a collision does not mean that something is wrong with
the system. Rather, it means the Personal Safety System determined the
accident conditions (crash severity, belt usage, etc.) were not
appropriate to activate these safety devices. Front airbags are designed
to activate only in frontal and near-frontal collisions, not rollovers,
side-impacts, or rear-impacts unless the collision causes sufficient
longitudinal deceleration.
Driver and passenger dual-stage airbag supplemental restraints
The dual-stage airbags offer the capability to tailor the level of airbag
inflation energy. A lower, less forceful energy level is provided for more
common, moderate-severity impacts. A higher energy level is used for
the most severe impacts. Refer toAirbag supplemental restraint
system (SRS)section in this chapter.
Front crash severity sensors
The front crash severity sensors enhance the ability to detect the
severity of an impact. Positioned up front, they provide valuable
information early in the crash event on the severity of the impact. This
allows your Personal Safety System to distinguish between different
levels of crash severity and modify the deployment strategy of the
dual-stage airbags and safety belt pretensioners.
Driver’s seat position sensor
The driver’s seat position sensor allows your Personal Safety System to
tailor the deployment level of the driver dual-stage airbag based on seat
position. The system is designed to help protect smaller drivers sitting
close to the driver airbag by providing a lower airbag output level.
Seating and Safety Restraints
96
2012 Transit Connect(tst)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
PAGE POSITION:96JOB:@zeta.tweddle.com/ford_pdm/ford/own2002/835536-en-tst/og pubnum:

Front passenger sensing system
For airbags to do their job they must inflate with great force, and this
force can pose a potentially deadly risk to occupants that are very close
to the airbag when it begins to inflate. For some occupants, like infants
in rear-facing child seats, this occurs because they are initially sitting
very close to the airbag. For other occupants, this occurs when the
occupant is not properly restrained by safety belts or child safety seats
and they move forward during pre-crash braking. The most effective way
to reduce the risk of unnecessary injuries is to make sure all occupants
are properly restrained. Accident statistics suggest that children are
much safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in
the front.
WARNING:Air bags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.
NEVERplace a rear-facing child seat in front of an active air
bag. If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move
the seat all the way back.
WARNING: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 airbag. The system is designed to help protect small
(child size) occupants from airbag 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 areSTRONGLYencouraged to always properly
restrain children in the rear seat. The sensor also turns off the airbag
when the passenger seat is empty to prevent unnecessary replacement of
the airbag(s) after a collision.
When the front passenger seat is occupied and the sensing system has
turned off the passenger’s frontal airbag, the “pass airbag off” indicator
will light and stay lit to remind you that the front passenger frontal
airbag is off. SeeFront passenger sensing systemin theAirbag
supplemental restraint system (SRS)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 airbag deployment and
safety belt pretensioner activation depending upon safety belt usage.
Seating and Safety Restraints
97
2012 Transit Connect(tst)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
PAGE POSITION:97JOB:@zeta.tweddle.com/ford_pdm/ford/own2002/835536-en-tst/og pubnum:

Front outboard safety belt pretensioners
The safety belt pretensioners at the front outboard seating positions
activate with the front airbags during frontal and side collisions of
sufficient severity and are designed to tighten the safety belts firmly
against the occupant’s body. This helps increase the effectiveness of the
safety belts.
Front outboard safety belt energy management retractors
The front 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 theEnergy management featuresection in
this chapter.
Determining if the Personal Safety System is operational
The Personal Safety System uses a warning light in the instrument
cluster or a backup tone to indicate the condition of the system. Refer to
theWarning lights and chimessection in theInstrument Cluster
chapter. Routine maintenance of the Personal Safety System is not
required.
The Restraints Control Module (RCM) monitors its own internal circuits
and the circuits for the airbag supplemental restraints, crash sensor(s),
safety belt pretensioners, front safety belt buckle sensors, front
passenger sensing system, and the driver seat position sensor. In
addition, the RCM also monitors the restraints warning light in the
instrument cluster. A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or
more of the following.
•The warning light will either flash or stay lit.
•The warning light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is
turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and warning light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the Personal
Safety System serviced at an authorized dealer immediately. Unless
serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a
collision.
Seating and Safety Restraints
98
2012 Transit Connect(tst)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
PAGE POSITION:98JOB:@zeta.tweddle.com/ford_pdm/ford/own2002/835536-en-tst/og pubnum:

