
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 (if equipped)
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.
Note:The driver and front passenger Belt-Minderare
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 Belt-Minderfeatures 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 vehicle is off
•The driver and front passenger safety belts are unbuckled
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1. Turn the vehicle on. Do not start the vehicle (Ready to Drive light
must not be lit)
2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off (approximately one
minute).
•Once the next step is started, the procedure must be completed
within 60 seconds.
3. For the seating position being disabled, buckle then unbuckle the
safety belt four times at a moderate speed, ending in the unbuckled
state.
•After Step 3, the safety belt warning light will turn on.
4. While the safety belt warning light is on, buckle and then unbuckle the
safety belt.
•After Step 4, the safety belt warning light will flash three times for
confirmation.
•This will disable the Belt-Minder feature for that seating position if it
is currently enabled.
•This will enable the Belt-Minderfeature for that seating position if it
is currently disabled.
AIRBAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
675342106540
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The supplemental restraint system is designed to work with the safety
belt to help protect the driver and right front passenger from certain
upper body injuries.
WARNING:AirbagsDO NOTinflate slowly or gently, and the
risk of injury from a deploying airbag is the greatest close to the
trim covering the airbag module.
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;
thereisariskofinjuryfroma
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.
WARNING:When possible, all children 12 years old and under
should be properly restrained in a rear seating position.
WARNING:The 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 airbag module as a
deploying airbag can result in serious arm fractures or other injuries.
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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 airbag module.
Placing objects on or over the airbag inflation area may cause
those objects to be propelled by the airbag 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.
Children and airbags
Children must always be properly
restrained. Accident statistics
suggest that children are safer when
properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front
seating position. Failure to follow
these instructions may increase the
risk of injury in a collision.
WARNING:Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.
NEVERplace a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag.
If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the
seat all the way back.
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The airbags inflate and deflate
rapidly upon activation. After airbag
deployment, it is normal to notice a
smoke-like, powdery residue or
smell the burnt propellant. This may
consist of cornstarch, talcum
powder (to lubricate the bag) or
sodium compounds (e.g., baking
soda) that result from the
combustion process that inflates the
airbag. Small amounts of sodium
hydroxide may be present which
may irritate the skin and eyes, but
none of the residue is toxic.
While the system is designed to
help reduce serious injuries, contact
with a deploying airbag may also cause abrasions, swelling or temporary
hearing loss. Because airbags must inflate rapidly and with considerable
force, there is the risk of death or serious injuries such as fractures,
facial and eye injuries or internal injuries, particularly to occupants who
are not properly restrained or are otherwise out of position at the time
of airbag deployment. Thus, it is extremely important that occupants be
properly restrained as far away from the airbag module as possible while
maintaining vehicle control.
WARNING:Several air bag system components get hot after
inflation. Do not touch them after inflation.
WARNING: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.
The SRS consists of:
•driver and passenger airbag modules (which include the inflators and
airbags)
•seat-mounted side airbags. Refer toSeat-mounted side airbag system
later in this chapter
•safety belt pretensioners
•one or more impact and safing sensors
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•a readiness light and tone
•and the electrical wiring which connects the components
•Side curtain airbag system. Refer toSide curtain airbag systemlater
in this chapter.
•Front passenger sensing system. Refer toFront passenger sensing
systemlater in this chapter.
•“Passenger airbag off” or “pass airbag off” indicator lamp. Refer to
Front passenger sensing systemlater in this chapter.
The diagnostic module monitors its own internal circuits and the
supplemental airbag electrical system wiring (including the impact
sensors), the system wiring, the airbag system readiness light, the airbag
backup power, the airbag ignitors and safety belt pretensioners.
FRONT PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM
WARNING:Even with Advanced Restraints Systems, children 12
and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating
position.
WARNING: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 front passenger sensing system, resulting
in serious injury or death in a crash.
Always sit upright against your seatback, with your feet on the floor.
WARNING:To reduce the risk of possible serious injury:
Do not stow objects in seat back map pocket (if equipped) or
hang objects off seat back if a child is in the front passenger seat.
Do not place objects underneath the front passenger seat or between
the seat and the center console (if equipped).
Check the passenger airbag off or pass airbag off indicator lamp for
proper airbag Status.
Failure to follow these instructions may interfere with the passenger
seat sensing system.
WARNING:Any alteration/modification to the front passenger seat
may affect the performance of the front passenger sensing system.
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To know if the front passenger sensing system is operating
properly, refer toCrash sensors and Airbag Indicatorlater in
this chapter.
If the airbag readiness lamp is lit, do the following:
The driver and/or adult passengers should check for any objects that
may be lodged underneath the front passenger seat or cargo interfering
with the seat.
If objects are lodged and/or cargo is interfering with the seat; please take
the following steps to remove the obstruction:
•Pull the vehicle over.
•Turn the vehicle off.
•Driver and/or adult passengers should check for any objects lodged
underneath the front passenger seat or cargo interfering with the seat.
•Remove the obstruction(s) (if found).
•Restart the vehicle.
•Wait at least two minutes and verify that the airbag readiness lamp is
no longer illuminated
•If the airbag readiness lamp remains illuminated, this may or may/not
be a problem due to the front passenger sensing system.
DO NOT attempt to repair or service the system; take your vehicle
immediately to an authorized dealer.
If it is necessary to modify an advanced front airbag system to
accommodate a person with disabilities, contact the Ford Customer
Relationship Center at the phone number shown in theCustomer
Assistancesection of thisOwner’s Manual.
Determining if the system is operational
The system uses a warning indicator light in the instrument cluster or a
backup tone to indicate the condition of the system. Routine
maintenance of the airbag is not required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
•The readiness light (same light for front and side airbag
system) will either flash or stay lit.
•The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is
turned on.
•An information message will appear in the message center.
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If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the supplemental
restraint system serviced at an authorized dealer immediately. Unless
serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a
collision.
Knee Airbag (if equipped)
The knee airbag is located under the instrument panel. The system
works along with the driver’s front airbag to help reduce injury to the
legs. When the driver’s airbag activates in a collision, the knee airbag
deploys from under the instrument panel. As with front and side airbags,
it is important to be properly seated and restrained to reduce the risk of
death or serious injury.
Seat-mounted side airbag system
WARNING:Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near
the airbag cover on the side of the seatbacks of the front seats or
in front seat areas that may come into contact with a deploying airbag.
Failure to follow these instructions may increase the risk of personal
injury in the event of a collision.
WARNING:Do not use accessory seat covers. The use of
accessory seat covers may prevent the deployment of the side
airbags and increase the risk of injury in an accident.
WARNING:Do not lean your head on the door. The side airbag
could injure you as it deploys from the side of the seatback.
WARNING:Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
airbag SRS, its fuses or the seat cover on a seat containing an
airbag. Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING:All occupants of the vehicle should always wear
their safety belts even when an airbag SRS is provided.
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