2018 FORD F-150 Owners Manual

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.
The Vehicle Personal Safety System
consists of:
•
Driver and passenger dual-stage airbag
supplemental restraints.
• Front seat outboard seatbelts with
pretensioners, energy management
retractors and seatbelt usage sensors.
• Driver seat position sensor.
• Front passenger sensing system.
• Passenger airbag status indicator.
• Front crash severity sensors.
• Restraints control module with impact
and safing sensors.
• Restraint system warning lamp and
tone.
• The electrical wiring for the airbags,
crash sensors, seatbelt pretensioners,
front seatbelt 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 the 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
deploy the seatbelt pretensioners, one or
both stages of the dual-stage airbags
based on crash severity and occupant
conditions.
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PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
WARNING: Airbags do not inflate
slowly or gently, and the risk of injury
from a deploying airbag is the greatest
close to the trim covering the airbag
module. WARNING:
All occupants of your
vehicle, including the driver, should
always properly wear their safety belts,
even when an airbag supplemental
restraint system is provided. Failure to
properly wear your safety belt could
seriously increase the risk of injury or
death. WARNING:
Always transport
children 12 years old and under in the
back seat and always properly use
appropriate child restraints. Failure to
follow this could seriously increase the
risk of injury or death. WARNING:
Never place your arm
over the airbag module as a deploying
airbag can result in serious arm fractures
or other injuries. 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. WARNING:
Do not attempt to
service, repair, or modify the airbag
supplemental restraint systems or its
fuses as you could be seriously injured
or killed. Contact your authorized dealer
as soon as possible. WARNING:
Several airbag system
components get hot after inflation. To
avoid risk of injury, do not touch them
after inflation. WARNING:
If the airbag has
deployed, the airbag will not function
again and must be replaced
immediately. If the airbag is not replaced,
the unrepaired area will increase the risk
of injury in a crash.
The airbags are a supplemental restraint
system and are designed to work with the
safety belts 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.
Note: You will hear a loud bang and see a
cloud of harmless powdery residue if an
airbag deploys. This is normal.
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 (for example, 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
or swelling. Temporary hearing loss is also
a possibility as a result of the noise
associated with a deploying airbag.
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
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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.
Routine maintenance of the airbags is not
required.
DRIVER AND PASSENGER
AIRBAGS
WARNING: Never place your arm
or any objects over an airbag module.
Placing your arm over a deploying airbag
can result in serious arm fractures or
other injuries. Objects placed 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:
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 vehicle seat upon which
the child seat is installed all the way
back. The driver and front passenger airbags will
deploy during significant frontal and near
frontal crashes.
The driver and passenger front airbag
system consists of:
•
driver and passenger airbag modules.
• front passenger sensing system. · crash sensors and monitoring
system with readiness indicator.
See Crash Sensors and Airbag
Indicator
(page 54).
Proper Driver and Front Passenger
Seating Adjustment WARNING:
The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
recommends a minimum distance of at
least 10 inches (25 centimeters)
between an occupant’ s chest and the
driver airbag module.
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.
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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 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.
If two adults and a child occupy a Regular
Cab, properly restrain the child in the
center front unless doing so would interfere
with driving your vehicle. This provides lap
and shoulder belt protection for all
occupants, and airbag protection for the
adults. A child or infant properly restrained
in the center front seat should not incur
risk of serious injury from the airbags. FRONT PASSENGER SENSING
SYSTEM WARNING:
Even with advanced
restraints systems, properly restrain
children 12 and under in a rear seating
position. Failure to follow this could
seriously increase the risk of injury or
death. WARNING:
Sitting improperly, out
of position or with the seatback reclined
too far can take weight off the seat
cushion and affect the decision of the
passenger sensing system, resulting in
serious injury or death in the event of a
crash. Always sit upright against your
seat back, with your feet on the floor. WARNING:
Any alteration or
modification to the front passenger seat
may affect the performance of the front
passenger sensing system. This could
seriously increase the risk of injury or
death. The front passenger sensing system uses
a passenger airbag status indicator which
illuminates indicating that the front
passenger frontal airbag is either on
(enabled) or off (disabled). The indicator
lamp is in the center stack of the
instrument panel.
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Note:
When you first switch the ignition on,
the passenger airbag status indicator off
and on lamps illuminate for a short period
to confirm it is functional.
The front passenger sensing system is
designed to disable (will not inflate) the
front passenger frontal airbag under
certain conditions:
• The front passenger seat is
unoccupied.
• The system determines an infant is
present in a child restraint.
• A passenger takes their weight off of
the seat for a period of time.
• If there is a problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing
system.
Even with this technology, parents are
strongly encouraged to always properly
restrain children in the rear seat.
• When the front passenger sensing
system disables (will not inflate) the
front passenger frontal airbag, the
passenger airbag status indicator
illuminates the off lamp and stays lit
to remind you that the front passenger
frontal airbag is disabled.
• If you have installed the child restraint
and the passenger airbag status
indicator illuminates the on lamp, then
switch your vehicle off, remove the
child restraint from your vehicle and
reinstall the restraint following the
child restraint manufacturer's
instructions.
The front passenger sensing system works
with sensors that are part of the front
passenger seat and seatbelt. The sensors
are designed to detect the presence of a
properly seated occupant and determine
if the front passenger frontal airbag should
be enabled. •
When the front passenger sensing
system enables the front passenger
frontal airbag (may inflate), the
passenger airbag status indicator
illuminates the on lamp and remains
illuminated.
If a person of adult size is sitting in the front
passenger seat, but the passenger airbag
status indicator off lamp is lit, it is possible
that the person is not sitting properly in the
seat. If this happens:
• Switch your vehicle off and ask the
person to place the seatback in an
upright position.
