FORD MUSTANG 2001 4.G Owners Manual

How does the air bag supplemental restraint
system work?
The air bag SRS is
designed to activate
when the vehicle
sustains longitudinal
deceleration sufficient
to cause the sensors to
close an electrical
circuit that initiates air
bag inflation.
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. Air
bags are designed to inflate in frontal and
near-frontal collisions, not rollover, side-impact, or
rear-impacts unless the collision causes sufficient
longitudinal deceleration.
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.
While the system is designed to help reduce serious
injuries, contact with a deploying air bag may also
cause abrasions, swelling or temporary hearing loss.
Because air bags must inflate rapidly and with
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considerable force, there is the risk of death or
serious injuries such as fractures, facial and eye
injuries or internal injuries, particularly to occupants
who are not properly restrained or are otherwise out
of position at the time of air bag deployment. Thus,
it is extremely important that occupants be properly
restrained as far away from the air bag module as
possible while maintaining vehicle control.
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
²a diagnostic module
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.
Several air bag system components get hot
after inflation. Do not touch them after
inflation.
If the air bag has deployed,the air bag will
not function again and must be replaced
immediately.If the air bag is not replaced, the
unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a
collision.
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
theInstrumentationchapter. 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/or 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 (including pretensioners)
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
See the following sections for directions on how to
properly use safety restraints for children. Also see
Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)in
this chapter for special instructions about using air
bags.
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 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.
AIR
BAG
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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, always place children under age 12
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
If the child is the proper size, restrain the child in a
safety seat.
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 the
child closer to the center of the vehicle may help
provide a good shoulder belt fit.
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 applicable
Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Belt-positioning booster seats raise the child and
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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 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.
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When installing a child safety seat:
²Review and follow
the information
presented in theAir
Bag Supplemental
Restraint System
section in this
chapter.
²Use the correct
safety belt buckle for that seating position (the
buckle closest to the direction the tongue is
coming from).
²Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle until
you hear a snap and feel it latch. Make 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(passenger
side front and outboard rear seating positions) (if
equipped).
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 toAttaching 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.
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Installing child safety seats in combination lap
and shoulder belt seating positions
If you must use a
forward facing child
seat in the front seat
(reminder - children 12
years old and under
should always be
properly restrained in
the rear seat)the
shoulder belt must
be routed through
the belt holder at
the top of the
seatback, refer to
Safety Restraints
earlier in this chapter
for routing through the belt holder.
Air bags can kill or injure a child in a child
seat.NEVERplace a rear-facing child seat
in front of an active air bag. If you must use a
forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move
the seat all the way back.
1. Position the child
safety seat in a seat
with a combination lap
and shoulder belt.
Children 12 and under should be properly
restrained in the rear seat whenever
possible.
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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 (the buckle
closest to the direction
the tongue is coming
from) for that seating
position until you hear
a snap and feel the
latch engage. Make
sure the tongue is
latched securely by
pulling on it.
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.
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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 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 child safety seats with tether
straps
Most new forward-facing child safety seats include a
tether strap which goes over the back of the seat
and hooks to an anchoring point. Tether straps are
available as an accessory for many older safety seats.
Contact the manufacturer of your child seat for
information about ordering a tether strap.
The rear seats of your vehicle are equipped with
built-in tether strap anchors located behind the seats
as described below.
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The tether anchors in your vehicle are either located
under a cover marked with the child tether anchor
symbol (shown with title) or are under a flap in the
convertible top boot.
The tether strap anchors in your vehicle are in the
following positions (shown from top view):
Attach the
tether strap
only to the
appropriate tether
anchor as shown.
The tether strap may
not work properly if
attached somewhere
other than the
correct tether
anchor.
1. Position the child safety seat on the seat cushion.
2. Route the child safety seat tether strap over the
back of the seat.
For vehicles with adjustable head restraints, route
the tether strap under the head restraint and
between the head restraint posts, otherwise route
the tether strap over the top of the seatback.
3. Locate the correct
anchor for the selected
seating position as
shown previously.
For Coupe only:
4. Open the tether
anchor covers.
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