airbag FORD EXPLORER 2015 5.G Owner's Manual

The system consists of the
following:
•A tag on the seatback indicating
that side airbags are found on
your vehicle.
•Side airbags located inside the
seatback of the driver and front
passenger seats.
•Front passenger sensing system.
•Crash sensors and monitoring system with readiness
indicator. SeeCrash Sensors and Airbag Indicatorlater in
this chapter.
Note:The passenger sensing system will deactivate the passenger
seat-mounted side airbag if it detects an empty passenger seat.
The design and development of the side airbag system included
recommended testing procedures that were developed by a group of
automotive safety experts known as the Side Airbag Technical Working
Group. These recommended testing procedures help reduce the risk of
injuries related to the deployment of side airbags.
SAFETY CANOPY™ CURTAIN AIRBAGS
WARNING:Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near
the headliner at the siderail that may come into contact with a
deploying curtain airbag. Failure to follow these instructions may
increase the risk of personal injury in the event of a crash.
WARNING:Do not lean your head on the door. The curtain
airbag could injure you as it deploys from the headliner.
WARNING:Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
curtain airbags, its fuses, the A, B, C or D pillar trim, or the
headliner on a vehicle containing curtain airbags, as you could be
seriously injured or killed. Contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible.
58Supplementary Restraints System
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)

WARNING:All occupants of your vehicle including the driver
should always wear their safety belts even when an airbag
supplemental restraint system and curtain airbag is provided. Failure to
properly wear your safety belt could seriously increase the risk of injury
or death.
WARNING:To reduce risk of injury, do not obstruct or place
objects in the deployment path of the curtain airbag.
WARNING:If the curtain airbags have deployed, the curtain
airbags will not function again. The curtain airbags (including the
A, B, C or D pillar trim and headliner) must be inspected and serviced
by an authorized dealer. If the curtain airbag is not replaced, the
unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The Safety Canopy will deploy during significant side crashes or when a
certain likelihood of a rollover event is detected by the rollover sensor.
The Safety Canopy is mounted to the roof side-rail sheet metal, behind
the headliner, above each row of seats. In certain sideways crashes or
rollover events, the Safety Canopy will be activated, regardless of which
seats are occupied. The Safety Canopy is designed to inflate between the
side window area and occupants to further enhance protection provided
in side impact crashes and rollover events.
The system consists of:
•Safety canopy curtain airbags
fitted above the trim panels over
the front and rear side windows
identified by a label or wording
on the headliner or roof-pillar
trim.
•A flexible headliner which opens above the side doors to allow air
curtain deployment.
•Crash sensors and monitoring system with readiness
indicator. SeeCrash Sensors and Airbag Indicatorin this
chapter.
Supplementary Restraints System59
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)

Children 12 years old and under should always be properly restrained in
the rear seats. The Safety Canopy will not interfere with children
restrained using a properly installed child or booster seat because it is
designed to inflate downward from the headliner above the doors along
the side window opening.
The design and development of the Safety Canopy included
recommended testing procedures that were developed by a group of
automotive safety experts known as the Side Airbag Technical Working
Group. These recommended testing procedures help reduce the risk of
injuries related to the deployment of side airbags (including the Safety
Canopy).
CRASH SENSORS AND AIRBAG INDICATOR
WARNING:Modifying or adding equipment to the front end of
your vehicle (including frame, bumper, front end body structure
and tow hooks) may affect the performance of the airbag system,
increasing the risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of your
vehicle.
Your vehicle has a collection of crash and occupant sensors which
provide information to the restraints control module. The restraints
control module deploys (activates) the front safety belt pretensioners,
rear inflatable safety belts, driver airbag, passenger airbag, passenger
knee airbag, seat mounted side airbags, and the Safety Canopy. Based on
the type of accident (frontal impact, side impact or rollover) the
restraints control module will deploy the appropriate safety devices.
The restraints control module also monitors the readiness of the above
safety devices plus the crash and occupant sensors. The readiness of the
safety system is indicated by a warning indicator light in the instrument
cluster or by a backup tone if the warning light is not working. See the
Instrument Clusterchapter. Routine maintenance of the airbag is not
required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
•The readiness light will either flash or stay lit.
•The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after the
ignition is turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem or light is repaired.
60Supplementary Restraints System
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)

