Get Seating and Safety Restraints -> Front passenger sensing system Guide for Ford Focus 4 Door Second Generation (2004-2010)

Seating and Safety Restraints

• Front passenger sensing system. Refer to Front passenger sensing

system. later in this chapter.

• “Passenger airbag off” or “pass airbag off” indicator lamp. Refer to

Front passenger sensing system. later in this chapter.

• a readiness light and tone.

• diagnostic module.

• and the electrical wiring which connects the components.

The diagnostic module monitors its own internal circuits and the

supplemental airbag electrical system wiring (including the impact

sensors), the system wiring, the airbag system readiness light, the airbag

back up power and the airbag ignitors.

Front passenger sensing system

The front passenger sensing system is designed to meet the regulatory

requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208

and is designed to disable (will not inflate) the front passenger’s frontal

airbag under certain conditions.

The front passenger sensing system works with sensors that are part of

the front passenger’s seat and safety belt. The sensors are designed to

detect the presence of a properly seated occupant and determine if the

front passenger’s frontal airbag should be enabled (may inflate) or

disabled (will not inflate).

The front passenger sensing system will disable (will not inflate) the

front passenger’s frontal airbag if:

• the front passenger seat is unoccupied, or has small/medium objects in

the front seat,

• the system determines that an infant is present in a rear-facing infant

seat that is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions,

• the system determines that a small child is present in a forward-facing

child restraint that is installed according to the manufacturer’s

instructions,

• the system determines that a small child is present in a booster seat,

• a front passenger takes his/her weight off of the seat for a period of

time,

• a child or a small person occupies the front passenger seat.

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Seating and Safety Restraints

For side airbag equipped vehicles, the front passenger sensing system

will turn off the passenger seat side airbag if:

• the seat is empty and safety belt is unbuckled.

The front passenger sensing system

uses a Љpassenger airbag offЉ or

Љpass airbag offЉ indicator which will

illuminate and stay lit to remind you

that the front passenger frontal

airbag is disabled. The indicator

lamp is located at the top of the

instrument panel center stack area

below the Hazard warning indicator

and above the radio.

Note: The indicator lamp will illuminate for a short period of time when

the ignition is turned to the ON position to confirm it is functional.

When the front passenger seat is not occupied (empty seat) or in the

event that the front passenger frontal airbag is enabled (may inflate), the

indicator lamp will be unlit.

The front passenger sensing system is designed to disable (will not

inflate) the front passenger’s frontal airbag when a rear facing infant

seat, a forward-facing child restraint, or a booster seat is detected.

• When the front passenger sensing system disables (will not inflate)

the front passenger frontal airbag, the indicator lamp will illuminate

and stay lit to remind you that the front passenger frontal airbag is

disabled.

• If the child restraint has been installed and the indicator lamp is not

lit, then turn the vehicle off, remove the child restraint from the

vehicle and reinstall the restraint following the child restraint

manufacturer’s instructions.

The front passenger sensing system is designed to enable (may inflate)

the front passenger’s frontal airbag anytime the system senses that a

person of adult size is sitting properly in the front passenger seat.

• When the front passenger sensing system enables the front passenger

frontal airbag (may inflate), the indicator will be unlit and stay unlit.

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2007 Focus (foc)

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Seating and Safety Restraints

If a person of adult size is sitting in the front passenger’s seat, but the

Љpassenger airbag offЉ or Љpass airbag offЉ indicator lamp is lit, it is

possible that the person isn’t sitting properly in the seat. If this happens:

• Turn the vehicle off and ask the person to place the seatback in the

full upright position.

• Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion,

with the person’s legs comfortably extended.

• Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for

about two minutes. This will allow the system to detect that person

and enable the passenger’s frontal airbag.

• If the indicator lamp remains lit even after this, the person should be

advised to ride in the rear seat.

Pass Airbag Off

Indicator Lamp

Occupant

Passenger Airbag

Empty seat

Small child in child safety Lit

seat or booster

Unlit

Disabled

Small child with safety

belt buckled or unbuckled

Adult

Lit

Disabled

Enabled

Unlit

Even with Advanced Restraints Systems, children 12 and under

should be properly restrained in the back seat.

After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on safety belts, it’s

very important that they continue to sit properly. A properly seated

occupant sits upright, leaning against the seat back, 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 is greatly increased.

Sitting improperly out of position or with the seat back reclined

too far can take off weight from the seat cushion and affect the

decision of the front passenger sensing system, resulting in serious

injury or death in a crash.

Always sit upright against your seatback, with your feet on the floor.

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Seating and Safety Restraints

The front passenger sensing system may detect small or medium objects

placed on the seat cushion. For most objects that are in the front

passenger seat, the passenger airbag will be disabled. Even though the

passenger airbag is disabled, the Љpass airbag offЉ lamp may or may not

be illuminated according to the table below.

Pass Airbag Off

Indicator Lamp

Objects

Passenger Airbag

Small (i.e. 3 ring

binder, small purse,

bottled water)

Unlit

Disabled

Medium (i.e. heavy

briefcase, fully packed

luggage)

Empty seat, or small

to medium object with

safety belt buckled

Lit

Disabled

If you think that the status of the passenger airbag off indicator lamp is

incorrect, check for the following:

• Objects lodged underneath the seat

• Objects between the seat cushion and the center console (if

equipped)

• Objects hanging off the seat back

• Objects stowed in the seatback map pocket (if equipped)

• 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 passenger sensing system.

The person in the front passenger seat may appear heavier or lighter due

to the conditions described in the list above.

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2007 Focus (foc)

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Seating and Safety Restraints

To reduce the risk of possible serious injury:

Do not stow objects in seat back map pocket (if equipped) or

hang objects off seat back if a child is in the front passenger seat.

Do not place objects underneath the front passenger seat or between

the seat and the center console (if equipped).

Check the “passenger airbag off” or “pass airbag off” indicator lamp for

proper airbag Status.

Failure to follow these instructions may interfere with the passenger

seat sensing system.

In case there is a problem with the

front passenger sensing system, the

airbag readiness lamp in the

instrument cluster will stay lit.

If the airbag readiness lamp is lit, do the following:

The driver and/or adult passengers should check for any objects that

may be lodged underneath the front passenger seat or cargo interfering

with the seat.

If objects are lodged and/or cargo is interfering with the seat; please take

the following steps to remove the obstruction:

• Pull the vehicle over.

• Turn the vehicle off.

• Driver and/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 the vehicle.

• Wait at least 2 minutes and verify that the airbag readiness lamp is no

longer illuminated

• If the airbag readiness lamp 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 the Ford Customer

Relationship Center at the phone number shown in the Customer

Assistance section of this Owner’s Guide.

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2007 Focus (foc)

Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)

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Seating and Safety Restraints -> Front passenger sensing system for Your Ford Focus 4 Door Second Generation (2004-2010)

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