2002 Ford Focus Owner Guide 4th Printing - Page 163

Seating and Safety Restraints The side air bags are fitted on the outboard side of the seatbacks of the front seats. In certain lateral collisions, the air bag on the side affected by the collision will be inflated, even if the respective seat is not occupied. The air bag was designed to inflate between the door panel and occupant to further enhance the protection provided occupants in side impact collisions. The air bag SRS is designed to activate when the vehicle sustains sufficient lateral deceleration 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. Side air bags are designed to inflate in sideĆimpact collisions, not rollover, rearĆimpact, frontal or nearĆfrontal collisions, unless the collision causes sufficient lateral deceleration. Several air bag system components get hot after inflation. Do not touch them after inflation. 163