Ford E-350 (2018 year). Manual — part 7

We recommend that all seatbelt
assemblies in use in vehicles involved in a
crash be replaced. However, if the crash
was minor and an authorized dealer finds
that the belts do not show damage and
continue to operate properly, they do not
need to be replaced. Seatbelt assemblies
not in use during a crash should also be
inspected and replaced if either damage
or improper operation is noted.

Properly care for seatbelts. See Cleaning
the Interior (page 163).

SEATBELT EXTENSION

WARNINGS

Persons who fit into the vehicle's
seatbelt should not use an extension.
Unnecessary use could result in

serious personal injury in the event of a
crash.

Only use extensions provided free of
charge by Ford Motor Company
dealers. The dealer will provide an

extension designed specifically for this
vehicle, model year and seating position.
The use of an extension intended for
another vehicle, model year or seating
position may not offer you the full
protection of your vehicle’s seatbelt
restraint system.

Never use seatbelt extensions to
install child restraints.

Do not use a seatbelt extension with
an inflatable seatbelt.

Do not use extensions to change the
fit of the belt across the torso, over
the lap or to make the seatbelt

buckle easier to reach.

If, because of body size or driving position,
it is not possible to properly fasten the
seatbelt over your lap and shoulder, an
extension that is compatible with the
seatbelts is available free of charge from
Ford Motor Company dealers. Only Ford
seatbelt extensions made by the original
equipment seatbelts manufacturer should
be used with Ford seatbelts. Ask your
authorized dealer if your extension is
compatible with your Ford vehicle restraint
system.

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION

WARNINGS

Airbags do not inflate slowly or
gently, and the risk of injury from a
deploying airbag is the greatest close

to the trim covering the airbag module.

All occupants of your vehicle,
including the driver, should always
properly wear their safety belts, even

when an airbag supplemental restraint
system is provided. Failure to properly wear
your safety belt could seriously increase
the risk of injury or death.

Always transport children 12 years
old and under in the back seat and
always properly use appropriate

child restraints. Failure to follow this could
seriously increase the risk of injury or death.

Never place your arm over the airbag
module as a deploying airbag can
result in serious arm fractures or

other injuries.

Airbags can kill or injure a child in a
child seat. Never place a rear-facing
child seat in front of an active airbag.

If you must use a forward-facing child seat
in the front seat, move the seat upon which
the child seat is installed all the way back.

Do not attempt to service, repair, or
modify the airbag supplemental
restraint systems or its fuses as you

could be seriously injured or killed. Contact
your authorized dealer as soon as possible.

Several airbag system components
get hot after inflation. To avoid risk
of injury, 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 crash.

The airbags are a supplemental restraint
system and are designed to work with the
safety belts to help protect the driver and
right front passenger from certain upper
body injuries. Airbags do not inflate slowly;
there is a risk of injury from a deploying
airbag.

Note: You will hear a loud bang and see a
cloud of harmless powdery residue if an
airbag deploys. This is normal.

The airbags inflate and deflate rapidly
upon activation. After airbag 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 (for example, baking soda)
that result from the combustion process
that inflates the airbag. 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 airbag may also cause abrasions
or swelling. Temporary hearing loss is also
a possibility as a result of the noise
associated with a deploying airbag.
Because airbags 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 airbag deployment.
Thus, it is extremely important that
occupants be properly restrained as far
away from the airbag module as possible
while maintaining vehicle control.

Routine maintenance of the airbags is not
required.

DRIVER AND PASSENGER
AIRBAGS

(If Equipped)

WARNINGS

Never place your arm over the airbag
module as a deploying airbag can
result in serious arm fractures or

other injuries.

Airbags can kill or injure a child in a
child restraint. Never place a
rear-facing child restraint in front of

an active airbag. If you must use a
forward-facing child restraint in the front
seat, move the seat upon which the child
seat is installed all the way back.

E151127

The driver and front passenger airbags will
deploy during significant frontal and near
frontal crashes.

The driver and passenger front airbag
system consists of:
•

Driver and passenger airbag modules.

E67017

· Crash sensors and monitoring
system with readiness indicator.
See Crash Sensors and Airbag

Indicator (page 36).

Passenger Airbag On and Off
Switch

(If Equipped)

WARNING

Your vehicle may have an airbag
deactivation switch. Before driving,
always look at the switch to make

sure it is in the appropriate position. Failure
to put the switch in the proper position can
increase the risk of serious injury or death
in a crash.

Note: The passenger airbag on and off
switch may be on vehicles with no rear
seats.

Turning the Passenger Airbag Off

WARNINGS

If the light does not illuminate when
the passenger airbag switch is off
and you switch the ignition on, have

the passenger airbag switch serviced
immediately by a qualified technician.

To avoid switching on the airbag,
always remove the ignition key with
the switch in the off position.

NEVER use a rearward facing child
restraint on a seat protected by an
ACTIVE AIRBAG in front of it, DEATH

or SERIOUS INJURY to the CHILD can
occur.

Type 1

E224282

Type 2

E224283

1.

Insert the ignition key into the
passenger airbag on and off switch,
turn the switch to off and hold it in off
while removing the key.

2. When the ignition is turned on and the

passenger airbag switch is in the off
position, the off light illuminates briefly,
momentarily shuts off and then turns
back on. This indicates that the
passenger airbag is deactivated.

Turning the Passenger Airbag Back On

WARNINGS

The seatbelts for the driver and right
front passenger seating positions are
specifically designed to operate

together with the airbags in certain types
of crashes. When you switch off your
airbag, you not only lose the protection of
the airbag, you also may reduce the
effectiveness of your seatbelt system. If
the passenger does not meet the
requirements stated in the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration or
Transport Canada deactivation criteria,
switching off the airbag can increase the
risk of serious injury or death in a crash.

If your vehicle has rear seats, always
transport children who are 12 and
younger in the rear seat. Always use

seatbelts 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 and 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.

If the passenger airbag off light is
illuminated when the passenger
airbag switch is on and the ignition

is on, have the passenger airbag switch
serviced immediately by a qualified
technician.

The passenger airbag remains off until you
turn it back on.