HOW DO THE FRONT AIRBAGS WORK
The driver and front passenger airbags deploy during significant frontal and near frontal crashes. The driver and passenger front airbag system consist of:
- Driver and passenger airbag modules.
- Front passenger sensing system.
- Crash sensors and monitoring system with readiness indicator. See Crash Sensors and Airbag Indicator.
The airbags are a supplemental restraint system and are designed to work with the seatbelts 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 of 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 residues are toxic.
Contact with a deploying airbag may 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 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.
HOW DO THE SIDE AIRBAGS WORK
 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 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. |
The side airbags are on the outermost side of each front and rear seat backrest. In certain sideways crashes or rollovers, the 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.
Properly restrain children 12 years old and under in the rear seats. The rear side airbag will not interfere with children restrained using a properly installed child or booster seat. The system consists of the following:
- A label or embossed side panel indicating that side airbags are fitted to your vehicle.
- Side airbags inside the driver and front passenger seat backrests, as well as side airbags inside of each outermost rear seat backrest.
- Crash sensors and monitoring system with readiness indicator. See Crash Sensors and Airbag Indicator.
HOW DO THE KNEE AIRBAGS WORK
The driver’s knee airbag is under or within the instrument panel. During a crash, the restraints control module may activate the knee airbag based on crash severity and respective occupant conditions. Under certain crash and occupant conditions, the knee airbag may deploy but the corresponding front airbag may not activate. It is important to be properly seated and restrained to reduce the risk of death or serious injury.
 Make sure the knee airbag is operating properly. See Crash Sensors and Airbag Indicator. |
HOW DOES THE SAFETY CANOPY™ WORK
| 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: 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. |
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 activates, regardless of which seats are occupied. The Safety Canopy is designed to inflate between the side window area and occupants to further enhance the protection provided in side-impact crashes and rollover events.
The system consists of:
- Safety Canopy curtain airbags above the trim panels over the front and rear side windows. They are 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.
Properly restrain children 12 years old and under in the rear seats. The Safety Canopy airbags 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.
PROPERLY ADJUSTING THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS
| 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’s 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 seatbelts, it is very important that they continue to sit properly. Properly seated occupants sit upright, lean against the seat backrest, 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 position than in the front seating position. Failure to follow these instructions may increase the risk of injury in a crash.
AIRBAG PRECAUTIONS
| 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 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: Properly secure children 12 years old and under in a rear seating position whenever possible. If you are unable to properly secure all children in a rear seating position, properly secure the largest child on the front seat. If you must use a forward-facing child restraint on the front seat, move the seat as far back as possible. Failure to follow these instructions could result in personal injury or death. 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: Keep the areas in front of the airbags free from obstruction. Do not affix anything to or over the airbag covers. Objects could become projectiles during airbag deployment. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death. WARNING: To reduce the risk of injury, do not obstruct or place objects in the deployment path of the airbag. 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. 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: Several airbag system components get hot after inflation. To reduce the risk of injury, do not touch them after inflation. WARNING: If a supplementary restraint system component has been 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. |
WHAT IS THE FRONT PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM
This system detects a properly seated occupant and determines if the front passenger airbag should be enabled.
HOW DOES THE FRONT PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM WORK
The system uses a passenger airbag status indicator which illuminates indicating that the front passenger frontal airbag is either enabled or disabled.
Note: When you first switch the power on, the passenger airbag status indicator off and on lamps illuminate for a short period to confirm they are functional.
The indicators are in the overhead console. The front passenger sensing system is designed to disable the front passenger frontal airbag under these conditions:
- The front passenger seat is unoccupied.
- The system determines whether 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 the front passenger frontal airbag, the passenger airbag status indicator illuminates the off lamp.
- If you have installed the child restraint and the passenger airbag status indicator illuminates the on lamp, 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, the passenger airbag status indicator illuminates the on lamp.
If a person of adult size is sitting in the front passenger seat, but the passenger airbag status indicator off lamp is illuminated, 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 seat backrest 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’s frontal airbag.
- If the indicator off lamp remains illuminated even after this, you should advise the person to ride in the rear seat.
After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on seatbelts, it is very important that they continue to sit upright, leaning against the seat backrest, 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.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 are stowed in the seat backrest map pocket.
- Objects are 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 listed conditions could 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 could appear heavier or lighter due to the conditions listed.
If the airbag readiness light is on, do the following:
- Pull your vehicle over.
- Switch your vehicle off.
- Check for any objects lodged underneath the front passenger seat or cargo interfering with the seat.
- Remove the obstruction 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, there may be a problem due to the front passenger sensing system.
Do not attempt to repair or service the system. Take your vehicle in for service immediately.
If it is necessary to modify an advanced front airbag system to accommodate a person with disabilities, contact your Customer Relationship Center. See Contacting Us.
FRONT PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM PRECAUTIONS
| 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. |
CRASH SENSORS AND AIRBAG INDICATOR
| WARNING: Modifying or adding equipment to the front of your vehicle could affect the performance of the airbag system, increasing the risk of injury. This includes the hood, bumper system, frame, front body structure, tow hooks, hood pins, push bar and snowplows. |
Your vehicle has a collection of crash and occupant sensors. These sensors provide information to the restraints control module which activates the following:
- Front and rear seatbelt pretensioners.
- Driver airbag.
- Passenger airbag.
- Knee airbag(s).
- Front and rear seat mounted side airbags.
- Adaptive steering column.
- Side curtain airbags.
Based on the type of crash, the restraints control module deploys 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. 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 either flashes or stays on.
- You hear a series of five tones. The tone pattern repeats periodically until the problem, the light or both are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the supplemental restraint system serviced immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a crash.
The fact that the seatbelt pretensioners or front 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 (crash severity, seatbelt usage) were not appropriate to activate these safety devices.
- The front airbags activate only in frontal and near-frontal crashes. Front airbags may activate in rollovers, side impacts or rear impacts if the crash causes sufficient frontal deceleration.
- The seatbelt pretensioners activate in frontal, near-frontal and side crashes, and in rollovers.
- The knee airbag deploys based on crash severity and occupant conditions.
- The side airbags inflate in certain side impact crashes or rollover events. Side airbags may activate in other types of crashes if the vehicle experiences sufficient sideways motion or deformation.
- The Safety Canopy inflates in certain side impact crashes or rollover events. The Safety Canopy may activate in other types of crashes if the vehicle experiences sufficient sideways motion or deformation, or a certain likelihood of rollover.
DISPOSING OF AIRBAGS
Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible. Airbags must be disposed of by qualified personnel.