2000 Mercury Cougar Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 121

Seating and safety restraints While the system is designed to help reduce serious injuries, it 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 inflated, 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 • and the electrical wiring which connects the components. 121