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122
Air Bag Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS)
Important Air Bag Precautions
Your vehicle is equipped with a supplemental
restraint system designed to work with the
safety belts to help protect you and your right
front seat passenger in the event of certain
collisions described in the section
“How Does
the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System
Work?”
R
WARNING
All occupants of the vehicle, including the
driver, should always wear their safety
belts, failure to do so may increase the
risk of personal injury in the event of a
collision.
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R
WARNING
Do not place objects or mount equipment
on or near the steering wheel or in front
of the passenger dashboard area that may
come into contact with an inflating air
bag. Failure to follow these instructions
may increase the risk of personal injury in
the event of a collision.
R
WARNING
Do not attempt to service, repair, or
modify the air bag Supplemental Restraint
System or its fuses. See your Ford or
Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
R
WARNING
If you are close to an inflating air bag, it
could seriously injure you. Sit against the
seatback and position your seat such that
it is as far back from the steering wheel
as possible but still allows you to
properly control the vehicle.
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Children and Air Bags
Children should be placed in the rear in an
appropriate child safety seat that is properly
secured to the vehicle.
R
WARNING
Children should always wear their safety
belts. Failure to follow these instructions
may increase the risk of personal injury in
the event of a collision.
R
WARNING
Rear-facing child seats and infant carriers
should never be placed in the front seats.
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NOTE:
For additional important safety
information on the proper use of seat
belts, child seats, and infant seats,
please read the entire Safety Restraints
chapter in this owner guide.
How Does the Air Bag Supplemental
Restraint System Work?
The Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System is
designed to activate when the vehicle sustains
sufficient longitudinal (lengthwise) deceleration
that is equal to or greater than hitting an
immovable barrier head on at a range of about
8-14 mph (13-23 km/h). The fact that the air
bags did not inflate in a collision does not mean
that something is wrong with the system.
Rather, it means the forces were not of the type
sufficient to cause activation.
If the vehicle is in a moderate or severe frontal
collision, the system is activated and the air bags
inflate rapidly. After the air bag inflates, it will
quickly deflate. After the air bag deployment,
you may notice a smoke-like, powdery residue
or smell the burnt propellant. This is normal.
The residue may consist of cornstarch or talcum
powder (which is used to lubricate the air bag)
or sodium compounds, such as sodium
carbonates (e.g. baking soda) that result from the
combustion process that inflates the air bag.
Small amounts of sodium hydroxide may be
present which may irritate the skin and eyes, but
none of the residue is toxic. The Air Bag
Supplemental Restraint System will reduce, but
not eliminate all injuries in an accident.
R
WARNING
Several air bag system components get hot
after inflation. Do not try to touch them
after inflation.
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