FORD 2004 F-150 v.3 - Manual (Page 104)

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.
Front passenger sensing system
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, like infants
in rear-facing child seats, 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. NEVER place 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 front passenger sensing system can automatically turn off the
passenger front air bag when a rear facing child seat, a forward-facing
child restraint, or a booster seat is detected. Even with this technology,
parents are STRONGLY encouraged to always properly restrain children
in the rear seat. The system may not automatically turn the airbag OFF
if a child seat is attached to the LATCH anchors on the front passenger
seat of the Regular Cab, therefore turn the airbag OFF with the manual
Airbag On/Off switch. The sensor also turns off the air bag when the
passenger seat is empty to prevent unnecessary replacement of the air
bag(s) after a collision.
When the front passenger seat is occupied and the sensing system has
turned off the passenger’s frontal air bag, the “pass air bag off” indicator
will light and stay lit to remind you that the front passenger frontal air
bag is off. See Front passenger sensing system in the airbags section of
this chapter.
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
2004 F150 (f12)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English (fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
104