FORD ESCORT 1998 7.G Repair Manual

How does the air bag
supplemental restraint system
work?
The SRS is designed to activate
when the vehicle sustains
sufficient longitudinal deceleration.
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.
The air bags inflate and deflate
rapidly upon activation.
After air bag deployment, it is
normal to notice a smoke-like,
powdery residue or smell the burnt
propellant. This may consist of
cornstarch, talcum powder (to
lubricate the bag) or sodium
compounds (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.
Several air bag system
components get hot after
inflation. Do not touch them
after inflation.
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If the air bag is inflated,
the air bag will not
function again and must be
replaced immediately.Ifthe
air bag is not replaced, the
unrepaired area will increase the
risk of injury in a collision.
The SRS consists of:
²driver and passenger air bag
modules (which include the
inflators and air bags),
²one or more impact and safing
sensors,
²a readiness light and tone
²and the electrical wiring which
connects the components.
The diagnostic module monitors its
own internal circuits and the
supplemental air bag electrical
system warning (including the
impact sensors), the system wiring,
the air bag system readiness light,
the air bag back up power and the
air bag ignitors.
Determining if the system is
operational
The SRS uses a readiness light in
the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the
system. Refer to theAir bag
readinesssection in the
Instrumentationchapter. Routine
maintenance of the air bag is not
required.
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A difficulty with the system is
indicated by one or more of the
following:
²The readiness light will either
flash or stay lit.
²The readiness light will not
illuminate immediately after
ignition is turned on.
²A series of five beeps will be
heard. The tone pattern will
repeat periodically until the
problem and light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even
intermittently, have the SRS
serviced at your dealership or by a
qualified technician immediately.
Unless serviced, the system may
not function properly in the event
of a collision.
Disposal of air bags and air bag
equipped vehicles
For disposal of air bags or air bag
equipped vehicles, see your local
dealership or qualified technician.
Air bags MUST BE disposed of by
qualified personnel.
SAFETY RESTRAINTS FOR
CHILDREN
Important child restraint
precautions
You are required by law to use
safety restraints for children in the
U.S. and Canada. If small children
ride in your vehicle (generally
children who are four years old or
younger and who weigh 18 kg
[40 lbs] or less), you must put
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63

them in safety seats made
especially for children. Check your
local and state or provincial laws
for specific requirements regarding
the safety of children in your
vehicle.
Never let a passenger hold
a child on his or her lap
while the vehicle is moving. The
passenger cannot protect the
child from injury in a collision.
Always follow the instructions and
warnings that come with any infant
or child restraint you might use.
When possible, place children in
the rear seat of your vehicle.
Accident statistics suggest that
children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating
positions than in the front seating
position.
Children and safety belts
Children who are too large for
child safety seats (as specified by
your child safety seat
manufacturer) should always wear
safety belts.
Follow all the important safety
restraint and air bag precautions
that apply to adult passengers in
your vehicle.
If the shoulder belt portion of a
combination lap and shoulder belt
can be positioned so it does not
cross or rest in front of the child's
face or neck, the child should wear
the lap and shoulder belt. Moving
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the child closer to the center of
the vehicle may help provide a
good shoulder belt fit.
If the shoulder belt cannot be
properly positioned:
²move the child to one of the
seats with a lap belt only (if
equipped)
OR
²if the child is the proper size,
restrain the child in a safety
seat.
Do not leave children,
unreliable adults, or pets
unattended in your vehicle.
To improve the fit of lap and
shoulder belts on children who
have outgrown child safety seats,
Ford recommends use of a
belt-positioning booster seat that is
labelled as conforming to all
Federal motor vehicle safety
standards. Belt-positioning booster
seats raise the child and provide a
shorter, firmer seating cushion that
encourages safer seating posture
and better fit of lap and shoulder
belts on the child. A
belt-positioning booster should be
used if the shoulder belt rests in
front of the child's face or neck, or
if the lap belt does not fit snugly
on both thighs, or if the thighs are
too short to let the child sit all the
way back on the seat cushion
when the lower legs hang over the
edge of the seat cushion. You may
wish to discuss the special needs
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of your child with your
pediatrician.
SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN
Child and infant or child safety
seats
Use a safety seat that is
recommended for the size and
weight of the child. Carefully
follow all of the manufacturer's
instructions with the safety seat
you put in your vehicle. If you do
not install and use the safety seat
properly, the child may be injured
in a sudden stop or collision.
When installing a child safety seat:
²Use the correct safety belt
buckle for that seating position.
²Make sure the tongue is
securely fastened in the buckle.
²Keep the buckle release button
pointing up and away from the
safety seat, with the tongue
between the child seat and the
release button, to prevent
accidental unbuckling.
²Place seat back in upright
position.
²Put the safety belt in the
automatic locking mode. Refer
toAutomatic locking mode.
Ford recommends the use of a
child safety seat having a top
tether strap. Install the child safety
seat in a seating position which is
capable of providing a tether
anchorage. For more information
on top tether straps, refer to
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66

Attaching safety seats with tether
straps.
Carefully follow all of the
manufacturer's instructions
included with the safety seat you
put in your vehicle. If you do not
install and use the safety seat
properly, the child may be
injured in a sudden stop or
collision.
Installing child safety seats in
combination lap and shoulder
belt seating positions
1. Position the child safety seat in
a seat with a combination lap and
shoulder belt.
Air bag can kill or injure a
child in a child seat. If you
must use a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat, move seat
all the way back.
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2. Pull down on the shoulder belt
and then grasp the shoulder belt
and lap belt together.
3. While holding the shoulder and
lap belt portions together, route
the tongue through the child seat
according to the child seat
manufacturer's instructions. Be
sure the belt webbing is not
twisted.
4. Insert the belt tongue into the
proper buckle for that seating
position until you hear and feel the
latch engage. Make sure the
tongue is latched securely by
pulling on it.
PRESS
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5. To put the retractor in the
automatic locking mode, grasp the
shoulder portion of the belt and
pull downward until all of the belt
is extracted and a click is heard.
6. Allow the belt to retract. The
belt will click as it retracts to
indicate it is in the automatic
locking mode.
7. Pull the lap belt portion across
the child seat toward the buckle
and pull up on the shoulder belt
while pushing down with your
knee on the child seat.
8. Allow the safety belt to retract
to remove any slack in the belt.
9. Before placing the child in the
seat, forcibly tilt the seat forward
and back to make sure the seat is
securely held in place.
10. Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is in the automatic
locking mode (you should not be
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able to pull more belt out). If the
retractor is not locked, unbuckle
the belt and repeat steps two
through nine.
Check to make sure the child seat
is properly secured before each
use.
Attaching safety seats with
tether straps
Some manufacturers make safety
seats that include a tether strap
that goes over the back of the
vehicle seat and attaches to an
anchoring point. Other
manufacturers offer the tether
strap as an accessory. Contact the
manufacturer of your child safety
seat for information about ordering
a tether strap.
Tether anchorage hardware
(Coupe)
Attachment holes (at each rear
outboard seating position) have
been provided in your vehicle to
attach anchor hardware, if
required. Tether anchorage
hardware kits (part number
613D74) including instructions,
may be obtained at no charge from
any Ford or Lincoln-Mercury
dealer. All vehicles built for sale in
Canada include a tether anchor
hardware kit.
Be sure to follow the child safety
seat manufacturer's instructions.
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