1998 Ford F150 Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 62

Seating and safety restraints Air bag can kill or injure a child in a child seat. Child seats should never be placed in the front seats, unless passenger air bag switch is turned off. See Passenger air bag deactivate switch. How does the air bag supplemental restraint system work? The SRS is designed to activate when the vehicle sustains sufficient longitudinal deceleration. 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. The air bags inflate and deflate rapidly upon activation. After air bag deployment, it is normal to notice a smoke-like, powdery residue or smell the burnt propellant. This may consist of cornstarch, talcum powder (to lubricate the bag) or sodium compounds (e.g., baking soda) that result from the combustion process that inflates the air bag. Small amounts of sodium hydroxide may be present which may irritate the skin and eyes, but none of the residue is toxic. 62