2004 Mercury Sable Owner Guide 3rd Printing - Page 112

Seating and Safety Restraints The front passenger sensing system is designed to enable (may inflate) the right front passenger's frontal airbag anytime the system senses that a person of adult size is sitting properly in the front passenger seat. When the passenger sensing system has allowed the airbag to be enabled, the indicator will be unlit and stay unlit to remind you that the airbag is enabled (may inflate). If a person of adult-size is sitting in the front passenger's seat, but the Љpassenger airbag offЉ or Љpass airbag offЉ indicator is lit, it could be that the person isn't sitting properly in the seat. If this happens, turn the vehicle off and ask the person to place the seatback in the full upright position, then sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with the person's legs comfortably extended. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for about two minutes. This will allow the system to detect that person and then enable the passenger's airbag. If the indicator lamp remains lit even after this, then the occupant should be advised to ride in the back seat. After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on seatbelts, it's very important that they continue to sit upright with their back against the seatback, with their feet comfortably extended on the floor while the vehicle is still in motion. 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 is greatly increased. Sitting improperly out of position or with the seat back reclined too far can take off weight from the seat cushion and affect the decision of the passenger sensing system, resulting in serious injury or death in a crash. Always sit upright against your seatback, with your feet on the floor. In case there is a problem with the passenger sensing system, the airbag readiness light in the instrument cluster will stay lit. DO NOT attempt to repair or service the system; take your vehicle immediately to the dealer. The front passenger airbag is not designed to offer protection to an occupant in the center seating position. 112 2004 Sable (sab) Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) USA English (fus)