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26
The driver air bag is a Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS), provided in addition to the driver
lap/shoulder belt, and is designed to
supplement the protection provided to a
properly belted driver in moderate to severe
frontal collisions. The supplemental air bag
system does not provide restraint to the lower
body.
The Importance of Wearing Safety Belts
R
WARNING
Safety belts must be worn by all vehicle
occupants to be properly restrained and
help reduce the risk of injury in a
collision.
R
WARNING
All occupants of the vehicle, including the
driver, should always wear their safety
belts, even when an air bag Supplemental
Restraint System is provided.
There are four very important reasons to use
safety belts even with an air bag system. Use
your safety belts to:
❑
help keep you in the proper seating position
(away from the air bag) when it inflates
❑
reduce the risk of harm in rollover, side or
rear impact collisions, because an air bag is
not designed to inflate in such situations
❑
reduce the risk of harm in frontal collisions
that are not severe enough to activate the
supplemental air bag
❑
reduce the risk of being thrown from your
vehicle
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The Importance of Being Properly Seated
In a collision, the air bag must inflate extremely
fast to help provide additional protection for
you. In order to do this, the air bag must inflate
with considerable force. If you are not seated in
a normal riding position with your back against
the seatback, the air bag may not protect you
properly and could possibly hurt you as it
inflates.
R
WARNING
Do not place objects or mount equipment
on or near the air bag cover on the
steering wheel or in front seat areas that
may come in contact with a deploying air
bag. Failure to follow this instruction may
increase the risk of personal injury in the
event of a collision.
How the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint
System Operates
The air bag supplemental restraint system has
two main parts. One part is the air bag system
with the driver air bag and inflator located in
the center of the steering wheel. The second part
is the electrical system, which has impact
sensors, and a diagnostic module, and backup
power supply. The diagnostic module monitors
its own internal circuits and the supplemental air
bag electrical system readiness, including the
impact sensors, the system wiring, the air bag
system readiness light, air bag power, and the
air bag ignitor.
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The location of the air bag and warning label
The air bag system uses a readiness light and a
tone to indicate the condition of the system. The
readiness light is in the instrument cluster. When
you turn the ignition to the ON position, this
light will illuminate for approximately six (6)
seconds and then turn off. This indicates that the
system is operating normally.
NOTE:
Maintenance of the air bag system is not
required.
A problem with the system is indicated by one
or more of the following: the readiness light will
either flash or stay lit, or it will not light, or a
group of five beeps will be heard.
R
WARNING
If any of these things happen, even
intermittently, have the air bag system
serviced at your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury
dealer immediately.
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Tone generator
The air bag readiness light indicates the air bag
system condition. However, a series of five sets
of five beeps will be heard only if the readiness
light does not work and there is a problem with
the air bag system. This also means that the Air
Bag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) is in
need of service. The tone pattern will repeat
(five sets of five beeps) periodically until the
problem and light are repaired. Unless serviced,
the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System may
not function properly 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.
The air bag system is designed to stay out of
sight until it is activated. The air bag system is
designed to deploy in frontal and front-angled
collisions more severe than hitting a parked
vehicle of similar size and weight head-on at
about 28 mph (45 km/h). Because the system
senses the crash severity rather than vehicle
speed,
some
frontal collisions at speeds above
28 mph (45 km/h) will not inflate the air bag.
The system activates when the sensors detect a
forward deceleration equal to or greater than the
deceleration experienced if you would drive
your vehicle into a solid wall at 14 mph. In
some side impacts, the forward deceleration of
your vehicle can be great enough to deploy your
air bag.
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