Ford Escape: Airbags / Airbag Precautions. Properly Adjusting the Driver and Front Passenger Seats

Airbag Precautions

WARNING: 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.

WARNING: All occupants of your vehicle, including the driver, should always properly wear their seatbelts, even when an airbag supplemental restraint system is provided. Failure to properly wear your seatbelt could seriously increase the risk of injury or death.

WARNING: Properly secure children 12 years old and under in a rear seating position whenever possible. If you are unable to properly secure all children in a rear seating position, properly secure the largest child on the front seat. If you must use a forward facing child restraint on the front seat, move the seat as far back as possible. Failure to follow these instructions could result in personal injury or death.

WARNING: Do not place your arms on the airbag cover or through the steering wheel. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury.

WARNING: Keep the areas in front of the airbags free from obstruction. Do not affix anything to or over the airbag covers. Objects could become projectiles during airbag deployment. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.

WARNING: To reduce risk of injury, do not obstruct or place objects in the deployment path of the airbag.

WARNING: Do not place a rearward facing child restraint in front of an active airbag. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.

WARNING: Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the supplementary restraint system or associated components. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.

WARNING: Several airbag system components get hot after inflation. To reduce the risk of injury, do not touch them after inflation.

WARNING: If a supplementary restraint system component has deployed, it will not function again. Have the system and associated components inspected as soon as possible. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.

Properly Adjusting the Driver and Front Passenger Seats

WARNING: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends a minimum distance of at least 10 in (25 cm) between an occupant's chest and the driver airbag module.

To properly position yourself away from the airbag:

• 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.

After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on seatbelts, it is very important that they continue to sit properly. Properly seated occupants sit upright, lean against the seat backrest, and center themselves on the seat cushion, with their feet comfortably extended on the floor. Sitting improperly can increase the chance of injury in a crash event. For example, if an occupant slouches, lies down, turns sideways, sits forward, leans forward or sideways, or puts one or both feet up, the chance of injury during a crash greatly increases.