If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the supplemental
restraint system serviced at an authorized dealer immediately. Unless
serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a crash.
The safety belt pretensioners, rear inflatable safety belts and the airbag
supplemental restraint system are designed to activate when the vehicle
sustains frontal or sideways deceleration sufficient to cause the restraints
control module to deploy a safety device or when a certain likelihood of
a rollover event is detected by the rollover sensor.
The fact that the safety belt pretensioners or airbags did not activate for
both front seat occupants in a crash does not mean that something is
wrong with the system. Rather, it means the restraints control module
determined the accident conditions (such as crash severity, belt usage)
were not appropriate to activate these safety devices.
•The design of the front airbags is to activate only in frontal and
near-frontal crashes (not rollovers, side impacts or rear impacts)
unless the crash causes sufficient frontal deceleration.
•The design of the safety belt pretensioners and rear inflatable safety
belts is to activate in frontal, near-frontal and side crashes, and in
rollovers.
•The design of the side airbags is to inflate in certain side impact
crashes. Side airbags may activate in other types of crashes if the
vehicle experiences sufficient sideways motion or deformation.
•The design of the Safety Canopy is to inflate in certain side impact
crashes or rollover events. The Safety Canopy may activate in other
types of crashes if the vehicle experiences sufficient sideways motion
or deformation, or a certain likelihood of rollover.
AIRBAG DISPOSAL
Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible. Airbags must be
disposed of by qualified personnel.
Supplementary Restraints System61
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)

WARNING LAMPS AND INDICATORS
There are indicators that can alert you to a vehicle condition that may
become serious enough to cause expensive repairs. Many lights will
illuminate when you start your vehicle to make sure they work. If any
light remains on after starting the vehicle, refer to the respective system
warning light for additional information.
Note:Some warning indicators are reconfigurable telltales (RTT). These
indicators appear in the information display and function the same as a
warning light, but do not display on startup.
Adaptive cruise control (RTT) (if equipped)
The speed control system indicator light changes color to indicate what
mode the system is in:
•On (gray light): Illuminates when the adaptive cruise control system is
turned on. Turns off when the speed control system is turned off.
•Engaged (green light): Illuminates when the adaptive cruise control
system is engaged. Turns off when the speed control system is
disengaged.
Airbag readiness
If this light fails to illuminate when the ignition is turned on,
continues to flash or remains on, contact your authorized dealer
as soon as possible. A chime will sound when there is a
malfunction in the indicator light.
Anti-lock brake system
If the ABS light stays illuminated or continues to flash, a
malfunction has been detected. Contact your authorized dealer
as soon as possible. Normal braking is still functional unless the
brake warning light also is illuminated.
Instrument Cluster11 7
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)

SITTING IN THE CORRECT POSITION
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 passenger sensing system, resulting in
serious injury or death in a crash. Always sit upright against your seat
back, with your feet on the floor.
WARNING:Do not recline the seat back as this can cause the
occupant to slide under the seat’s safety belt, resulting in severe
personal injury in the event of a crash.
WARNING:Do not place objects higher than the seat backs to
reduce the risk of injury in a crash or during heavy braking or
when stopping suddenly.
When you use them properly, the
seat, head restraint, safety belt and
airbags will provide optimum
protection in the event of a crash.
We recommend that you follow these guidelines:
•Do not recline the seat back more than 30 degrees from vertical.
•Sit in an upright position with the base of your spine as far back as
possible.
•Adjust the head restraint so that the top of it is level with the top of
your head and as far forward as possible, remaining comfortable.
•Keep sufficient distance between yourself and the steering wheel. We
recommend a minimum of 10 inches (25 centimeters) between your
breastbone and the airbag cover.
Seats155
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)

CLEANING THE INTERIOR
WARNING:Do not use cleaning solvents, bleach or dye on the
vehicle’s safety belts, as these actions may weaken the belt
webbing.
WARNING:On vehicles equipped with seat-mounted airbags, do
not use chemical solvents or strong detergents. Such products
could contaminate the side airbag system and affect performance of the
side airbag in a collision.
For fabric, carpets, cloth seats, safety belts and seats equipped with side
airbags:
•Remove dust and loose dirt with a vacuum cleaner.
•Apply a layer of high quality foam cleaner designed for automotive
interiors, such as Motorcraft Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner, to the
dry stained area(s) of the item you are cleaning and let it soak in for
one minute.
•If grease or tar is present on the material, spot-clean the area first
with Motorcraft Spot and Stain Remover. In Canada, use Motorcraft
Multi-Purpose Cleaner.
•If a ring forms on the fabric after spot cleaning, clean the entire area
immediately (but do not oversaturate) or the ring can set.
•Do not use household cleaning products or glass cleaners, which can
stain and discolor the fabric and affect the flame retardant abilities of
the seat materials.
CLEANING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND INSTRUMENT
CLUSTER LENS
WARNING:Do not use chemical solvents or strong detergents
when cleaning the steering wheel or instrument panel to avoid
contamination of the airbag system.
Note:Follow the same procedure as cleaning leather seats for cleaning
leather instrument panels and leather interior trim surfaces. See
Cleaning Leather Seatsin this chapter.
Clean the instrument panel and cluster lens with a clean, damp, white,
cotton cloth, then use a clean and dry, white, cotton cloth to dry these
areas.
Vehicle Care345
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)

