airbag disable Mercury Mariner Hybrid 2008 Owner's Manuals

Reasons given... Consider...

I have an airbag
Airbags offer greater protection when
used with safety belts. Frontal airbags
are not designed to inflate in rear and
side crashes or rollovers.

I’d rather be thrown clear
Not a good idea.Peoplewho are
ejected are 40 times more likely to
DIE.Safety belts help prevent ejection,
WE CAN’T
PICK OUR CRASH
.
Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt or insert a latchplate
into the buckle to avoid the Belt-Minderchime. To do so may
adversely affect the performance of the vehicle’s air bag system
One time disable
If at any time the driver/front passenger quickly buckles then unbuckles
the safety belt for that seating position, the Belt-Minderis disabled for
the current ignition cycle. The Belt-Minderfeature will enable during
the same ignition cycle if the occupant buckles and remains buckled for
approximately 30 seconds. Confirmation is not given for the one time
disable.
Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minderfeature
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minderare
deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating
one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will
terminate the process.
Read Steps1-4thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minderfeatures can be
deactivated/activated by performing the following procedure:
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
•The parking brake is set
•The gearshift is in P (Park)
•The ignition switch is in the OFF position
•The driver and front passenger safety belts are unbuckled
2008 Mariner Hybrid(mhv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
121

The RCM (restraints control module) monitors its own internal circuits
and the supplemental airbag electrical system wiring (including the
impact sensors, the system wiring, the airbag system readiness light, the
airbag back up power and the airbag ignitors).
Several air bag system components get hot after inflation. Do not
touch them after inflation.
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.
Front passenger sensing system
The front passenger sensing system is designed to meet the regulatory
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208
and is designed to disable (will not inflate) the front passenger’s frontal
airbag under certain conditions.
The front passenger sensing system works with sensors that are part of
the front passenger’s seat and safety belt. The sensors are designed to
detect the presence of a properly seated occupant and determine if the
front passenger’s frontal airbag should be enabled (may inflate) or
disabled (will not inflate).
The front passenger sensing system will disable (will not inflate) the
front passenger’s frontal airbag if:
•the front passenger seat is unoccupied, or has small/medium objects in
the front seat,
•the system determines that an infant is present in a rear-facing infant
seat that is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions,
•the system determines that a small child is present in a forward-facing
child restraint that is installed according to the manufacturer’s
instructions,
•the system determines that a small child is present in a booster seat,
•a front passenger takes his/her weight off of the seat for a period of
time,
2008 Mariner Hybrid(mhv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
127

The front passenger sensing system will turn off the passenger seat side
airbag if:
•the seat is empty and safety belt is unbuckled.
The front passenger sensing system
uses a
passenger airbag off
or

pass airbag off
indicator which will
illuminate and stay lit to remind you
that the front passenger frontal airbag is off. The indicator lamp is
located in the center stack of the instrument panel just above the air
vents.
Note: The indicator lamp will illuminate for a short period of time when
the ignition is turned to the ON position to confirm it is functional.
When the front passenger seat is not occupied (empty seat) or in the
event that the front passenger frontal airbag is enabled (may inflate), the
indicator lamp will be unlit.
The front passenger sensing system is designed to disable (will not
inflate) the front passenger’s frontal airbag when a rear facing infant
seat, a forward-facing child restraint, or a booster seat is detected.
•When the front passenger sensing system disables (will not inflate)
the front passenger frontal airbag, the indicator lamp will illuminate
and stay lit to remind you that the front passenger frontal airbag is
disabled.
•If the child restraint has been installed and the indicator lamp is not
lit, then turn the vehicle off, remove the child restraint from the
vehicle and reinstall the restraint following the child restraint
manufacturer’s instructions.
The front passenger sensing system is designed to enable (may inflate)
the front passenger’s frontal airbag anytime the system senses that a
person of adult size is sitting properly in the front passenger seat.
•When the front passenger sensing system enables the front passenger
frontal airbag (may inflate), the indicator will be unlit and stay unlit.
If a person of adult size is sitting in the front passenger’s seat, but the

passenger airbag off
or
pass airbag off
indicator lamp is lit, it is
possible that the person isn’t sitting properly in the seat. If this happens:
•Turn the vehicle off and ask the person to place the seatback in the
full upright position.
•Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion,
with the person’s legs comfortably extended.
2008 Mariner Hybrid(mhv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
128

•Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for
about two minutes. This will allow the system to detect that person
and enable the passenger’s frontal airbag.
•If the indicator lamp remains lit even after this, the person should be
advised to ride in the rear seat.
OccupantPass Airbag Off
Indicator LampPassenger Airbag
Empty seat Unlit Disabled
Small child in child
safety seat or boosterLit Disabled
Small child with safety
belt buckled or
unbuckledLit Disabled
Adult Unlit Enabled
Even with Advanced Restraints Systems, children 12 and under
should be properly restrained in the back seat.
After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on safety belts, it’s
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.
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 front passenger sensing system, resulting in serious
injury or death in a crash.
Always sit upright against your seatback, with your feet on the floor.
2008 Mariner Hybrid(mhv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
129

The front passenger sensing system may detect small or medium objects
placed on the seat cushion. For most objects that are in the front
passenger seat, the passenger airbag will be disabled. Even though the
passenger airbag is disabled, the
pass airbag off
lamp may or may not
be illuminated according to the table below.
ObjectsPass Airbag Off
Indicator LampPassenger Airbag
Small (i.e. 3 ring
binder, small purse,
bottled water)Unlit Disabled
Medium (i.e. heavy
briefcase, fully packed
luggage)Lit Disabled
Empty seat, or small
to medium object with
safety belt buckledLit Disabled
If you think that the status of the passenger airbag off indicator lamp is
incorrect, check for the following:
•Objects lodged underneath the seat
•Objects between the seat cushion and the center console (if
equipped)
•Objects hanging off the seat back
•Objects stowed in the seatback map pocket (if equipped)
•Objects placed on the occupant’s lap
•Cargo interference with the seat
•Other passengers pushing or pulling on the seat
•Rear passenger feet and knees resting or pushing on the seat
The conditions listed above may cause the weight of a properly seated
occupant to be incorrectly interpreted by the front passenger sensing
system. The person in the front passenger seat may appear heavier or
lighter due to the conditions described in the list above.
2008 Mariner Hybrid(mhv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
130

A
Accessory delay ..........................62
Air cleaner filter ...............281–284
Air conditioning
automatic temperature
control system ..........................39
Airbag supplemental restraint
system ........................123, 132, 135
and child safety seats ............125
description ..............123, 132, 135
disposal ....................................138
driver airbag ............125, 133, 136
indicator light .........132, 134, 137
operation .................125, 133, 136
passenger airbag .....125, 133, 136
side airbag ...............................132
All Wheel Drive (AWD),
driving off road .........................198
Ambulance packages ..................15
Anti-lock brake system
(see Brakes) ..............................188
Anti-theft system ........................96
Audio system (see Radio) .........25
Automatic transaxle
fluid, adding ............................279
fluid, checking ........................279
Automatic transmission
driving an automatic
overdrive .................................194
fluid, refill capacities ..............285
fluid, specification ..................285
Auxiliary input jack (Line in) ....32
Auxiliary power point .................58
Axle
lubricant specifications ..........285
refill capacities ........................285B
Battery .......................................259
acid, treating emergencies .....259
jumping a disabled
battery .............................227, 232
maintenance-free ....................259
replacement, specifications ...284
servicing ..................................259
Belt-Minder.............................118
Booster seats .............................139
Brakes ................................187–188
anti-lock ...................................188
anti-lock brake system (ABS)
warning light ...........................189
fluid, checking and adding ....278
fluid, refill capacities ..............285
fluid, specifications .................285
lubricant specifications ..........285
parking ....................................190
shift interlock ..........................192
Bulbs ............................................50
C
Capacities for refilling fluids ....285
Cargo area shade ........................79
Cell phone use ............................15
Child safety restraints ..............138
child safety belts ....................138
Child safety seats ......................142
attaching with tether straps ..146
in front seat ............................143
in rear seat ..............................143
Child safety seats - booster
seats ...........................................139
Cleaning your vehicle
engine compartment ..............245
instrument panel ....................247
2008 Mariner Hybrid(mhv)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Index
309