Children And Air Bags; Determining If The System Is Operational - Mercury Sable 2001 Owner's Manual

Children and air bags

For additional important safety
information, read all information on
safety restraints in this guide.
Children must always be properly
restrained. Accident statistics
suggest that children are safer when
properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front
seating position. Failure to follow
these instructions may increase the
risk of injury in a collision.
Air bags can kill or injure a
child in a child seat.
NEVER place a rear-facing child
seat in front of an active air bag. If
you must use a forward-facing
child seat in the front seat, move
the seat all the way back.

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.
Seating and safety restraints
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