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 outboard safety belts with pretensioners, energy management
retractors (first row only), and safety belt usage sensors.
•Driver’s seat position sensor.
•Front passenger sensing system.
•Passenger airbag off and on indicator lamp.
•Front crash severity sensors.
•Restraints control module with impact and safing sensors.
•Restraint system warning light and backup tone.
•The electrical wiring for the airbags, crash sensor(s), safety belt
pretensioners, front safety belt usage sensors, driver seat position
sensor, front passenger sensing system, 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 occupant
conditions. A collection of crash and occupant sensors provides
information to the restraints control module. During a crash, the
restraints control module may activate the safety belt pretensioners
and/or either one or both stages of the dual-stage airbag supplemental
restraints based on crash severity and occupant conditions.
48Personal Safety System
2014 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)
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.
After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on safety belts, it is
very important that they continue to sit properly. Properly seated
occupants sit upright, lean against the seat back, and center themselves
on the seat cushion, with their feet comfortably extended on the floor.
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.
Children and Airbags
WARNING:Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.
Never place 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 upon which the child seat is installed all the way back.
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 crash.
Knee Airbag System (Passenger’s Side Only)
The knee airbag is located under the instrument panel. When the
passenger’s front airbag activates in a crash, the passenger’s knee airbag
will deploy.
As with front and side airbags, it is important to be properly seated and
restrained to reduce the risk of death or serious injury.
52Supplementary Restraints System
2014 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)
CRASH SENSORS AND AIRBAG INDICATOR
WARNING:Modifying or adding equipment to the front end of
your 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 your
vehicle.
Your vehicle has a collection of crash and occupant sensors which
provide information to the restraints control module which deploys
(activates) the front safety belt pretensioners, rear inflatable safety belts,
driver airbag, passenger airbag, passenger knee airbag, seat mounted side
airbags, and the Safety Canopy. Based on the type of accident (frontal
impact, side impact or rollover) the restraints control module will deploy
the appropriate safety devices.
The restraints control module also monitors the readiness of the above
safety devices plus the crash and occupant sensors. The readiness of the
safety system is indicated by a warning indicator light in the instrument
cluster or by a backup tone if the warning light is not working. See the
Instrument Clusterchapter. 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 will either flash or stay lit.
•The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after the
ignition is turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem or light is repaired.
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 crash.
The safety belt pretensioners, rear inflatable safety belts and the airbag
supplemental restraint system are designed to activate when the vehicle
sustains frontal or sideways deceleration sufficient to cause the restraints
control module to deploy a safety device or when a certain likelihood of
a rollover event is detected by the rollover sensor.
The fact that the safety belt pretensioners or airbags did not activate for
both front seat occupants in a crash does not mean that something is
wrong with the system. Rather, it means the restraints control module
determined the accident conditions (such as crash severity, belt usage)
were not appropriate to activate these safety devices.
Supplementary Restraints System59
2014 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)
Remote Start (If Equipped)
WARNING:To avoid exhaust fumes, do not use remote start if
your vehicle is parked indoors or areas that are not well
ventilated.
Note:Do not use remote start if your vehicle is low on fuel.
The remote start button is on the transmitter.
This feature allows you to start your vehicle from outside your vehicle.
The transmitter has an extended operating range.
Vehicles with automatic climate control can be configured to operate
when the vehicle is remote started. See theClimate Controlchapter for
more information. A manual climate control system will run at the setting
it was set to when your vehicle was last turned off.
Many states and provinces have restrictions for the use of remote start.
Check your local and state or provincial laws for specific requirements
regarding remote start systems.
The remote start system will not work if:
•the ignition is on
•the alarm system is triggered
•you disable the feature
•the hood is open
•the transmission is not inP
•the vehicle battery voltage is too low
•the service engine soon light is on.
66Keys and Remote Control
2014 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)
The system will turn off the lights if:
•you switch the ignition on
•you press the lock button on the remote control
•you lock your vehicle using the keyless entry keypad
•after 25 seconds of illumination.
