airbag disable LINCOLN MKZ 2008 Owners Manual

Reasons given... Consider...
“Traffic is light”Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in
single-vehicle crashes,many when
no other vehicles are around.
“Belts wrinkle my clothes” Possibly, but a serious crash can do
much more than wrinkle your clothes,
particularly if you are unbelted.
“The people I’m with don’t
wear belts”Set the example, teen deaths occur 4
times more often in vehicles with
TWO or MORE people. Children and
younger brothers/sisters imitate
behavior they see.
“I have an airbag” Airbags offer greater protection when
used with safety belts. Frontal airbags
are not designed to inflate in rear and
side crashes or rollovers.
“I’d rather be thrown clear” Not a good idea.Peoplewho are
ejected are 40 times more likely
to DIE.Safety belts help prevent
ejection, WE CAN’T “PICK OUR
CRASH”.
Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt or insert a latchplate
into the buckle to avoid the Belt-Minder
chime. To do so may
adversely affect the performance of the vehicle’s air bag system.
One time disable
If at any time the driver/front passenger quickly buckles then unbuckles the
safety belt for that seating position, the Belt-Minder
is disabled for the
current ignition cycle. The Belt-Minder
feature will enable during the same
ignition cycle if the occupant buckles and remains buckled for approximately
30 seconds. Confirmation is not given for the one time disable.
Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minderfeature
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder
are
deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating
one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will
terminate the process.
2008 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
123

•This will enable the Belt-Minder
feature for that seating position if it
is currently disabled. As confirmation, the safety belt warning light will
flash four times per second for three seconds, followed by three
seconds with the light off, then followed by the safety belt warning
light flashing four times per second for three seconds again.
AIRBAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
Important supplemental restraint system precautions
Airbags DO NOT inflate slowly or
gently and the risk of injury from a
deploying airbag is greatest close to
the trim covering the airbag module.
All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always
properly wear their safety belts, even when an air bag
supplemental restraint system (SRS) is provided.
2008 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
125

•a readiness light and tone
•and the electrical wiring which connects the components
•Side curtain airbag system. Refer toSide curtain airbag systemlater
in this chapter.
•Front passenger sensing system. Refer toFront 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.
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, the airbag ignitors and safety belt pretensioners.
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,
2008 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
129

The front passenger sensing system will turn off the passenger seat side
airbag if:
•the seat is empty and safety belt is unbuckled.
•a child or a small person occupies the front passenger seat and the
child or small person is unbuckled.
The front passenger sensing system
uses apassenger airbag offor
pass airbag offindicator which will
light and stay lit to remind you that
the front passenger frontal airbag is
off. The indicator lamp is located in
the center stack of the instrument panel above the climate controls.
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 lamp will be unlit and stay
unlit.
2008 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
130

If a person of adult size is sitting in the front passenger’s seat, but the
passenger airbag offorpass airbag offindicator 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.
OccupantPass Airbag Off
Indicator LampPassenger Airbag
Empty seat Unlit Disabled
Small child in child safety
seat or boosterLit Disabled
Small child with safety belt
buckled or unbuckledLit Disabled
Adult Unlit Enabled
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.
2008 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
131

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, thepass airbag offlamp may or may not
be illuminated according to the table below.
ObjectsPass Airbag Off
Indicator LampPassenger Airbag
Small (i.e. 3 ring
binder, small purse,
bottled water)Unlit Disabled
Medium (i.e. heavy
briefcase, fully packed
luggage)Lit Disabled
Empty seat, or small
to medium object with
safety belt buckledLit 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 front passenger sensing
system. The person in the front passenger seat may appear heavier or
lighter due to the conditions described in the list above.
2008 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
132

A
Accessory delay ..........................58
Air cleaner filter ...............265–267
Air conditioning ....................31, 33
Airbag supplemental
restraint system ........125, 134, 137
and child safety seats ............127
description ..............125, 134, 137
disposal ....................................140
driver airbag ............127, 135, 138
indicator light .........134, 136, 140
operation .................127, 135, 138
passenger airbag .....127, 135, 138
side airbag ...............................134
All Wheel Drive (AWD),
driving off road .........................193
Antifreeze
(see Engine coolant) ................245
Anti-lock brake system
(see Brakes) ......................184–185
Anti-theft system ................96, 100
arming the system ..................100
disarming a triggered
system .....................................101
Audio system (see Radio) .........16
Automatic transmission
driving an automatic
overdrive .................................189
fluid, adding ............................263
fluid, checking ........................263
fluid, refill capacities ..............268
fluid, specification ..................268
Auxiliary input jack (Line in) ....23
Axle
lubricant specifications ..........268
B
Battery .......................................243acid, treating emergencies .....243
jumping a disabled battery ....214
maintenance-free ....................243
replacement, specifications ...267
servicing ..................................243
Belt-Minder
.............................120
Booster seats .............................141
Brakes ........................................184
anti-lock ...........................184–185
anti-lock brake system (ABS)
warning light ...........................185
fluid, checking and adding ....263
fluid, refill capacities ..............268
fluid, specifications .................268
lubricant specifications ..........268
parking ....................................185
shift interlock ..........................188
Break-in period .............................5
Bulbs ............................................42
C
Capacities for refilling fluids ....268
Cell phone use ..............................7
Changing a tire .........................208
Child safety restraints ..............141
child safety belts ....................141
Child safety seats ......................144
attaching with tether straps ..148
in front seat ............................145
in rear seat ..............................145
Child safety seats - booster
seats ...........................................141
Cleaning your vehicle
engine compartment ..............230
instrument panel ....................231
interior .....................................232
plastic parts ............................230
2008 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Index
275