Ford Excursion (2000 year). Manual — part 24

Refer to Cleaning and maintaining the safety belts in the
Maintenance and care section.

AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)

Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and diagnostic module
which records information about the air bag and sensor systems. In the
event of a collision this module may save information related to the
collision including information about the air bag system and impact
severity. This information will assist Ford in the servicing of your vehicle
and may help Ford better understand real world collisions and further
improve the safety of future vehicles.

Important supplemental restraint system (SRS) precautions

The supplemental restraint system
is designed to work with the safety
belt to help protect the driver and
right front passenger from certain
upper body injuries.

Air bags DO NOT inflate slowly or
gently and the risk of injury from a
deploying air bag is greatest close to
the trim covering the air bag
module.

1

2

3

4

5

6

DOLBY B NR

DOLBY B NR

FM1

ST

ST

O

SCAN

EJ

REW

FF

SIDE 1-2

COMP

SHUFFLE

TAPE

CD

DISCS

BASS

TREB

BAL

FADE

AUTO

SET

VOL - PUSH ON

SEEK

TUNE

AM

FM

18

P

A/C

MAX
A/C

OFF

40

30

20

H

H

10

0

50

60

70

80

1

2

3

4

90

100

40

20

60

80

100

120

140

160

MPH

DIESEL FUEL ONLY

RPM x 1000

km/h

F

ON

OFF

RES

SET

ACCEL

COAST

4X4

HIGH

2WD

4X4

LOW

OFF

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All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always
properly wear their safety belts, even when an air bag SRS is

provided.

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

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
recommends a minimum distance of at least 25 cm (10 inches)

between an occupant’s chest and the driver air bag module.

Never place your arm over the air bag module as a deploying air
bag can result in serious arm fractures or other injuries.

Steps you can take to properly position yourself away from the air bag:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the

pedals comfortably.

• Recline the seat slightly (one or two degrees) from the upright

position.

Do not put anything on or over the air bag module. Placing
objects on or over the air bag inflation area may cause those

objects to be propelled by the air bag into your face and torso causing
serious injury.

Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the Air Bag
Supplemental Restraint System or its fuses. See your Ford or

Lincoln-Mercury dealer.

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96

Children and air bags

For additional important safety
information, read all information on
safety restraints in this guide.

Children must always be properly
restrained. Accident statistics
suggest that children are safer when
properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front
seating position. Failure to follow
these instructions may increase the
risk of injury in a collision.

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.

How does the air bag supplemental restraint system work?

The air bag SRS is designed to
activate when the vehicle sustains
longitudinal deceleration sufficient
to cause the sensors to close an
electrical circuit that initiates air
bag inflation.

The fact that the air bags did not
inflate in a collision does not mean
that something is wrong with the
system. Rather, it means the forces
were not of the type sufficient to
cause activation. Air bags are designed to inflate in frontal and
near-frontal collisions, not rollover, side-impact, or rear-impacts unless
the collision causes sufficient longitudinal deceleration.

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97

The air bags inflate and deflate
rapidly upon activation. After air bag
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 (e.g., baking
soda) that result from the
combustion process that inflates the
air bag. 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 air bag may also cause abrasions, swelling or temporary
hearing loss. Because air bags 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 air bag deployment. Thus, it is extremely important that occupants be
properly restrained as far away from the air bag module as possible while
maintaining vehicle control.

Several air bag system components get hot after inflation. Do not
touch them after inflation.

If the air bag is deployed, the air bag will not function again
and must be replaced immediately. If the air bag is not

replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a
collision.

The SRS consists of:
• driver and passenger air bag modules (which include the inflators and

air bags),

• one or more impact and safing sensors,
• a readiness light and tone
• diagnostic module

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98