airbag disable VOLVO S80 2008 Owners Manual

Disabling the passenger's side front airbag
Volvo recommends that ALL occupants (adults and children) shorter than 4 feet 7 inches (140 cm) be seated in the
back seat of any vehicle with a front passenger side airbag, and be properly restrained for their size and weight. See
also the child safety recommendations on page 33
.
The Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS) is designed to meet the regulatory requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard (FMVSS) 208 and is designed to disable (will not inflate) the passenger's side front airbag under certain
conditions.
The OWS works with sensors that are part of the front passenger's seat and seat belt. The sensors are designed to
detect the presence of a properly seated occupant and determine if the passenger's side front airbag should be enabled
(may inflate) or disabled (will not inflate).
The OWS will disable (will not inflate) the passenger's side front airbag when:
the front passenger's 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,
a child or a small person occupies the front passenger's seat.
The OWS uses a PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp which will illuminate and stay on to remind you that the
passenger's side front airbag is disabled. The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is located in the overhead
console, near the base of the rearview mirror.
NOTE
When the ignition is switched on, the OWS indicator light will go on for up to 10 seconds while the system performs
a self -diagnostic test.
However, if a fault is detected in the system:
The OWS indicator light will stay on
The SRS warning light (see page 18) will come on and stay on
The message PASS. AIRBAG OFF SERVICE URGENT will be displayed in the information display.
WARNING
If a fault in the system is detected and indicated as described, be aware that the passenger's side front airbag will not

deploy in the event of a collision. In this case, the SRS system and Occupant Weight Sensor should be inspected by
a trained and qualified Volvo service technician as soon as possible.
23 01 Safety
Safety in the passenger compartment
WARNING
Never try to open, remove, or repair any components in the OWS system. This could result in system malfunction.
Maintenance or repairs should only be carried out by an a trained and qualified Volvo service technician.
The front passenger's seat should not be modified in any way. This could reduce pressure on the seat cushion,
which might interfere with the OWS system's function.
1Volvo recommends that children always be properly restrained in appropriate child restraints in the rear seats. Do not assume that the passenger's
side front airbag is disabled unless the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is lit. Make sure the child restraint is properly installed. If there
is any doubt as to the status of the passenger's side front airbag, move the child restraint to the rear seat.
The OWS is designed to enable (may inflate) the passenger's side front airbag anytime the system senses that a person
of adult size is sitting properly in the front passenger's seat. The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp will be
off and remain off.
If a person of adult size is sitting in the front passenger's seat, but the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is
on, 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 an upright position.
Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with the person's legs comfortably extended.
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 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp remains on even after this, the person should be advised to ride
in the rear seat.
This condition reflects limitations of the OWS classification capability. It does not indicate OWS malfunction.
24 01 Safety

Safety in the passenger compartment
Modifications
If you are considering modifying your vehicle in any way to accommodate a disability, for example by altering or
adapting the driver's or front passenger's seat(s) and/or airbag systems, please contact Volvo at:
In the USA:
Volvo Cars of North America, LLC
Customer Care Center
P.O. Box 914 Rockleigh, New Jersey 07647-0914
1-800-458-1552
In Canada :
Volvo Cars of Canada Corp.
National Customer Service
175 Gordon Baker Road
North York, Ontario M2H 2N7
1-800-663-8255
WARNING
No objects that add to the total weight on the seat should be placed on the front passenger's seat. If a child is
seated in the front passenger's seat with any additional weight, this extra weight could cause the OWS system to
enable the airbag, which might cause it to deploy in the event of a collision, thereby injuring the child.
The seat belt should never be wrapped around an object on the front passenger's seat. This could interfere with the
OWS system's function.
The front passenger's seat belt should never be used in a way that exerts more pressure on the passenger than
normal. This could increase the pressure exerted on the weight sensor by a child, and could result in the airbag being
enabled, which might cause it to deploy in the event of a collision, thereby injuring the child.
WARNING
Keep the following points in mind with respect to the OWS system. Failure to follow these instructions could
adversely affect the system's function and result in serious injury to the occupant of the front passenger's seat:
The full weight of the front seat passenger should always be on the seat cushion. The passenger should never lift
him/herself off the seat cushion using the armrest in the door or the center console, by pressing the feet on the floor,
by sitting on the edge of the seat cushion, or by pressing against the backrest in a way that reduces pressure on the
seat cushion. This could cause OWS to disable the front, passenger's side airbag.
Do not place any type of object on the front passenger's seat in such a way that jamming, pressing, or squeezing
occurs between the object and the front seat, other than as a direct result of the correct use of the Automatic Locking
Retractor/Emergency Locking Retractor (ALR/ELR) seat belt (see page 33
).
No objects should be placed under the front passenger's seat. This could interfere with the OWS system's function.
25 01 Safety
Safety in the passenger compartment
Side impact protection (SIPS) airbags