2002 Ford Thunderbird Owner's Manual - Page 106
2002 Ford Thunderbird Manual
Page 106 highlights
Seating and Safety Restraints 1. Insert the ignition key and turn the switch to ON. 2. The OFF light will briefly illuminate when the ignition is turned to ON. This indicates that the passenger front and side air bags are operational. ON OFF OFF PASSENGER AIRBAG If the light is illuminated when the front and side passenger air bag ON/OFF switch is in the ON position and the ignition switch is in ON, have the front and side passenger air bag ON/OFF switch serviced at your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer immediately. The front passenger air bag and the passenger side air bag should always be ON (the air bag OFF light should not be illuminated) unless the passenger is a person who meets the requirements stated either in Category 1, 2 or 3 of the NHTSA/Transport Canada deactivation criteria which follows. The safety belts for the driver and right front passenger seating positions have been specifically designed to function together with the air bags in certain types of crashes. When you turn OFF your air bag, you not only lose the protection of the air bag, you also may reduce the effectiveness of your safety belt system, which was designed to work with the air bag. If you are not a person who meets the requirements stated in the NHTSA/Transport Canada deactivation criteria turning OFF the air bag can increase the risk of serious injury or death in a collision. Always use safety belts and child restraints properly. If a child in a rear facing infant seat must be transported in front, the passenger air bag must be turned OFF. This is because the back of the infant seat is too close to the inflating air bag and the risk of a fatal injury to the infant when the air bag inflates is substantial. The vast majority of drivers and passengers are much safer with an air bag than without. To do their job and reduce the risk of life threatening injuries, air bags must open with great force, and this force can pose a potentially deadly risk in some situations, particularly when a front seat 106