FORD SUPER DUTY 2023 Repair Manual

HOW DO THE FRONT AIRBAGS
WORK
The driver and front passenger airbagsdeploy during significant frontal and nearfrontal crashes.
The driver and passenger front airbagsystem consists of:
•Driver and passenger airbag modules.
•Crash sensors and monitoring systemwith a readiness indicator. See CrashSensors and Airbag Indicator (page65).
The airbags are a supplemental restraintsystem and are designed to work with theseatbelts to help protect the driver andright front passenger from certain upperbody injuries. Airbags do not inflate slowly.There is a risk of injury from a deployingairbag.
Note:You will hear a loud bang and see acloud of harmless powdery residue if anairbag deploys. This is normal.
The airbags inflate and deflate rapidlyupon activation. After airbag deployment,it is normal to notice a smoke-like, powderyresidue or smell the burnt propellant. Thismay consist of cornstarch, talcum powder,to lubricate the bag, or sodium compounds
(for example, baking soda) that result fromthe combustion process that inflates theairbag. Small amounts of sodiumhydroxide may be present which mayirritate the skin and eyes, but none of theresidue is toxic.
Contact with a deploying airbag may causeabrasions or swelling. Temporary hearingloss is also a possibility as a result of thenoise associated with a deploying airbag.
Because airbags must inflate rapidly andwith considerable force, there is the risk ofdeath or serious injuries such as fractures,facial and eye injuries or internal injuries,particularly to occupants who are notproperly restrained or are otherwise out ofposition at the time of airbag deployment.Thus, it is extremely important thatoccupants be properly restrained as faraway from the airbag module as possiblewhile maintaining vehicle control.
The airbag does not require routinemaintenance.
HOW DO THE SIDE AIRBAGS
WORK
WARNING: Do not place objectsor mount equipment on or near theairbag cover, on the side of the front orrear seatbacks, or in areas that maycome into contact with a deployingairbag. Failure to follow theseinstructions may increase the risk ofpersonal injury in the event of a crash.
WARNING: Accessory seat coversnot released by Ford Motor Companycould prevent the deployment of theairbags and increase the risk of injuriesin a crash.
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WARNING: Do not lean your headon the door. The side airbag could injureyou as it deploys from the side of theseatback.
The side airbags are on the outermost sideof the seat backrests of the front seats. Incertain sideways crashes or rollovers, theairbags will be inflated. The airbag wasdesigned to inflate between the door paneland occupant to further enhance theprotection provided to occupants in sideimpact crashes.
The system consists of the following:
•A label or embossed side panelindicating that side airbags are fittedto your vehicle.
•Side airbags inside the driver and frontpassenger seat backrests.
•Crash sensors and monitoring systemwith readiness indicator. See CrashSensors and Airbag Indicator (page65).
HOW DOES THE SAFETY
CANOPY™ WORK
WARNING: Do not place objectsor mount equipment on or near theheadliner at the siderail that may comeinto contact with a deploying curtainairbag. Failure to follow theseinstructions may increase the risk ofpersonal injury in the event of a crash.
WARNING: Do not lean your headon the door. The curtain airbag couldinjure you as it deploys from theheadliner.
WARNING: To reduce risk of injury,do not obstruct or place objects in thedeployment path of the airbag.
The Safety Canopy deploys duringsignificant side crashes or when a certainlikelihood of a rollover event is detectedby the rollover sensor. The Safety Canopyis mounted to the roof side-rail sheetmetal, behind the headliner, above eachrow of seats. In certain sideways crashesor rollover events, the Safety Canopy willbe activated, regardless of which seats areoccupied. The Safety Canopy inflatesbetween the side window area andoccupants to further enhance protectionprovided in side impact crashes androllover events.
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The system consists of the following:
•Safety Canopy curtain airbags abovethe trim panels over the front and rearside windows identified by a label orwording on the headliner or roof-pillartrim.
•A flexible headliner which opens abovethe side doors to allow air curtaindeployment
· Crash sensors and monitoringsystem with a readinessindicator. See Crash Sensorsand Airbag Indicator (page 65).
Properly restrain children 12 years old andunder in the rear seats. The Safety Canopywill not interfere with children restrainedusing a properly installed child or boosterseat because it is designed to inflatedownward from the headliner above thedoors along the side window opening.
AIRBAG PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: Airbags do not inflateslowly or gently, and the risk of injuryfrom a deploying airbag is the greatestclose to the trim covering the airbagmodule.
