2013 Ford Explorer Owner Manual Printing 4 - Page 60

Supplementary Restraints System 59 The restraints control module also monitors the readiness of the above safety devices plus the crash and occupant sensors. The readiness of the safety system is indicated by a warning indicator light in the instrument cluster or by a backup tone if the warning light is not working. See the Instrument Cluster chapter. Routine maintenance of the airbag is not required. A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following: • The readiness light will either flash or stay lit. • The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after the ignition is turned on. • A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat periodically until the problem or light is repaired. If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the supplemental restraint system serviced at an authorized dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a crash. The safety belt pretensioners, rear inflatable safety belts and the airbag supplemental restraint system are designed to activate when the vehicle sustains longitudinal or lateral deceleration sufficient to cause the restraints control module to deploy a safety device or when a certain likelihood of a rollover event is detected by the rollover sensor. The fact that the safety belt pretensioners or airbags did not activate for both front seat occupants in a crash does not mean that something is wrong with the system. Rather, it means the restraints control module determined the accident conditions (such as crash severity, belt usage) were not appropriate to activate these safety devices. • Front airbags are designed to activate only in frontal and near-frontal crashes (not rollovers, side impacts or rear impacts) unless the crash causes sufficient longitudinal deceleration. • The safety belt pretensioners and rear inflatable safety belts are designed to activate in frontal, near-frontal and side crashes, and in rollovers. • Side airbags are designed to inflate in side-impact crashes, not rollovers, rear impacts, frontal or near-frontal crashes, unless the crash causes sufficient lateral deceleration. • The Safety Canopy is designed to inflate in certain side-impact crashes or rollover events, not in rear-impact, frontal or near-frontal crashes, unless the crash causes sufficient lateral deceleration or rollover likelihood. 2013 Explorer (exp) Owners Guide gf, 4th Printing, November 2012 USA (fus)