airbag disable Mercury Sable 2009 Owner's Manuals

Airbag readiness:If this light fails
to illuminate when the ignition is
turned to on, continues to flash or
remains on, have the system
serviced immediately by your authorized dealer. A chime will sound
when there is a malfunction in the indicator light.
Safety belt:Reminds you to fasten
your safety belt. A Belt-Minder
chime will also sound to remind you
to fasten your safety belt. Refer to
theSeating and Safety Restraints
chapter to activate/deactivate the Belt-Minderchime feature.
Charging system:Illuminates when
the battery is not charging properly.
If it stays on while the engine is
running, there may be a malfunction
with the charging system. Contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible. This indicates a problem with the electrical system or a related
component.
Engine oil pressure:Illuminates
when the oil pressure falls below the
normal range, refer toEngine oilin
theMaintenance and
Specificationschapter.
AdvanceTrac(if equipped):
Illuminates when the AdvacneTrac
is active or has been disabled (by
the driver or as a result of a system
failure). If the light remains on, have
the system serviced immediately,
refer to theDrivingchapter for more information.
Low tire pressure warning:
Illuminates when your tire pressure
is low. If the light remains at start
up or while driving, the tire
pressure should be checked. Refer
toInflating your tiresin theTires, Wheels and Loadingchapter. When
the ignition is first turned to on, the light will illuminate for three
seconds to ensure the bulb is working. If the light does not turn or
begins to flash, have the system inspected by your authorized dealer. For
2009 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Instrument Cluster
14

Reasons given... Consider...
“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 areejected
are 40 times more likely to DIE.Safety
belts help prevent ejection, WE CAN’T “PICK
OUR CRASH”.
WARNING:Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt or insert a
latchplate into the buckle to avoid the Belt-Minderchime. 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-Minderis disabled for
the current ignition cycle. The Belt-Minderfeature 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-Minderare
deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating
one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will
terminate the process.
Read Steps1-4thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
Note: The driver and front passenger Belt-Minderfeatures must be
disabled/enabled separately. Both cannot be disable/enabled during the
same key cycle.
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minderfeatures can be
deactivated/activated by performing the following procedure:
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
•The parking brake is set
•The gearshift is in P (Park)
2009 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
137

•driver and front passenger safety belt pretensioner
•a readiness light and tone.
•diagnostic module.
•the electrical wiring which connects the components.
•Front passenger sensing system. Refer toFront passenger sensing
systemlater in this chapter.
•“Passenger airbag off” or “pass airbag off” indicator lamp. Refer to
Front passenger sensing systemlater 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 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.
2009 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
143

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 apassenger airbag offor
pass airbag offindicator which will
illuminate and stay lit to remind you
that the front passenger frontal airbag is disabled. The indicator lamp is
located above the glove box on the instrument panel.
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.
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.
2009 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
144

•If the indicator lamp remains lit even after this, the person should be
advised to ride in the rear seat.
OccupantPass Airbag Off
Indicator LightPassenger 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
WARNING:Even with Advanced Restraints Systems, children
12 and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating
position.
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.
WARNING: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.
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.
2009 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
145

ObjectsPass Airbag Off
Indicator LightPassenger Airbag
Small (i.e. three-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 passenger sensing system.
The person in the front passenger seat may appear heavier or lighter due
to the conditions described in the list above.
WARNING: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 front
passenger seat sensing system.
2009 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
146

A
Accessory delay ..........................71
AdvanceTrac ..............................210
Air cleaner filter ...............295–297
Air conditioning ....................48, 50
Airbag supplemental restraint
system ........................139, 148, 150
and child safety seats ............141
description ..............139, 148, 150
disposal ....................................153
driver airbag ............141, 149, 151
indicator light .................147, 153
operation .................141, 149, 151
passenger airbag .....141, 149, 151
side airbag ...............................148
All Wheel Drive (AWD),
driving off road .........................221
Antifreeze (see Engine
coolant) .....................................276
Anti-lock brake system
(see Brakes) ..............................208
Anti-theft system ..............111, 115
arming the system ..................115
disarming a triggered
system .....................................116
Audio system
(see Radio) ......................18, 22, 29
Automatic transaxle
fluid, refill capacities ..............298
fluid, specification ..................298
Automatic transmission
driving an automatic
overdrive .................................216
fluid, adding ............................294
fluid, checking ........................294
Auxiliary input jack (Line in) ....36B
Battery .......................................273
acid, treating emergencies .....273
jumping a disabled battery ....244
maintenance-free ....................273
replacement, specifications ...297
servicing ..................................273
Belt-Minder.............................134
Booster seats .............................167
Brakes ........................................208
anti-lock ...................................208
anti-lock brake system (ABS)
warning light ...........................209
fluid, checking and adding ....293
fluid, refill capacities ..............298
fluid, specifications .................298
lubricant specifications ..........298
parking ....................................209
shift interlock ..........................215
Bulbs ............................................59
C
Capacities for refilling fluids ....298
Cargo cover .................................94
Cargo net .....................................95
Cell phone use ..............................8
Changing a tire .........................236
Child safety seats ......................158
attaching with tether straps ..165
in front seat ............................159
in rear seat ..............................159
LATCH .....................................162
recommendations ...................156
Child safety seats - booster
seats ...........................................167
2009 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Index
305