2000 Ford Focus Owner's Manual - Page 100

Seating and safety restraints 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 front air bags are designed to inflate in frontal and near frontal collisions, not rollover, side impact, or rear impacts. For information on side impact collisions, refer to Side airbag system (if equipped) in this chapter. 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. 100