2021 FORD F-450 Owners Manual

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.
Routine maintenance of the airbags is not
required.
DRIVER AND PASSENGER
AIRBAGS
WARNING: Do not place your arms
on the airbag cover or through the
steering wheel. Failure to follow this
instruction could result in personal injury. WARNING:
Do not place a
rearward facing child restraint in front of
an active airbag. Failure to follow this
instruction could result in personal injury
or death. The driver and front passenger airbags
deploy during significant frontal and near
frontal crashes.
The driver and passenger front airbag
system consists of:
•
Driver and passenger airbag modules. · Crash sensors and monitoring
system with readiness indicator.
See Crash Sensors and Airbag
Indicator
(page 53).
Passenger Airbag On and Off
Switch
(If Equipped) 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:
The front passenger
airbag is not designed to offer protection
to an occupant in the center seating
position. WARNING:
Your vehicle may have
an airbag deactivation switch. Before
driving, always look at the switch to
make sure it is in the appropriate
position. Failure to put the switch in the
proper position can increase the risk of
serious injury or death in a crash. The front passenger airbag on and off
switch has indicators that illuminate,
indicating that the front passenger frontal
airbag is either on or off. The indicators are
near the center of the instrument panel.
Note:
The OFF and ON indicators illuminate
for a short period of time when you switch
the ignition on to confirm it is functional.
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Passenger Airbag
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator
Switch Position
Disabled
OFF: Lit
Off
ON: Unlit Enabled
OFF: Unlit
On
ON: Lit
Switching the Passenger Airbag Off WARNING: If the light does not
illuminate when the passenger airbag
switch is off and you switch the ignition
on, have the passenger airbag switch
serviced immediately by a qualified
technician. WARNING:
To avoid switching on
the airbag, always remove the ignition
key with the switch in the off position. WARNING:
If your vehicle has rear
seats, always transport children who are
12 and younger in the rear seat. Always
use seatbelts and child restraints
properly. Do not place a child in a rear
facing infant seat in the front seat unless
your vehicle is equipped with an airbag
on and off switch and the passenger
airbag is turned off. This is because the
back of the infant seat is too close to the
inflating airbag and the risk of a fatal
injury to the infant when the airbag
inflates is substantial.
The passenger airbag on and off switch is
in the glovebox. 1. Insert the ignition key, turn the switch
to OFF and hold in OFF while removing
the key.
2. When you switch the ignition on, the passenger airbag off light illuminates
briefly, momentarily shuts off and then
switches back on. This indicates that
the passenger airbag is deactivated.
Switching the Passenger Airbag Back
On WARNING:
The seatbelts for the
driver and right front passenger seating
positions are specifically designed to
operate together with the airbags in
certain types of crashes. When you
switch off your airbag, you not only lose
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the protection of the airbag, you also
may reduce the effectiveness of your
seatbelt system. If the passenger does
not meet the requirements stated in the
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration or Transport Canada
deactivation criteria, switching off the
airbag can increase the risk of serious
injury or death in a crash.
WARNING: If your vehicle has rear
seats, always transport children who are
12 and younger in the rear seat. Always
use seatbelts and child restraints
properly. Do not place a child in a rear
facing infant seat in the front seat unless
your vehicle is equipped with an airbag
on and off switch and the passenger
airbag is turned off. This is because the
back of the infant seat is too close to the
inflating airbag and the risk of a fatal
injury to the infant when the airbag
inflates is substantial. WARNING:
If the passenger airbag
off light is illuminated when the
passenger airbag switch is on and the
ignition is on, have the passenger airbag
switch serviced immediately by a
qualified technician.
The passenger airbag remains off until you
switch it back on. 1. Insert the ignition key and turn the
switch to ON.
2. The passenger airbag off light will briefly illuminate when you switch the
ignition on. This indicates that the
passenger airbag is operational.
The passenger side airbag should always
be on (the passenger airbag off light
should not be illuminated) unless the
passenger is a person who meets the
requirements stated either in Category 1, 2
or 3 of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration or Transport Canada
deactivation criteria which follows.
The vast majority of drivers and passengers
are much safer with an airbag than
without. To do their job and reduce the risk
of life threatening injuries, airbags must
open with great force, and this force can
pose a potentially deadly risk in some
situations, particularly when a front seat
occupant is not properly buckled up. The
most effective way to reduce the risk of
unnecessary airbag injuries without
reducing the overall safety of the vehicle
is to make sure all occupants are properly
restrained in the vehicle, especially in the
front seat. This provides the protection of
seatbelts and permits the airbags to
provide the additional protection they were
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designed to provide. If you choose to
deactivate your airbag, you are losing the
very significant risk reducing benefits of
the airbag and you are also reducing the
effectiveness of the seatbelts, because
seatbelts in modern vehicles are designed
to work as a safety system with the
airbags.
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration Deactivation Criteria
(Excluding Canada)
WARNING: This vehicle has special
energy management seatbelts for the
driver and right front passenger. These
particular seatbelts are specifically
designed to work with airbags to help
reduce the risk of injury in a crash. The
energy management seatbelt gives or
releases additional seatbelt webbing in
some accidents to reduce the
concentration of force on an occupant's
chest and to reduce the risk of certain
bone fractures and injuries to underlying
organs. In a crash, if the airbag is off, this
energy management seatbelt might
permit the passenger wearing the
seatbelt to move forward enough to
have a serious or fatal injury. The more
severe the crash, and the heavier the
occupant, the greater the risk. Make sure
the airbag is on for any passenger who
does not qualify under the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration
deactivation criteria.
