airbag LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2013 User Guide

PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
WARNING:Airbags DO NOT inflate slowly or gently, and the
risk of injury from a deploying airbag is the greatest close to the
trim covering the airbag module.
WARNING:All occupants of your vehicle, including the driver,
should always properly wear their safety belts, even when an
airbag supplemental restraint system is provided.
WARNING:Always transport children 12 years old and under in
the back seat and always properly use appropriate child
restraints.
WARNING:Never place your arm over the airbag module as a
deploying airbag can result in serious arm fractures or other
injuries.
WARNING:Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.
NEVER place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag.
If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the
seat all the way back.
WARNING:Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
airbag supplemental restraint systems or its fuses. Contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING:Several airbag system components get hot after
inflation. Do not touch them after inflation.
WARNING:If the airbag has deployed, the airbag will not
function again and must be replaced immediately. If the airbag is
not replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a
collision.
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The airbags are a supplemental restraint system and are designed to
work with the safety belts to help protect the driver and right front
passenger from certain upper body injuries. Airbags DO NOT inflate
slowly; there is a risk of injury from a deploying airbag.
Note:You will hear a loud bang and see a cloud of harmless powdery
residue if an airbag deploys. This is normal.
The airbags inflate and deflate rapidly upon activation. After airbag
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 airbag. 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 airbag may also cause abrasions
or swelling. Temporary hearing loss is also a possibility as a result of the
noise associated with a deploying airbag. Because airbags must inflate
rapidly and with 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 airbag deployment. Thus, it is extremely
important that occupants be properly restrained as far away from the
airbag module as possible while maintaining vehicle control.
Routine maintenance of the airbags is not required.
RESTRAINT SAFETY SYSTEM
The Restraint Safety System provides an improved overall level of frontal
crash protection to front seat occupants and is designed to help further
reduce the risk of airbag-related injuries. The system is able to analyze
different occupant conditions and crash severity before activating the
appropriate safety devices to help better protect a range of occupants in
a variety of frontal crash situations.
Your vehicle’s Restraint Safety System consists of:
•Driver and passenger dual-stage airbag supplemental restraints.
•Front outboard safety belts with pretensioners, energy management
retractors (first row only), and safety belt usage sensors.
•Driver’s seat position sensor
•Front crash severity sensors.
•Restraints Control Module (RCM) with impact and safing sensors.
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•Restraint system warning light and backup tone.
•The electrical wiring for the airbags, crash sensor(s), safety belt
pretensioners, front safety belt usage sensors, driver seat position
sensor, and indicator lights.
How does the Restraint Safety System work?
The Restraint Safety System can adapt the deployment strategy of your
vehicle’s safety devices according to crash severity and occupant
conditions. A collection of crash and occupant sensors provides
information to the restraints control module. During a crash, the
restraints control module may activate the safety belt pretensioners
and/or either one or both stages of the dual-stage airbag supplemental
restraints based on crash severity and occupant conditions.
SOS POST-CRASH ALERT SYSTEM™
The system flashes the turn signal lamps and sounds the horn
(intermittently) in the event of a serious impact that deploys an airbag
equipped on your vehicle, such as front, side, side curtain or Safety
Canopy.
The horn and lamps will turn off when:
•the hazard control button is pressed
•the panic button (if equipped) is pressed on the remote entry
transmitter, or
•your vehicle runs out of power.
DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS
WARNING:Never place your arm or any objects over an airbag
module. Placing your arm over a deploying airbag can result in
serious arm fractures or other injuries. Objects placed on or over the
airbag inflation area may cause those objects to be propelled by the
airbag into your face and torso causing serious injury.
WARNING:Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.
Never place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag. If
you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the
seat all the way back.
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The driver and front passenger
airbags will deploy during significant
frontal and near frontal collisions.
The driver and passenger front airbag system consists of:
•Driver and passenger airbag modules
•Crash sensors and monitoring system with readiness
indicator. SeeCrash Sensors and Airbag Indicatorlater in
this chapter.
Proper Driver and Front Passenger Seating Adjustment
WARNING:National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) recommends a minimum distance of at least 10 inches
(25 centimeters) between an occupant’s chest and the driver airbag
module.
To properly position yourself away from the airbag:
•Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
•Recline the seat slightly (one or two degrees) from the upright
position.
After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on safety belts, it is
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.
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Children and Airbags
WARNING:Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.
NEVER place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag.
If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the
seat all the way back.
Children must always be properly
restrained. Accident statistics
suggest that children are safer when
properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front
seating position. Failure to follow
these instructions may increase the
risk of injury in a collision.
SIDE AIRBAGS
WARNING:Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near
the airbag cover, on the side of the seat backs (of the front
seats), or in front seat areas that may come into contact with a
deploying airbag. Failure to follow these instructions may increase the
risk of personal injury in the event of a collision.
WARNING:Do not use accessory seat covers. The use of
accessory seat covers may prevent the deployment of the side
airbags and increase the risk of injury in an accident.
WARNING:Do not lean your head on the door. The side airbag
could injure you as it deploys from the side of the seatback.
WARNING:Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
airbag, its fuses or the seat cover on a seat containing an airbag.
Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
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WARNING:If the side airbag has deployed,the airbag will not
function again. The side airbag system (including the seat)
must be inspected and serviced by an authorized dealer.If the
airbag is not replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of
injury in a collision.
The side airbags are fitted on the outboard side of the seat backs of the
front seats. In certain lateral collisions, the airbag on the side affected by
the collision will be inflated. The airbag was designed to inflate between
the door panel and occupant to further enhance the protection provided
occupants in side impact collisions.
The system consists of the
following:
•a label or embossed side panel
indicating that side airbags are
found on your vehicle
•side airbags located inside the
seat back of the driver and front
passenger seats
•Crash sensors and monitoring system with readiness
indicator. SeeCrash Sensors and Airbag Indicatorlater in
this chapter.
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 CANOPYCURTAIN 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 collision.
WARNING:Do not lean your head on the door. The curtain
airbag could injure you as it deploys from the headliner.
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WARNING:Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
curtain airbags, its fuses, the A, B, or C pillar trim, or the
headliner on a vehicle containing curtain airbags. Contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING:All occupants of your vehicle including the driver
should always wear their safety belts even when an airbag SRS
and curtain airbag is provided.
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 and C 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 collision.
The Safety Canopy will deploy during significant side collisions 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 lateral collisions 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 collisions and rollover events.
The system consists of the
following:
•Safety canopy curtain airbags
fitted above the trim panels over
the front and rear side windows
identified by wording on the
B-pillar trim.
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•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.
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 which deploys
(activates) the front safety belt pretensioners, driver airbag, passenger
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
Warning Lamps and Indicatorsin theInstrument Clusterchapter.
Routine maintenance of the airbag is not required.
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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 are repaired.
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
collision.
The safety belt pretensioners and the airbag supplemental restraint
system are designed to activate when the vehicle sustains longitudinal or
lateral 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 collision does not mean that something is
wrong with the system. Rather, it means the restraints control module
determined the accident conditions (crash severity, belt usage, etc.)
were not appropriate to activate these safety devices.
•Front airbags are designed to activate only in frontal and near-frontal
collisions (not rollovers, side impacts or rear impacts) unless the
collision causes sufficient longitudinal deceleration.
•The safety belt pretensioners are designed to activate in frontal,
near-frontal and side collisions, and in rollovers.
•Side airbags are designed to inflate in side-impact collisions, not
rollovers, rear impacts, frontal or near-frontal collisions, unless the
collision causes sufficient lateral deceleration.
•The Safety Canopy is designed to inflate in certain side impact
collisions or rollover events, not in rear impact, frontal or near-frontal
collisions, unless the collision causes sufficient lateral deceleration or
rollover likelihood.
AIRBAG DISPOSAL
Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible. Airbags MUST BE
disposed of by qualified personnel.
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WARNING LAMPS AND INDICATORS
The following warning lamps and indicators will alert you to a vehicle
condition that may become serious. Some lamps will illuminate when you
start your vehicle to make sure they work. If any lamps remain on after
starting your vehicle, refer to the respective system warning lamp for
further information.
Note:Some warning indicators appear in the information display and
function the same as a warning lamp but do not display when you start
your vehicle.
Airbag – Front
If it fails to illuminate on startup, continues to flash or remains
on, it indicates a malfunction. Have the system checked by your
authorized dealer. A chime will sound when there is a
malfunction in the indicator light.
Anti-Lock Braking System
If it illuminates when you are driving, this indicates a
malfunction. You will continue to have the normal braking
system (without ABS) unless the brake warning lamp is also
illuminated. Have the system checked by your authorized dealer.
Battery
If it illuminates while driving, it indicates a malfunction. Switch
off all unnecessary electrical equipment and have the system
checked by your authorized dealer
Brake System
It will illuminate when the parking brake is engaged and the
ignition is on.
If it illuminates when you are driving, check that the parking
brake is not engaged. If the parking brake is not engaged, this indicates
low brake fluid level or a brake system malfunction. Have the system
checked immediately by your authorized dealer.
WARNING:Driving a vehicle with the brake system warning
light on is dangerous. A significant decrease in braking
performance may occur. It will take you longer to stop the vehicle.
Have the vehicle checked by your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
Driving extended distances with the parking brake engaged can cause
brake failure and the risk of personal injury.
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