WARNING: All occupants of yourvehicle, including the driver, shouldalways properly wear their seatbelts,even when an airbag supplementalrestraint system is provided. Failure toproperly wear your seatbelt couldseriously increase the risk of injury ordeath.
WARNING: Properly securechildren 12 years old and under in a rearseating position whenever possible. Ifyou are unable to properly secure allchildren in a rear seating position,properly secure the largest child on thefront seat. If you must use a forwardfacing child restraint on the front seat,move the seat as far back as possible.Failure to follow these instructions couldresult in personal injury or death.
WARNING: Do not place your armson the airbag cover or through thesteering wheel. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in personal injury.
WARNING: Keep the areas in frontof the airbags free from obstruction. Donot affix anything to or over the airbagcovers. Objects could become projectilesduring airbag deployment. Failure tofollow this instruction could result inpersonal injury or death.
WARNING: To reduce risk of injury,do not obstruct or place objects in thedeployment path of the airbag.
WARNING: Do not place arearward facing child restraint in front ofan active airbag. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in personal injuryor death.
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WARNING: Do not attempt toservice, repair, or modify thesupplementary restraint system orassociated components. Failure tofollow this instruction could result inpersonal injury or death.
WARNING: Several airbag systemcomponents get hot after inflation. Toreduce the risk of injury, do not touchthem after inflation.
WARNING: If a supplementaryrestraint system component hasdeployed, it will not function again. Havethe system and associated componentsinspected as soon as possible. Failure tofollow this instruction could result inpersonal injury or death.
SWITCHING THE PASSENGER
AIRBAG ON AND OFF
WARNING: Even with advancedrestraints systems, properly restrainchildren 12 and under in a rear seatingposition. Failure to follow this couldseriously increase the risk of injury ordeath.
WARNING: The front passengerairbag is not designed to offer protectionto an occupant in the center seatingposition.
WARNING: Your vehicle may havean airbag deactivation switch. Beforedriving, always look at the switch tomake sure it is in the appropriateposition. Failure to put the switch in theproper position can increase the risk ofserious injury or death in a crash.
The front passenger airbag on and offswitch has indicators that illuminate,indicating that the front passenger frontalairbag is either on or off. The indicators arenear the center of the instrument panel.
Note:The indicators illuminate for a shortperiod of time when you switch the ignitionon to confirm it is functional.
Passenger AirbagPassenger Airbag StatusIndicatorSwitch Position
DisabledOFF: IlluminatedOff
ON: Not Illuminated
EnabledOFF: Not IlluminatedOn
ON: Illuminated
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Switching the Passenger AirbagOff
WARNING: If the light does notilluminate when the passenger airbagswitch is off and you switch the ignitionon, have the passenger airbag switchserviced immediately by a qualifiedtechnician.
WARNING: To avoid switching onthe airbag, always remove the ignitionkey with the switch in the off position.
WARNING: If your vehicle has rearseats, always transport children who are12 and younger in the rear seat. Alwaysuse seatbelts and child restraintsproperly. Do not place a child in a rearfacing infant seat in the front seat unlessyour vehicle is equipped with an airbagon and off switch and the passengerairbag is turned off. This is because theback of the infant seat is too close to theinflating airbag and the risk of a fatalinjury to the infant when the airbaginflates is substantial.
The passenger airbag on and off switch isin the glovebox.
1.Insert the ignition key, turn the switchto OFF and hold in OFF while removingthe key.
2.When you switch the ignition on, thepassenger airbag off light illuminatesbriefly, momentarily shuts off and thenswitches back on. This indicates thatthe passenger airbag is deactivated.
Switching the Passenger AirbagOn
WARNING: The seatbelts for thedriver and right front passenger seatingpositions are specifically designed tooperate together with the airbags incertain types of crashes. When youswitch off your airbag, you not only losethe protection of the airbag, you alsomay reduce the effectiveness of yourseatbelt system. If the passenger doesnot meet the requirements stated in theNational Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration or Transport Canadadeactivation criteria, switching off theairbag can increase the risk of seriousinjury or death in a crash.
WARNING: If your vehicle has rearseats, always transport children who are12 and younger in the rear seat. Alwaysuse seatbelts and child restraintsproperly. Do not place a child in a rearfacing infant seat in the front seat unlessyour vehicle is equipped with an airbagon and off switch and the passengerairbag is turned off. This is because theback of the infant seat is too close to theinflating airbag and the risk of a fatalinjury to the infant when the airbaginflates is substantial.
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WARNING: If the passenger airbagoff light is illuminated when thepassenger airbag switch is on and theignition is on, have the passenger airbagswitch serviced immediately by aqualified technician.