1. Infant. An infant (less than 1 year old)
must ride in the front seat because: •
The vehicle has no rear seat;
• The vehicle has a rear seat too small
to accommodate a rear-facing infant
seat; or
• The infant has a medical condition
which, according to the infant's
physician, makes it necessary for the
infant to ride in the front so that the
driver can constantly monitor the
child's condition.
2. Child age 1 to 12. A child age 1 to 12 must
ride in the front seat because:
• The vehicle has no rear seat;
• Although children ages 1 to 12 ride in
the rear seat(s) whenever possible,
children ages 1 to 12 sometimes must
ride in the front because no space is
available in the rear seat(s) of the
vehicle; or
• The child has a medical condition
which, according to the child's
physician, makes it necessary for the
child to ride in the front seat so that the
driver can constantly monitor the
child's condition.
3. Medical condition.
A passenger has a
medical condition which, according to his
or her physician:
• Causes the passenger airbag to pose
a special risk for the passenger;
• Makes the potential harm from the
passenger airbag in a crash greater
than the potential harm from turning
off the airbag and allowing the
passenger, even if belted, to hit the
dashboard or windshield in a crash.
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Transport Canada Deactivation Criteria
(Canada Only)
WARNING: This vehicle has special
energy management seatbelts for the
driver and right front passenger. These
particular seatbelts are specifically
designed to work with airbags to help
reduce the risk of injury in a crash. The
energy management seatbelt gives or
releases additional seatbelt webbing in
some accidents to reduce the
concentration of force on an occupant's
chest and to reduce the risk of certain
bone fractures and injuries to underlying
organs. In a crash, if the airbag is off, this
energy management seatbelt might
permit the passenger wearing the
seatbelt to move forward enough to
have a serious or fatal injury. The more
severe the crash, and the heavier the
occupant, the greater the risk. Make sure
the airbag is on for any passenger who
does not qualify under the Transport
Canada deactivation criteria.
1. Infant: An infant (less than 1 year old)
must ride in the front seat because:
• My vehicle has no rear seat;
• The rear seat in my vehicle cannot
accommodate a rear-facing infant
seat;
• The infant has a medical condition
which, according to the infant's
physician, makes it necessary for the
infant to ride in the front seat so that
the driver can monitor the infant's
condition.
2. Child age 12 or under: A child age 12 or
under must ride in the front seat because: •
My vehicle has no rear seat;
• Although children age 12 and under ride
in the rear seat whenever possible,
children age 12 and under have no
option but to sometimes ride in the
front seat because rear seat space is
insufficient;
• The child has a medical condition that,
according to the child's physician,
makes it necessary for the child to ride
in the front seat so that the driver can
monitor the child's condition.
3. Medical condition:
A passenger has a
medical condition that, according to his or
her physician:
• Poses a special risk for the passenger
if the airbag deploys; and
• Makes the potential harm from the
passenger airbag deployment greater
than the potential harm from turning
off the airbag and experiencing a crash
without the protection offered by the
airbag
Proper Driver and Front Passenger
Seating Adjustment WARNING:
National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
recommends a minimum distance of at
least
10 in (25 cm) 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.
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After all occupants have adjusted their
seats and put on seatbelts, 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
greatly increases.
Children and Airbags
WARNING: Do not place a
rearward facing child restraint in front of
an active airbag. Failure to follow this
instruction could result in personal injury
or death. 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.
SIDE AIRBAGS
WARNING:
Do not place objects
or mount equipment on or near the
airbag cover, on the side of the front or
rear seatbacks, or in 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:
Accessory seat covers
not released by Ford Motor Company
could prevent the deployment of the
airbags and increase the risk of injuries
in a crash. 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
supplementary restraint system or
associated components. Failure to
follow this instruction could result in
personal injury or death.
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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 side airbags are on the outermost side
of the front seat backrests. In certain
sideways crashes or rollover events, the
side airbags will be inflated. The airbag
was designed to inflate between the door
panel and occupant to further enhance the
protection provided to occupants in side
impact crashes. The system consists of the following:
•
A label or embossed side panel
indicating that your vehicle has side
airbags.
• Side airbags inside the driver and front
passenger seat backrests. Crash sensors and monitoring
system with readiness indicator.
See Crash Sensors and Airbag
Indicator
(page 53). 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. 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.
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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 53).
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).
CRASH SENSORS AND
AIRBAG INDICATOR WARNING:
Modifying or adding
equipment to the front end of your
vehicle (including hood, bumper system,
frame, front end body structure, tow
hooks and hood pins) may affect the
performance of the airbag system,
increasing the risk of injury. Do not
modify or add equipment to the front
end of your vehicle.
Your vehicle has a collection of crash and
occupant sensors that provide information
to the restraints control module which
deploys (activates) the seatbelt
pretensioners, driver airbag, passenger
airbag, seat mounted side airbags, and the
Safety Canopy. Based on the type of crash,
the restraints control module deploy the
appropriate safety devices.
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