2006 Ford Taurus Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 100

Seating and Safety Restraints The front passenger sensing system is designed to enable (may inflate) the right front passenger's frontal airbag anytime the system senses that a person of adult size is sitting properly in the front passenger seat. When the passenger sensing system has allowed the airbag to be enabled, the indicator will be unlit and stay unlit to remind you that the airbag is enabled (may inflate). If a person of adult-size is sitting in the front passenger's seat, but the Љpassenger airbag offЉ or Љpass airbag offЉ indicator is lit, it is possible that the person isn't sitting properly in the seat. If this happens, turn the vehicle off and ask the person to place the seatback in the full upright position, sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with the person's legs comfortably extended. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for about two minutes. This will allow the system to detect that person and enable the passenger's airbag. If the indicator lamp remains lit even after this, the occupant should be advised to ride in the rear seat. After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on safety belts, it's very important that they continue to sit upright with their back against the seatback, with their feet comfortably extended on the floor while the vehicle is still in motion. Sitting improperly can increase the chance of injury in a crash event. For example, if an occupant slouches, lies down, turns sideways, sits forward, leans forward or sideways, or puts one or both feet up, the chance of injury during a crash is greatly increased. Sitting improperly out of position or with the seat back reclined too far can take off weight from the seat cushion and affect the decision of the passenger sensing system, resulting in serious injury or death in a crash. Always sit upright against your seatback, with your feet on the floor. The front passenger sensing system may detect small or medium objects placed on the seat cushion. For most objects that are in the front passenger seat, the passenger airbag will be disabled. Even though the passenger airbag is disabled, the Љpass airbag offЉ light may or may not be illuminated according to the table below. 100 2006 Taurus (tau) Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) USA (fus)