Air Bag Instructions

 WARNING: NEVER PROBE THE CONNECTORS ON THE AIR BAGS. DOING SO MAY RESULT IN AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, WHICH COULD RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY.

DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG MODULES (043B13) WITH DISCOLORED OR DAMAGED COVER DEPLOYMENT DOORS MUST BE REPLACED.

 CAUTION: Do not repaint air bag deployment doors (covers) that show discoloration, scratches or tears. Air bag repairs are to be made by replacement only.

 WARNING: BECAUSE OF THE CRITICAL OPERATING REQUIREMENTS OF THE SYSTEM, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SERVICE SENSORS, AIR BAG SLIDING CONTACT (14A664), AIR BAG DIAGNOSTIC MONITOR (14B056) OR DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG MODULE. SERVICE IS MADE BY REPLACEMENT ONLY.

IF A PART IS REPLACED AND THE NEW PART DOES NOT CORRECT THE CONDITION, INSTALL THE ORIGINAL PART AND PERFORM THE DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE AGAIN.

ALL COMPONENT REPLACEMENTS AND WIRING BEING SERVICED MUST BE MADE WITH THE BATTERY POSITIVE CABLE DISCONNECTED FOR A MINIMUM OF ONE MINUTE BEFORE SERVICE OR REPLACEMENT IS ATTEMPTED.

 WARNING: THE INSTRUCTION "DISCONNECT" ALWAYS REFERS TO A CONNECTOR. NEVER DETACH A COMPONENT FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN INSTRUCTED TO DISCONNECT.

 WARNING: VEHICLE SENSOR ORIENTATION IS CRITICAL FOR PROPER SYSTEM OPERATION. IF A VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG RESTRAINT SYSTEM IS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE THE HOOD (16612) AREA OR RADIATOR HAS BEEN DAMAGED, THE SENSOR SHOULD BE REPLACED WHETHER OR NOT THE AIR BAG IS DEPLOYED. IN ADDITION, MAKE SURE THAT BODY STRUCTURE IN THE AREA OF SENSOR MOUNTING IS RESTORED TO ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION.

 WARNING: THERE IS A CONCERN THAT SNOW PLOWING WITH F-150 4X4 VEHICLES WITH AIR BAG WILL LEAD TO POSSIBLE UNINTENDED DEPLOYMENT OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG (SRS).

THE DRIVER SRS IS DESIGNED TO DEPLOY IN MODERATE TO SEVERE FRONTAL CRASHES. THE SRS IS DESIGNED TO ACTIVATE IN A FRONTAL COLLISION EQUIVALENT TO HITTING A SOLID BARRIER (SUCH AS A WALL) AT ABOUT 22 KM/H (14 MPH) OR MORE, OR, ROUGHLY SPEAKING, A FULL FRONTAL PERPENDICULAR COLLISION WITH A PARKED CAR OR TRUCK OF SIMILAR SIZE AT 45 KM/H (28 MPH) OR MORE. (THIS IS NOT ABSOLUTE. AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN OCCUR AT SPEEDS AS LOW AS 13 KM/H [8 MPH]). CARELESS OR HIGH SPEED DRIVING WHILE PLOWING SNOW WHICH RESULTS IN VEHICLE DECELERATIONS EQUIVALENT TO OR GREATER THAN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT THRESHOLD (BETWEEN 13-22 KM/H [8-14 MPH]) DESCRIBED ABOVE, WOULD DEPLOY THE AIR BAG. SUCH DRIVING ALSO INCREASES THE RISK THAT A DRIVER MAY BECOME INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE SRS IS DESIGNED TO DEPLOY AND PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR THE DRIVER.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• WHEN USING THE VEHICLE FOR SNOW REMOVAL, NEVER MODIFY OR DEFEAT THE TRIPPING MECHANISMS DESIGNED INTO THE SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT BY ITS MANUFACTURER. DOING SO MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND THE SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS POSSIBLE SRS DEPLOYMENT.
• COMMERCIAL SNOW REMOVAL APPLICATIONS SHOULD UTILIZE F-250 HD REGULAR CAB 4X4 OR F-350 REGULAR CAB 4X4 VEHICLES THAT ARE MUCH MORE CONDUCIVE TO THE RIGORS OF LONG HOURS OF PLOW OPERATION.
• AS WITH ALL VEHICLES THAT CONTAIN AN SRS SYSTEM, FORD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU ALWAYS PROPERLY WEAR YOUR SAFETY BELTS AND NEVER TAMPER WITH, DISCONNECT, OR DEACTIVATE THE SRS.

• FORD RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS FOR LOW SPEED, PERSONAL USE SNOW REMOVAL:
• F-150 4X4 REGULAR CAB — 133 INCH WB
• 84 AMP BATTERY
• SUPER ENGINE COOL
• V-8 ENGINE
• MANUAL LOCKING HUBS
• FRONT SUSPENSION PACKAGE
• AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
• ALL TERRAIN TIRES

 CAUTION: F-Series SuperCab and short wheel base models as well as Bronco and all compact trucks are not recommended for snow removal usage.