Safety belt pretensioner
Your vehicle is equipped with safety belt pretensioners at the driver and
front outboard passenger seating positions.
The safety belt pretensioner tightens the safety belts firmly against the
occupant’s body at the start of the crash.
WARNING:The driver and front passenger safety 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 airbags, side airbags, and safety belt pretensioners.
Safety belt extension assembly
If the safety belt is too short when fully extended, a safety belt extension
assembly can be obtained from an authorized dealer.
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.
WARNING:Do not use extensions to change the fit of the
shoulder belt across the torso.
Front safety belt height adjustment
The front seat and outboard positions are equipped with a height
adjuster. Adjust the height of the shoulder belt so the belt rests across
the middle of your shoulder.
To adjust the shoulder belt height
downward, push the button (1) and
slide the height adjuster (2)
upwards slightly and then down.
Release the button (1) and pull
down on the height adjuster (2) to
make sure it is locked in place.
To adjust the belt upward, slide the adjuster up. You do not need to push
the button to slide the adjuster upwards. Pull down on the height
adjuster to make sure it is locked in place.
1
2
Seating and Safety Restraints
103
2012 Transit Connect(tst)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
PAGE POSITION:103JOB:@zeta.tweddle.com/ford_pdm/ford/own2002/835536-en-tst/og pubnum:

Reasons given... Consider...
“I have an airbag” Airbags 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”.
WARNING:Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt or insert a
latchplate into the buckle to avoid the Belt-Minderchime. To
do so may adversely affect the performance of the vehicle’s airbag
system.
Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minderfeature
Read Steps1 - 3 thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
The Belt-Minderfeature 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).
•The ignition is off.
•The driver and front passenger safety belts are unbuckled.
WARNING:While the design allows you to deactivate your
Belt-Minder, this system is designed to improve your chances of
being safely belted and surviving an accident. We recommend you
leave the Belt-Mindersystem activated for yourself and others who
may use the vehicle. To reduce the risk of injury, do not
deactivate/activate the Belt-Minderfeature while driving the vehicle.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the on position. DO NOT START THE
ENGINE.
2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off (approximately
1–2 minutes).
Seating and Safety Restraints
107
2012 Transit Connect(tst)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
PAGE POSITION:107JOB:@zeta.tweddle.com/ford_pdm/ford/own2002/835536-en-tst/og pubnum:

•Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the safety belt
warning light turns off.
3. Buckle then unbuckle the driver’s safety belt nine times at a moderate
speed, ending in the unbuckled state.
•This will disable the Belt-Minderfeature if it is currently enabled or
enable the Belt-Minderfeature if it is currently disabled. As
confirmation, the safety belt warning light will flash three times.
AIRBAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
Important SRS precautions
The SRS is designed to work with
the safety belt to help protect the
driver and right front passenger
from certain upper body injuries.
Airbags DO NOT inflate slowly;
there is a risk of injury from a
deploying airbag.
WARNING:All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver,
should always properly wear their safety belts, even when an air
bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) is provided.
Seating and Safety Restraints
108
2012 Transit Connect(tst)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
PAGE POSITION:108JOB:@zeta.tweddle.com/ford_pdm/ford/own2002/835536-en-tst/og pubnum:

WARNING:Always transport children 12 years old and under in
a rear seating position, and always properly use appropriate child
restraints. Never place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active
airbag. If you must transport a forward-facing child in the front seat,
move the seat all the way back and use appropriate restraints.
WARNING: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 airbag module.
WARNING:Never place your arm over the air bag module as a
deploying air bag can result in serious arm fractures or other
injuries.
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.
WARNING: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.
WARNING:Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
airbag supplemental restraint systems or its fuses. Contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING: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 airbag system,
increasing the risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of the
vehicle.
WARNING:Additional equipment may affect the performance of
the airbag sensors increasing the risk of injury. Please refer to
theBody Builders Layout Bookfor instructions about the appropriate
installation of additional equipment.
Seating and Safety Restraints
109
2012 Transit Connect(tst)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
PAGE POSITION:109JOB:@zeta.tweddle.com/ford_pdm/ford/own2002/835536-en-tst/og pubnum: