sensor Mercury Grand Marquis 2003 Owner's Manuals

Fold-away mirrors
Pull the side mirrors in carefully
when driving through a narrow
space, like an automatic car wash.
Automatic dimming inside rear view mirror (if equipped)
Your vehicle is equipped with an
inside rear view mirror which has an
auto-dimming function. The
electronic day/night mirror will
change from the normal state to the
non-glare state when bright lights
(glare) reach the mirror. When the mirror detects bright light from front
or behind, it will automatically adjust (darken) to minimize glare.
Do not block the sensor on the backside of the mirror since this may
impair proper mirror performance.
Press the control to turn the mirror OFF or AUTO.
The mirror will automatically return to the normal state whenever the
vehicle is placed in R (Reverse)(when the mirror is on) to ensure a
bright clear view when backing up.
POWER ADJUSTABLE FOOT PEDALS (IF EQUIPPED)
The accelerator and brake pedal
should only be adjusted when the
vehicle is stopped and the gearshift
lever is in the P (Park) position.
Press and hold the rocker control to
adjust accelerator and brake pedal.
•Press the left side of the control to adjust the pedals toward you.
•Press the right side of the control to adjust the pedals away from you.
The adjustment allows for approximately 65 mm (2.5 inches) of
maximum travel.
OFF AUTO
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Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driver Controls
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Your vehicle’s Personal Safety System consists of the following items:
•Driver and passenger dual-stage air bag supplemental restraints
•Driver and front passenger side air bags (if equipped)
•Front safety belts with pretensioners, energy management retractors,
and safety belt usage sensors
•Driver’s seat position sensor
•Passenger occupant classification sensor
•Front crash severity sensor
•Restraints Control Module (RCM) with impact and safing sensors
•Restraint system warning light and back-up tone
•The electrical wiring for the air bags, crash sensor(s), safety belt
pretensioners, front safety belt usage sensors, driver seat position
sensor, passenger occupant classification sensor, and indicator lights
How does the personal safety system work?
The Personal 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 (RCM). During a crash, the
RCM activates the safety belt pretensioners and/or either one or both
stages of the dual-stage air bag supplemental restraints based on crash
severity and occupant conditions.
The fact that the pretensioners or air bags 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 Personal safety system determined the
accident conditions (crash severity, belt usage, etc.) were not
appropriate to activate these safety devices. Front air bags and
pretensioners 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.
Driver and passenger dual-stage air bag supplemental restraints
The dual-stage air bags offer the capability to tailor the level of air bag
inflation energy. A lower, less forceful energy level is provided for more
common, moderate-severity impacts. A higher energy level is used for
the most severe impacts. Refer toAir bag supplemental restraints
section in this chapter.
Front crash severity sensor
The front crash severity sensor enhances the ability to detect the
severity of an impact. Positioned up front, it provides valuable
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information early in the crash event on the severity of the impact. This
allows your Personal safety system to distinguish between different levels
of crash severity and modify the deployment strategy of the dual-stage
air bags and safety belt pretensioners.
Driver’s seat position sensor
The driver’s seat position sensor allows your Personal safety system to
tailor the deployment level of the driver dual-stage air bag based on seat
position. The system is designed to help protect smaller drivers sitting
close to the driver air bag by providing a lower air bag output level.
Passenger occupant classification sensor (OCS)
For air bags to do their job they must inflate with great force, and this
force can pose a potentially deadly risk to occupants that are very close
to the air bag when it begins to inflate. For some occupants, this occurs
because they are initially sitting very close to the air bag. For other
occupants, this occurs when the occupant is not properly restrained by
seat belts or child safety seats and they move forward during pre-crash
braking. The most effective way to reduce the risk of unnecessary
injuries is to make sure all occupants are properly restrained. Accident
statistics suggest that children are much safer when properly restrained
in the rear seating positions than in the front.
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.
Always transport children 12 years old and under in the back
seat and always properly use appropriate child restraints.
The passenger occupant classification sensor can automatically turn off
the passenger front air bag and side air bag (if equipped). The system is
designed to help protect small (child size) occupants from air bag
deployments when they are improperly seated or restrained in the front
passenger seat contrary to proper child-seating or restraint usage
recommendations. Even with this technology, parents areSTRONGLY
encouraged to always properly restrain children in the rear seat. The
sensor also turns off the air bag(s) when the passenger seat is empty to
prevent unnecessary replacement of the air bag(s) after a collision.
Front safety belt usage sensors
The front safety belt usage sensors detect whether or not the driver and
front outboard passenger safety belts are fastened. This information
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allows your Personal safety system to tailor the air bag deployment and
safety belt pretensioner activation depending upon safety belt usage.
Refer toSafety beltsection in this chapter.
Front safety belt pretensioners
The safety belt pretensioners at the front outboard seating positions are
designed to tighten the safety belts firmly against the occupant’s body
during a frontal or near-frontal collision. This maximizes the effectiveness
of the safety belts and helps properly position the occupant relative to
the air bag to improve protection. The safety belt pretensioners can be
either activated alone or, if the collision is of sufficient severity, together
with the air bags.
Front safety belt energy management retractors
The front safety belt energy management retractors allow webbing to be
pulled out of the retractor in a gradual and controlled manner in
response to the occupant’s forward momentum. This helps reduce the
risk of force-related injuries to the occupant’s chest by limiting the load
on the occupant. Refer toEnergy management featuresection in this
chapter.
Determining if the Personal safety system is operational
The Personal safety system uses a warning light in the instrument cluster
or a back-up tone to indicate the condition of the system. Refer to the
Warning lightsection in theInstrument clusterchapter. Routine
maintenance of the Personal safety system is not required.
The Restraints control module (RCM) monitors its own internal circuits
and the circuits for the air bag supplemental restraints, crash sensor(s),
safety belt pretensioners, front safety belt buckle sensors, driver seat
position sensor, and passenger occupant classification sensor. In addition,
the RCM also monitors the restraints warning light in the instrument
cluster. A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the
following.
•The warning light will either flash or stay lit.
•The warning light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is
turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and warning light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the Personal
safety system serviced at your dealership or by a qualified technician
immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not function properly in
the event of a collision.
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Conditions of operation
If... Then...
The driver’s safety belt is not
buckled before the ignition switch
is turned to the ON position...The safety belt warning light
illuminates 1-2 minutes and the
warning chime sounds 4-8
seconds.
The driver’s safety belt is buckled
while the indicator light is
illuminated and the warning chime
is sounding...The safety belt warning light and
warning chime turn off.
The driver’s safety belt is buckled
before the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position...The safety belt warning light and
indicator chime remain off.
BeltMinder
The BeltMinder feature is a supplemental warning to the safety belt
warning function. This feature provides additional reminders by
intermittently sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning
lamp in the instrument cluster when the driver’s safety belt is unbuckled.
The BeltMinder feature uses information from the passenger occupant
classification sensor to determine if a front seat passenger is present and
therefore potentially in need of a warning. To avoid activating the
BeltMinder feature for objects placed in the front passenger seat,
warnings will only be given to large front seat occupants as determined
by the passenger occupant classification sensor.
Both the driver’s and passenger’s safety belt usages are monitored and
either may activate the BeltMinder feature. The warnings are the same
for the driver and the front passenger. If the BeltMinder warnings have
expired (warnings for approximately 5 minutes) for one occupant (driver
or front passenger), the other occupant can still activate the BeltMinder
feature.
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Children and air bags
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.
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.
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. Driver and passenger airbags are designed to inflate in
frontal and near-frontal collisions, not rollover, side-impact, or
rear-impacts unless the collision causes sufficient longitudinal
deceleration.
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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 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 the following items:
•Driver and passenger air bag modules (which include the inflators and
air bags)
•Driver and passenger side air bags
•One or more impact and safing sensors
•A readiness light and tone
•A diagnostic module
•The electrical wiring which connects the components
The diagnostic module monitors its own internal circuits as well as 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.
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Do not use accessory seat covers. The use of accessory seat
covers may prevent the deployment of the side air bags and
increase the risk of injury in an accident.
Do not lean your head on the door. The side air bag could injure
you as it deploys from the side of the seatback.
Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the air bag SRS, its
fuses or the seat cover on a seat containing an air bag. See your
Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealer.
All occupants of the vehicle should always wear their safety belts
even when an air bag SRS is provided.
How does the side air bag system work?
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.
The side air bag system consists of
the following:
•An inflatable nylon bag (air bag)
with a gas generator concealed
behind the outboard bolster of
the driver and front passenger
seatbacks.
•A special seat cover designed to allow airbag deployment.
•The same warning light, electronic control and diagnostic unit as used
for the front air bags.
•Two crash sensors.
Side air bags, in combination with seat belts, can help reduce the risk of
severe injuries in the event of a significant side impact collision.
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The side air bags are fitted on the outboard side of the seatbacks of the
front seats. In certain lateral collisions, the air bag on the side affected
by the collision will be inflated. The air bag was designed to inflate
between the door panel and occupant to further enhance the protection
provided occupants in side impact collisions.
The air bag SRS is designed to activate when the vehicle sustains lateral
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. Side air bags are designed
to inflate in side-impact collisions, not roll-over, rear-impact, frontal or
near-frontal collisions, unless the collision causes sufficient lateral
deceleration.
Several air bag system
components get hot after
inflation. Do not touch them after
inflation.
If the side air bag has deployed,the air bag will not function
again. The side air bag system (including the seat) must
be inspected and serviced by a qualified technician in
accordance with the vehicle service manual.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 readiness
section in theInstrument clusterchapter. Routine maintenance of the
side air bag is not required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
•The readiness light (same light as for front air bag system) will either
flash or stay lit.
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Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
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Pull the release lever to release the
brake. Driving with the parking
brake on will cause the brakes to
wear out quickly and reduce fuel
economy.
TRACTION CONTROL(IF EQUIPPED)
Your vehicle may be equipped with the optional Traction Control

system. This system helps you maintain the stability and steerability of
your vehicle. It is especially useful on slippery and/or hilly road surfaces.
The system operates by detecting and controlling wheel spin. The system
borrows many of the electronic and mechanical elements already present
in the anti-lock braking system (ABS).
Wheel-speed sensors allow excess rear wheel spin to be detected by the
Traction Control
portion of the ABS computer. Any excessive wheel
spin is controlled by automatically applying and releasing the rear brakes
in conjunction with engine torque reductions. Engine torque reduction is
realized via the fully electronic spark and fuel injection systems. This
process is very sensitive to driving conditions and very fast acting. The
rear wheels “search” for optimum traction several times a second and
adjustments are made accordingly.
The Traction Control
system will allow your vehicle to make better use
of available traction on slippery surfaces while you are trying to
accelerate or while your foot is on the accelerator pedal. The system is a
driver aid which makes your vehicle easier to handle primarily on snow
and ice covered roads.
During Traction Control
operation you may hear an electric motor type
of sound coming from the engine compartment and the engine will not
“rev-up” when you push further on the accelerator. This is normal
system behavior.
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Driving
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