• Have the person sit upright in the seat,
centered on the seat cushion, with the
person's legs comfortably extended.
• Restart your vehicle and have the
person remain in this position for about
two minutes. This allows the system
to detect that person and enable the
passenger frontal airbag.
• If the indicator off lamp remains lit
even after this, you should advise the
person to ride in the rear seat.
Note: When the passenger airbag status
indicator off lamp illuminates, the passenger
side airbag (seat mounted) may be disabled
to avoid the risk of airbag deployment
issues.
After all occupants have adjusted their
seats and put on seatbelts, it is very
important that they continue to sit
properly. A properly seated occupant sits
upright, leaning against the seatback, and
centered 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 greatly
increases.
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If you think that the state of the passenger
airbag status indicator lamp is incorrect,
check for the following:
•
Objects lodged underneath the seat.
• Objects between the seat cushion and
the center console.
• Objects hanging off the seat backrest.
• Objects stowed in the seat backrest
map pocket.
• Objects placed on the occupant's lap.
• Cargo interference with the seat
• Other passengers pushing or pulling on
the seat.
• Rear passenger feet and knees resting
or pushing on the seat.
The conditions listed above may cause the
weight of a properly seated occupant to
be incorrectly interpreted by the front
passenger sensing system. The person in
the front passenger seat may appear
heavier or lighter due to the conditions
described in the previous list. Make sure the front passenger
sensing system is operating
properly. See Crash Sensors
and Airbag Indicator (page 54).
If the airbag readiness light is lit, do the
following:
The driver and adult passengers should
check for objects lodged underneath the
front passenger seat or cargo interfering
with the seat.
If objects are lodged or cargo is interfering
with the seat, please take the following
steps to remove the obstruction:
• Pull your vehicle over.
• Switch your vehicle off.
• Driver 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 your vehicle.
• Wait at least two minutes and verify
that the airbag readiness light in the
instrument cluster is no longer
illuminated.
• If the airbag readiness light in the
instrument cluster 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 your
Customer Relationship Center.
SIDE AIRBAGS 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 crash. 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.
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WARNING: Do not attempt to
service, repair, or modify the airbag, its
fuses or the seat cover on a seat
containing an airbag as you could be
seriously injured or killed. Contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible. WARNING:
If the side airbag has
deployed, the airbag will not function
again. The side airbag system (including
the seat) must be inspected and serviced
by an authorized dealer. If the airbag is
not replaced, the unrepaired area will
increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The side airbags are located on the
outboard side of the seatbacks of the front
seats. In certain sideways crashes, the
airbag on the side affected by the crash
will be inflated. The airbag was designed
to inflate between the door panel and
occupant to further enhance the protection
provided occupants in side impact crashes. The system consists of the following:
•
A label or embossed side panel
indicating that side airbags are fitted
to your vehicle.
• Side airbags located inside the driver
and front passenger seatbacks.
• Front passenger sensing system. •
Crash sensors and monitoring system
with readiness indicator. See
Crash
Sensors and Airbag Indicator (page
54
).
Note: The passenger sensing system will
deactivate the passenger seat-mounted
side airbag if it detects an empty passenger
seat.
The design and development of the side
airbag system included recommended
testing procedures that were developed
by a group of automotive safety experts
known as the Side Airbag Technical
Working Group. These recommended
testing procedures help reduce the risk of
injuries related to the deployment of side
airbags.
SAFETY CANOPY™ WARNING:
Do not place objects
or mount equipment on or near the
headliner at the siderail that may come
into contact with a deploying curtain
airbag. Failure to follow these
instructions may increase the risk of
personal injury in the event of a crash. WARNING:
Do not lean your head
on the door. The curtain airbag could
injure you as it deploys from the
headliner. WARNING:
Do not attempt to
service, repair, or modify the
supplementary restraint system or
associated components. Failure to
follow this instruction could result in
personal injury or death.
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WARNING: All occupants of your
vehicle, including the driver, should
always properly wear their seatbelts,
even when an airbag supplemental
restraint system is provided. Failure to
properly wear your seatbelt could
seriously increase the risk of injury or
death. WARNING:
To reduce risk of injury,
do not obstruct or place objects in the
deployment path of the airbag. WARNING:
If a supplementary
restraint system component has
deployed, it will not function again. Have
the system and associated components
inspected as soon as possible. Failure to
follow this instruction could result in
personal injury or death.
The Safety Canopy deploys during
significant side crashes or when a certain
likelihood of a rollover event is detected
by the rollover sensor. The Safety Canopy
is mounted to the roof side rail sheet metal,
behind the headliner, above each row of
seats. In certain sideways crashes or
rollover events, the Safety Canopy will be
activated, regardless of which seats are
occupied. The Safety Canopy is designed
to inflate between the side window area
and occupants to further enhance
protection provided in side impact crashes
and rollover events. The system consists of the following:
•
Safety Canopy curtain airbags above
the trim panels over the front and rear
side windows identified by a label or
wording on the headliner or roof-pillar
trim.
• A flexible headliner which opens above
the side doors to allow air curtain
deployment · Crash sensors and monitoring
system with a readiness
indicator. See
Crash Sensors
and Airbag Indicator (page 54).
Properly restrain children 12 years old and
under in the rear seats. The Safety Canopy
will not interfere with children restrained
using a properly installed child or booster
seat because it is designed to inflate
downward from the headliner above the
doors along the side window opening.
The design and development of the Safety
Canopy included recommended testing
procedures that were developed by a
group of automotive safety experts known
as the Side Airbag Technical Working
Group. These recommended testing
procedures help reduce the risk of injuries
related to the deployment of side airbags
(including the Safety Canopy).
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