Note:Every phone operates differently. While SYNC 911 Assist works
with most cellular phones, some may have trouble using this feature.
If a crash deploys an airbag (excludes knee airbags and rear inflatable
safety belts [if equipped]) or activates the fuel pump shut-off, your SYNC
equipped vehicle may be able to contact emergency services by dialing
911 through a paired and connected Bluetooth-enabled phone. For more
information about 911 Assist, visit www.SYNCMyRide.com,
www.SYNCMyRide.ca or www.syncmaroute.ca.
•For information on airbag deployment, see theSupplementary
Restraints Systemchapter.
•For information on the fuel pump shut-off, see theRoadside
Emergencieschapter.
Setting 911 Assist On
Perform the following:
1. Press the phone button to enter the Phone Menu.
2. Scroll until 911 Assist is selected.
3. Press OK to confirm and enter the 911 Assist menu.
4. Scroll to select between On and Off selections.
5. Press OK when the desired option appears in the radio display. Set
On or Set Off appears in the display as confirmation.
Off selections include: Off with reminder and Off without reminder. Off
with reminder provides a display and voice reminder at phone
connection at vehicle start. Off without reminder provides a display
reminder only without a voice reminder at phone connection.
To make sure that 911 Assist works properly:
•SYNC must be powered and working properly at the time of the
incident and throughout feature activation and use.
•SYNC 911 Assist feature must be set on prior to the incident.
•A Bluetooth-enabled and compatible phone has to be paired and
connected to SYNC.
•A connected Bluetooth-enabled phone must have the ability to make
and maintain an outgoing call at the time of the incident.
•A connected Bluetooth-enabled phone must have adequate network
coverage, battery power and signal strength.
•The vehicle must have battery power and be located in the United
States, Canada or in a territory in which 911 is the emergency
number.
SYNC®437
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)

In the Event of a Crash
Not all crashes deploy an airbag or activate the fuel pump shut-off
(which would activate 911 Assist); however, if 911 Assist is triggered,
SYNC tries to contact emergency services. If a connected phone is
damaged or loses connection to SYNC, SYNC searches for, and tries to
connect to, any available previously paired phone and tries to make the
call to 911.
Before making the call:
•SYNC provides a short window of time (about 10 seconds) to cancel
the call. Failure to cancel the call results in SYNC attempting to dial
911.
•SYNC says the following, or a similar message: “SYNC will attempt to
call 911, to cancel the call, press Cancel on your screen or press and
hold the phone button on your steering wheel.”
If the call is not cancelled and a successful call is made, a pre-recorded
message is played for the 911 operator, then the occupant(s) in the
vehicle is able to talk with the operator. Be prepared to provide your
name, phone number and location immediately, because not all 911
systems are capable of receiving this information electronically.
911 Assist May Not Work If
•Your cellular phone or 911 Assist hardware was damaged in a crash.
•The vehicle’s battery or SYNC system has no power.
•The phone(s) paired and connected to the system was thrown from
the vehicle.
911 Assist Privacy Notice
Once 911 Assist is set on, it may disclose to emergency services that the
vehicle has been in a crash involving the deployment of an airbag or
activation of the fuel pump shut-off. Certain versions or updates to 911
Assist may also be capable of electronically or verbally disclosing to 911
operators the vehicle location, and/or other details about the vehicle or
crash to assist 911 operators to provide the most appropriate emergency
services. If you do not want to disclose this information, do not turn the
feature on.
438SYNC®
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)

Note:Before setting this feature on, make sure that you read the 911
Assist privacy notice later in this section for important information.
Note:If any user turns 911 Assist on or off, that setting applies for all
paired phones. If 911 Assist is turned off, either a voice message plays or
a display message (or icon) comes on (or both) when your vehicle is
started after a previously paired phone connects.
Note:Every phone operates differently. While SYNC 911 Assist works
with most cellular phones, some may have trouble using this feature.
If a crash deploys an airbag (excludes knee airbags and rear inflatable
safety belts [if equipped]) or activates the fuel pump shut-off, your
SYNC-equipped vehicle may be able to contact emergency services by
dialing 911 through a paired and connected Bluetooth-enabled phone.
You can learn more about the 911 Assist feature, visit
www.SYNCMyRide.com, www.SYNCMyRide.ca or www.syncmaroute.ca.
•For information on airbag deployment, see theSupplementary
Restraints Systemchapter.
•For information on the fuel pump shut-off, see theRoadside
Emergencieschapter.
Setting 911 Assist On
If your vehicle is equipped with Navigation, touch the i
(Information) button to access these features. If your vehicle is
not equipped with Navigation, touch the corner of the
touchscreen with the green tab.
PressApps>911 Assist,>On.
You can also access 911 Assist by:
•Pressing the Settings icon >Settings>Phone>911
Assist,or
•Pressing the Settings icon >Help>911 Assist.
To Make Sure that 911 Assist Works Properly
•SYNC must be powered and working properly at the time of the
incident and throughout feature activation and use.
•The 911 Assist feature must be set on before the incident.
•You must pair and connect a Bluetooth-enabled and compatible phone
to SYNC.
•A connected Bluetooth-enabled phone must have the ability to make
and maintain an outgoing call at the time of the incident.
•A connected Bluetooth-enabled phone must have adequate network
coverage, battery power and signal strength.
514MyFord Touch® (If Equipped)
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)