The passenger airbag remains off until youswitch it back on.
1.Insert the ignition key and turn theswitch to ON.
2.The passenger airbag off light brieflyilluminates when you switch theignition on. This indicates that thepassenger airbag is operational.
The passenger side airbag should alwaysbe on, and the passenger airbag off lightshould not be illuminated, unless thepassenger is a person who meets therequirements stated either in Category 1, 2or 3 of the National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration or Transport Canadadeactivation criteria which follows.
The vast majority of drivers and passengersare much safer with an airbag thanwithout. To do their job and reduce the riskof life threatening injuries, airbags mustopen with great force, and this force canpose a potentially deadly risk in somesituations, particularly when a front seatoccupant is not properly buckled up. Themost effective way to reduce the risk ofunnecessary airbag injuries withoutreducing the overall safety of the vehicleis to make sure all occupants are properlyrestrained in the vehicle, especially in thefront seat. This provides the protection ofseatbelts and permits the airbags toprovide the additional protection they weredesigned to provide. If you choose todeactivate your airbag, you are losing thevery significant risk reducing benefits ofthe airbag and you are also reducing theeffectiveness of the seatbelts. Seatbeltsin modern vehicles are designed to workas a safety system with the airbags.
National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration DeactivationCriteria-Excluding Canada
WARNING: This vehicle has specialenergy management seatbelts for thedriver and right front passenger. Theseparticular seatbelts are specificallydesigned to work with airbags to helpreduce the risk of injury in a crash. Theenergy management seatbelt gives orreleases additional seatbelt webbing insome accidents to reduce theconcentration of force on an occupant'schest and to reduce the risk of certainbone fractures and injuries to underlyingorgans. In a crash, if the airbag is off, thisenergy management seatbelt mightpermit the passenger wearing theseatbelt to move forward enough tohave a serious or fatal injury. The more
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severe the crash, and the heavier theoccupant, the greater the risk. Make surethe airbag is on for any passenger whodoes not qualify under the NationalHighway Traffic Safety Administrationdeactivation criteria.
1.Infant. An infant, less than 1 year old,must ride in the front seat because:
•The vehicle has no rear seat.
•The vehicle has a rear seat too smallto accommodate a rear-facing infantseat.
•The infant has a medical conditionwhich, according to the infant'sphysician, makes it necessary for theinfant to ride in the front so that thedriver can constantly monitor thechild's condition.
2.Children age 1 to 12. Children age 1 to12 must ride in the front seat because:
•The vehicle has no rear seat.
•Although children ages 1 to 12 ride inthe rear seat(s) whenever possible,children ages 1 to 12 sometimes mustride in the front because no space isavailable in the rear seat(s) of yourvehicle.
•The child has a medical conditionwhich, according to the child'sphysician, makes it necessary for thechild to ride in the front seat so that thedriver can constantly monitor thechild's condition.
3. Medical condition. A passenger has amedical condition which, according to hisor her physician:
•Causes the passenger airbag to posea special risk for the passenger.
•Makes the potential harm from thepassenger airbag in a crash greaterthan the potential harm from turningoff the airbag and allowing thepassenger, even if belted, to hit thedashboard or windshield in a crash.
Transport Canada DeactivationCriteria-Canada Only
WARNING: This vehicle has specialenergy management seatbelts for thedriver and right front passenger. Theseparticular seatbelts are specificallydesigned to work with airbags to helpreduce the risk of injury in a crash. Theenergy management seatbelt gives orreleases additional seatbelt webbing insome accidents to reduce theconcentration of force on an occupant'schest and to reduce the risk of certainbone fractures and injuries to underlyingorgans. In a crash, if the airbag is off, thisenergy management seatbelt mightpermit the passenger wearing theseatbelt to move forward enough tohave a serious or fatal injury. The moresevere the crash, and the heavier theoccupant, the greater the risk. Make surethe airbag is on for any passenger whodoes not qualify under the TransportCanada deactivation criteria.
1.Infant: An infant, less than 1 year old,must ride in the front seat because:
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•The vehicle has no rear seat.
•The rear seat in my vehicle cannotaccommodate a rear-facing infantseat.
•The infant has a medical conditionwhich, according to the infant'sphysician, makes it necessary for theinfant to ride in the front seat so thatthe driver can monitor the infant'scondition.
2.Children age 12 or under: Children age12 or under must ride in the front seatbecause:
•The vehicle has no rear seat.
•Although children age 12 and under ridein the rear seat whenever possible,children age 12 and under have nooption but to sometimes ride in thefront seat because rear seat space isinsufficient.
