Determining If The System Is Operational; How Does The Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System Work? - Ford 2001 Windstar Owner's Manual

Seating and safety restraints

Determining if the system is operational

The supplemental restraint system uses a warning indicator in the
instrument cluster or a back-up tone to indicate the condition of the
system. Refer to the Restraints Warning Indicator section in the
Instrumentation chapter. Routine maintenance of the air bag is not
required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
• The readiness light (same light
for front and side air bag system)
will either flash or stay lit.
• The readiness light will not
illuminate immediately after ignition is turned on.
• A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the supplemental
restraint system serviced at your dealership or by a qualified technician
immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not function properly in
the event of a collision.

How does the air bag supplemental restraint system work?

The air bag SRS is designed to
activate when the vehicle sustains
longitudinal deceleration sufficient
to cause the sensors to close an
electrical circuit that initiates air
bag inflation.
The fact that the air bags did not
inflate 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. Front air bags are designed to inflate in frontal and
near-frontal collisions, not rollover, side-impact, or rear-impacts unless
the collision causes sufficient longitudinal deceleration.
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