2008 Ford Explorer Owner Guide 3rd Printing - Page 209
2008 Ford Explorer Manual
Page 209 highlights
Seating and Safety Restraints The Safety Canopy™ system, in combination with safety belts, can help reduce the risk of severe injuries in the event of a significant side impact collision or rollover event. Children 12 years old and under should always be properly restrained in the second or third row seats (if equipped). The Safety Canopy™ will not interfere with children restrained using a properly installed child or booster seat because it is designed to inflate downward from the headliner above the doors along the side window openings. The Safety Canopy™ system is designed to activate when the vehicle sustains lateral deceleration sufficient to cause the side crash sensor to close an electrical circuit that initiates Safety Canopy™ inflation or when a certain likelihood of a rollover event is detected by the rollover sensor. The Safety Canopy™ is mounted to the roof side-rail sheet metal, behind the headliner, above the first and second row seats. In certain lateral collisions or rollover events, the Safety Canopy™ system will be activated, regardless of which seats are occupied. The Safety Canopy™ is designed to inflate between the side window area and occupants to further enhance protection provided in side impact collisions and rollover events. The fact that the Safety Canopy™ system did not activate 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 Safety Canopy™ is designed to inflate in certain side impact collisions or rollover events, not in rear impact, frontal or near-frontal collisions, unless the collision causes sufficient lateral deceleration or rollover likelihood. Several Safety Canopy™ system components get hot after inflation. Do not touch them after inflation. 209