Ford E-350 (2010 year). Manual — part 27

WARNING: If the OFF light is illuminated when the passenger
airbag switch is in the ON position and the ignition switch is in

ON, have the passenger airbag switch serviced at an authorized dealer
immediately.

The passenger side airbag should always be ON (the airbag OFF light
should not be illuminated) unless the passenger is a person who meets
the requirements stated either in Category 1, 2 or 3 of the
NHTSA/Transport Canada deactivation criteria which follows.

WARNING: The safety belts for the driver and right front
passenger seating positions have been specifically designed to

function together with the airbags in certain types of crashes. When
you turn OFF your airbag, you not only lose the protection of the
airbag, you also may reduce the effectiveness of your safety belt
system, which was designed to work with the airbag. If you are not a
person who meets the requirements stated in the NHTSA/Transport
Canada deactivation criteria turning OFF the airbag can increase the
risk of serious injury or death in a collision.

WARNING: If your vehicle has rear seats, always transport
children who are 12 and younger in a rear seating position.

Always use safety belts and child restraints properly. DO NOT place a
child in a rear facing infant seat in the front seat unless your vehicle is
equipped with an airbag ON/OFF switch and the passenger airbag is
turned OFF. This is because the back of the infant seat is too close to
the inflating airbag and the risk of a fatal injury to the infant when the
airbag inflates is substantial.

The vast majority of drivers and passengers are much safer with an airbag
than without. To do their job and reduce the risk of life threatening
injuries, airbags must open with great force, and this force can pose a
potentially deadly risk in some situations, particularly when a front seat
occupant is not properly buckled up. The most effective way to reduce the
risk of unnecessary airbag injuries without reducing the overall safety of
the vehicle is to make sure all occupants are properly restrained in the
vehicle, especially in the front seat. This provides the protection of safety
belts and permits the airbags to provide the additional protection they
were designed to provide. If you choose to deactivate your airbag, you are
losing the very significant risk reducing benefits of the airbag and you are
also reducing the effectiveness of the safety belts, because safety belts in
modern vehicles are designed to work as a safety system with the airbags.

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Read all airbag warning labels in the vehicle as well as the other
important airbag instructions and warnings in this Owner’s Guide.

NHTSA deactivation criteria (excluding Canada)

1. Infant. An infant (less than 1 year old) must ride in the front seat
because:
• the vehicle has no rear seat;
• the vehicle has a rear seat too small to accommodate a rear-facing

infant seat; or

• the infant has a medical condition which, according to the infant’s

physician, makes it necessary for the infant to ride in the front so that
the driver can constantly monitor the child’s condition.

2. Child age 1 to 12. A child age 1 to 12 must ride in the front seat
because:
• the vehicle has no rear seat;
• although children ages 1 to 12 ride in the rear seat(s) whenever

possible, children ages 1 to 12 sometimes must ride in the front
because no space is available in the rear seat(s) of the vehicle; or

• the child has a medical condition which, according to the child’s

physician, makes it necessary for the child to ride in the front seat so
that the driver can constantly monitor the child’s condition.

3. Medical condition. A passenger has a medical condition which,
according to his or her physician:
• causes the passenger airbag to pose a special risk for the passenger;

and

• makes the potential harm from the passenger airbag in a crash greater

than the potential harm from turning OFF the airbag and allowing the
passenger, even if belted, to hit the dashboard or windshield in a
crash.

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WARNING: This vehicle has special energy management safety
belts for the driver and right front passenger. These particular

belts are specifically designed to work with airbags to help reduce the
risk of injury in a collision. The energy management safety belt is
designed to give or release additional belt webbing in some accidents
to reduce concentration of force on an occupant’s chest and reduce the
risk of certain bone fractures and injuries to underlying organs. In a
crash, if the airbag is turned OFF, this energy management safety belt
might permit the person wearing the belt to move forward enough to
incur a serious or fatal injury. The more severe the crash, and the
heavier the occupant, the greater the risk is. Be sure the airbag is
turned ON for any person who does not qualify under the NHTSA
deactivation criteria.

Transport Canada deactivation criteria (Canada Only)

1. Infant: An infant (less than 1 year old) must ride in the front seat
because:
• my vehicle has no rear seat;
• the rear seat in my vehicle cannot accommodate a rear-facing infant

seat; or

• the infant has a medical condition which, according to the infant’s

physician, makes it necessary for the infant to ride in the front seat so
that the driver can monitor the infant’s condition.

2. Child age 12 or under: A child age 12 or under must ride in the
front seat because:
• my vehicle has no rear seat;
• although children age 12 and under ride in the rear seat whenever

possible, children age 12 and under have no option but to sometimes
ride in the front seat because rear seat space is insufficient; or

• the child has a medical condition that, according to the child’s

physician, makes it necessary for the child to ride in the front seat so
that the driver can monitor the child’s condition.

3. Medical condition: A passenger has a medical condition that,
according to his or her physician:
• poses a special risk for the passenger if the airbag deploys; and
• makes the potential harm from the passenger airbag deployment

greater than the potential harm from turning OFF the airbag and
experiencing a crash without the protection offered by the airbag

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WARNING: This vehicle has special energy management safety
belts for the driver and right front passenger. These particular

belts are specifically designed to work with airbags to help reduce the
risk of injury in a collision. The energy management safety belt is
designed to give or release additional belt webbing in some accidents
to reduce concentration of force on an occupant’s chest and reduce the
risk of certain bone fractures and injuries to underlying organs. In a
crash, if the airbag is turned OFF, this energy management safety belt
might permit the person wearing the belt to move forward enough to
incur a serious or fatal injury. The more severe the crash, and the
heavier the occupant, the greater the risk is. Be sure the airbag is
turned ON for any person who does not qualify under the NHTSA
deactivation criteria.

SAFETY RESTRAINTS FOR CHILDREN

See the following sections for directions on how to properly use safety
restraints for children. Also see Airbag supplemental restraint system
(SRS) in this chapter for special instructions about using airbags.

Important child restraint precautions

WARNING: Always make sure your child is secured properly in
a device that is appropriate for their height, age and weight.

Child safety restraints must be purchased separately from the vehicle.
Failure to follow these instructions and guidelines may result in an
increased risk of serious injury or death to your child.

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