•The child has a medical condition that,according to the child's physician,makes it necessary for the child to ridein the front seat so that the driver canmonitor the child's condition.
3.Medical condition: A passenger has amedical condition that, according to his orher physician:
•Poses a special risk for the passengerif the airbag deploys.
•Makes the potential harm from thepassenger airbag deployment greaterthan the potential harm from turningoff the airbag and experiencing a crashwithout the protection offered by theairbag.
PROPERLY ADJUSTING THE
DRIVER AND FRONT
PASSENGER SEATS
WARNING: National HighwayTraffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)recommends a minimum distance of atleast 10 in (25 cm) between anoccupant's chest and the driver airbagmodule.
To properly position yourself away fromthe airbag:
•Move your seat to the rear as far as youcan while still reaching the pedalscomfortably.
•Recline the seat slightly one or twodegrees from the upright position.
After all occupants have adjusted theirseats and put on seatbelts, it is veryimportant that they continue to sitproperly. Properly seated occupants situpright, lean against the seat backrest, andcenter themselves on the seat cushion,with their feet comfortably extended onthe floor. Sitting improperly can increasethe chance of injury in a crash event. Forexample, if an occupant slouches, liesdown, turns sideways, sits forward, leansforward or sideways, or puts one or bothfeet up, the chance of injury during a crashgreatly increases.
CHILDREN AND AIRBAGS
WARNING: Do not place arearward facing child restraint in front ofan active airbag. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in personal injuryor death.
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Children must always be properlyrestrained. Accident statistics suggest thatchildren are safer when properly restrainedin the rear seating positions than in thefront seating position. Failure to followthese instructions may increase the risk ofinjury in a crash.
If two adults and a child occupy a vehiclewithout rear seats, properly restrain thechild in the center front seat unless doingso would interfere with driving your vehicle.This provides lap and shoulder beltprotection for all occupants, and airbagprotection for the adults. A child or infantproperly restrained in the center front seatshould have a reduced risk to serious injuryfrom the airbags.
CRASH SENSORS AND
AIRBAG INDICATOR
WARNING: Modifying or addingequipment to the front of your vehiclecould affect the performance of theairbag system, increasing the risk ofinjury. This includes the hood, bumpersystem, frame, front body structure, towhooks, hood pins, push bar andsnowplows.
Your vehicle has a collection of crash andoccupant sensors. These sensors provideinformation to the restraints controlmodule which activates the following:
•Seatbelt pretensioners.
•Adaptive steering column.
•Driver airbag.
•Passenger airbag.
•Seat mounted side airbags.
•Safety Canopy.
Based on the type of crash, the restraintscontrol module deploys the appropriatesafety devices.
The restraints control module alsomonitors the readiness of the above safetydevices plus the crash and occupantsensors. The readiness of the safetysystem is indicated by a warning indicatorlight in the instrument cluster or by abackup tone if the warning light is notworking. The airbag does not requireroutine maintenance.
A difficulty with the system is indicated byone or more of the following:
The readiness light will notilluminate immediately after youswitch the ignition on.
•The readiness light either flashes orstays on.
•You hear a series of five tones. Thetone pattern repeats periodically untilthe problem, the light or both arerepaired.
If any of these things happen, evenintermittently, have the supplementalrestraint system serviced immediately.Unless serviced, the system may notfunction properly in the event of a crash.
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The fact that the seatbelt pretensionersor front airbags did not activate for bothfront seat occupants in a crash does notmean that something is wrong with thesystem. Rather, it means the restraintscontrol module determined the accidentconditions (crash severity, seatbelt usage)were not appropriate to activate thesesafety devices.
•The front airbags activate only infrontal and near-frontal crashes. Frontairbags may activate in rollovers, sideimpacts or rear impacts if the crashcauses sufficient frontal deceleration.
•The adaptive steering column activatesonly in frontal and near-frontal crashes.It may activate in rollovers, sideimpacts or rear impacts if the crashcauses sufficient frontal deceleration.
•The seatbelt pretensioners activate infrontal, near-frontal and side crashes,and in rollovers.
•The side airbags inflate in certain sideimpact crashes or rollover events. Sideairbags may activate in other types ofcrashes if the vehicle experiencessufficient sideways motion ordeformation.
•The Safety Canopy inflates in certainside impact crashes or rollover events.The Safety Canopy may activate inother types of crashes if the vehicleexperiences sufficient sideways motionor deformation, or a certain likelihoodof rollover.
DISPOSING OF AIRBAGS
Contact your authorized dealer as soon aspossible. Airbags must be disposed of byqualified personnel.
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