FORD 2005 Escape Hybrid v.2 - Manual (Page 128)

Front safety belt usage sensors
The front safety belt usage sensors detect whether or not the driver and
front outboard passenger safety belts are fastened. This information
allows your Safety System to tailor the airbag deployment and safety belt
pretensioner activation depending upon safety belt usage. Refer to Safety
belt section in this chapter.
Front safety belt pretensioners
The safety belt system equipped with pyrotechnic dual retractor (driver’s
side only), pretensioners at the front outboard seating positions are
designed to tighten the safety belts firmly against the occupant’s body
during a frontal or near-frontal collision. This maximizes the effectiveness
of the safety belts and helps properly position the occupant relative to
the airbag to improve protection. The safety belt, equipped with
pyrotechnic dual retractor (driver’s side only) and pretensioners can be
either activated alone or, if the collision is of sufficient severity, together
with the airbags.
Front safety belt energy management retractors equipped with
pyrotechnic dual retractor (driver’s side only)
The front outboard safety belt, energy management retractors equipped
with pyrotechnic dual retractor (driver’s side only), once initiated allows
webbing to be pulled out of the retractor in a gradual and controlled
manner in response to the occupant’s forward momentum. This helps
reduce the risk of force-related injuries to the occupant’s chest by
limiting the load on the occupant. Refer to Energy management feature
section in this chapter.
Determining if the Safety System is operational
The Safety System uses a warning light in the instrument cluster or a
back-up tone to indicate the condition of the system. Refer to the
Warning light section in the Instrument Cluster chapter. Routine
maintenance of the Safety System is not required.
The Restraints control module (RCM) monitors its own internal circuits
and the circuits for the airbag supplemental restraints, crash sensor(s),
safety belt pretensioners, front safety belt buckle sensors, driver seat
position sensor, and passenger occupant classification sensor. In addition,
the RCM also monitors the restraints warning light in the instrument
cluster. A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the
following.
• The warning light will either flash or stay lit.
• The warning light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is
turned on.
2005 Escape Hybrid (hev)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
128