The lights will not turn off if:
•you turn them on with the dimmer control
•any door is open.
Illuminated Exit
The interior lamps and select exterior lamps illuminate when all doors
are closed and you switch the ignition off and remove the key from the
ignition (integrated keyhead transmitter only).
The lamps turn off if all the doors remain closed and:
•25 seconds elapse
•you insert the key in the ignition (integrated keyhead transmitter
only)
•you press theSTART/STOPbutton (intelligent access key only).
Battery Saver
If you leave the courtesy lamps, dome lamps or headlamps on, the
battery saver shuts them off 10 minutes after you switch the ignition off.
Accessory Mode Battery Saver for Intelligent Access Keys
(If Equipped)
If you leave your vehicle in the run ignition state, it will shut off once it
detects a certain amount of battery drain or after 45 minutes.
LIFTGATE
WARNING:It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a crash, people riding in these
areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow
people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with
seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a safety belt properly.
Locks77
2014 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)
LIGHTING CONTROL
A. Off
B. Parking lamps, instrument panel
lamps, license plate lamps and tail
lamps
C. Headlamps
High Beams
Push the lever forward to switch the
high beams on.
Push the lever forward again or pull
the lever toward you to switch the
high beams off.
Headlamp Flasher
•Pull toward you slightly to activate
and release to deactivate.
AUTOLAMPS
WARNING:In severe weather conditions, it may be necessary to
switch your headlamps on manually.
Note:If the vehicle is equipped with autolamps, it will have the
windshield wiper rainlamp feature.When the windshield wipers are
turned to low- or high-speed wiping during daylight, and the headlamp
control is in the autolamp position, the exterior lamps will turn on after a
brief delay and will remain on until the wipers are turned off.
98Lighting
2014 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)
7. Turn the lighting control to the off position when the desired delay
time has been reached. The headlamps and parking lamps will turn off.
You can set the headlamp exit delay to one of the following settings:
•Off
•10 seconds
•20 seconds
•120 seconds
Note:You can also adjust the time delay using the display controls in
the instrument cluster. See theInformation Displayschapter.
DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING:Always remember to turn on your headlamps at
dusk or during inclement weather. The Daytime Running Lamp
(DRL) system does not activate the tail lamps and generally may not
provide adequate lighting during these conditions. Failure to activate
your headlamps under these conditions may result in a collision.
The system turns the headlamps on with a reduced output.
To activate:
•the ignition must be in the on position and
•the lighting control is in the off, autolamp, or parking lamp position
and
•the transmission is not in PARK.
AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAM CONTROL (IF EQUIPPED)
The system will automatically turn on your high beams if it is dark
enough and no other traffic is present. When it detects an approaching
vehicle’s headlights, a preceding vehicle’s tail lamps or street lighting, the
system will turn off the high beams (low beams remain on) before they
distract other drivers.
Note:If it appears that automatic control of the high beams is not
functioning properly, check the windshield in front of the camera for
blockage. A clear view of the road is required for proper system
operation. Any windshield damage in the area of the camera field-of-view
should be repaired.
100Lighting
2014 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)
Second row dome/courtesy lamps (if equipped)
The dome lamp lights when:
•any door is opened.
•the instrument panel dimmer button
is pressed until the courtesy lamps
come on.
•any of the remote entry controls are pressed and the ignition is off.
The courtesy lamp can also be turned on and off manually by pressing
the lens depression.
Third row cargo lamp
The dome lamp lights when:
•any door is opened.
•the instrument panel dimmer button is pressed until the
courtesy lamp comes on.
•any of the remote entry controls are pressed and the
ignition is off.
The courtesy lamp can also be turned on and off manually by pressing
the control switch.
Battery saver
The battery saver will shut off the exterior lamps and interior lamps,
except the hazard warning lamps if activated, 10 minutes after the
ignition control has been turned off. The system will not turn off the
parking lamps if the lighting control is in the parking lamps on position.
Lighting105
2014 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)