1997 Ford Windstar Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 182

Seating and Safety Restraints The Importance of Being Properly Seated In a collision, the air bag must inflate extremely fast to help provide additional protection for you. In order to do this, the air bag must inflate with considerable force. If you are not seated in a normal riding position with your back against the seatback, the air bag may not protect you properly and could possibly hurt you as it inflates. Your vehicle is equipped with a right front passenger air bag. Air bags deploy with great force, faster than the blink of an eye. Front passengers, especially children and small adults, must never sit on the front edge of the seat, stand near the glove compartment of the instrument panel, or lean over near the air bag cover when the vehicle is moving. All occupants should sit with their backs against the seatback, move the seat to the most rearward position if possible and use the safety belts. Children weighing less than 40 lbs. (18 kg) always should use child or infant seats. WARNING When using forward-facing child seats move the passenger seat as far back from the instrument panel as possible. Never secure rear-facing child seats or infant carriers in the front seat. The force of the rapidly inflating passenger air bag could push the top of the rear-facing seat against the vehicle seatback, armrests or console. Rear-facing infant seats must always be secured in the rear seat. WARNING Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near the air bag cover that may come in contact with an inflating air bag. Failure to follow this instruction may increase the risk of personal injury in the event of a collision. 181