Ford Taurus X (2009 year). Manual — part 49

WARNING: If the Safety Canopy

威 system has deployed, the

Safety Canopy

威 will not function again unless replaced. The

Safety Canopy

威 system (including the A, B, C, and D pillar trim and

headliner) must be inspected and serviced by an authorized dealer. If
the Safety Canopy

威 is not replaced, it will not function again, which

will increase the risk of injury in a future collision.

Determining if the system is operational

The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the system. Refer to the Airbag readiness
section in the Instrument Cluster chapter. Routine maintenance of the
airbag is not required.

Any difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the
following:
• The readiness airbag light (same light as for front airbag system) will

either flash or stay lit.

• The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is

turned on.

• A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat

periodically until the problem and light are repaired.

If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at your an authorized dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the system
may not function properly in the event of a collision or rollover event.

S.O.S. Post Crash Alert

The S.O.S Post Crash Alert automatically flashes the turn signal lamps
and sounds the horn three times at four second intervals in the event of
a serious impact that deploys an airbag (front, side, side curtain or
Safety Canopy

威) or the safety belt pretensioners.

The S.O.S. Post Crash Alert can be turned off when any one of the
following actions are taken by the driver or any other person:
• pressing the hazard control button,
• or pressing the panic button on the remote entry transmitter.
The feature will continue to operate until the vehicle runs out of power.

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198

Disposal of airbags and airbag equipped vehicles
(including pretensioners)

Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible. Airbags MUST BE
disposed of by qualified personnel.

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.

WARNING: All children are shaped differently. The
Recommendations for Safety Restraints are based on probable

child height, age and weight thresholds from NHTSA and other safety
organizations or are the minimum requirements of law. Ford
recommends checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety
Technician (CPST) and your pediatrician to make sure your child seat
is appropriate for your child, and is compatible with and properly
installed in the vehicle. To locate a child seat fitting station and CPST
contact the NHTSA toll free at 1-888-327-4236 or on the internet at
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov. Failure to properly restrain children in safety
seats made especially for their height, age, and weight may result in an
increased risk of serious injury or death to your child.

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199

Recommendations for Safety Restraints for Children

Child size, height, weight, or age

Recommended
restraint type

Infants
or tod-
dlers

Children weighing 40 lb (18 kg) or less
(generally age four or younger)

Use a child safety
seat (sometimes
called an infant
carrier, convertible
seat, or toddler
seat).

Small
chil-
dren

Children who have outgrown or no longer
properly fit in a child safety seat (gener-
ally children who are less than 4 feet
9 inches (1.45 meters) tall, are greater
than age four (4) and less than age
twelve (12), and between 40 lbs (18 kg)
and 80 lbs (36 kg) and upward to 100 lbs
(45 kg) if recommended by your child
restraint manufacturer)

Use a belt-
positioning booster
seat.

Larger
chil-
dren

Children who have outgrown or no longer
properly fit in a belt-positioning booster
seat (generally children who are at least
4 feet 9 inches (1.45 meters) tall or
greater than 80 lb (36 kg) or 100 lb
(45 kg) if recommended by child re-
straint manufacturer)

Use a vehicle
safety belt having
the lap belt snug
and low across the
hips, shoulder belt
centered across
the shoulder and
chest, and seat-
back upright.

• You are required by law to properly use safety seats for infants and

toddlers in the U.S. and Canada.

• Many states and provinces require that small children use approved

booster seats until they reach age eight, a height of 4 ft 9 in
(1.45 meters) tall, or 80 lb (36 kg). Check your local and state or
provincial laws for specific requirements regarding the safety of
children in your vehicle.

• When possible, always properly restrain children twelve (12) years of

age and under in a rear seating position of your vehicle. Accident
statistics suggest that children are safer when properly restrained in
the rear seating positions than in a front seating position.

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200

Recommendations for attaching child safety restraints for children

Re-
straint
Type

Child

Weight

Use any attachment method as indicated be-

low by “X”

LATCH
(lower
an-
chors
and
top
tether
an-
chor)

LATCH
(lower
anchors
only)

Safety
belt
and
top
tether
anchor

Safety
belt and
LATCH
(lower
anchors
and top
tether
anchor)

Safety
belt
only

Rear fac-
ing child
seat

Up to
48 lb
(21 kg)

X

X

Forward
facing
child seat

Up to
48 lb
(21 kg)

X

X

X

Forward
facing
child seat

Over
48 lb
(21 kg)

X

X

WARNING: 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 vehicle seat all the way back. When possible, all children age 12
and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating position. If
all children cannot be seated and restrained properly in a rear seating
position, properly restrain the largest child in the front seat.

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201