Ford F-250 1996 Owner's Manual

Table of Contents

Introductory Information ............................... 1

Safety Restraints ............................................ 11

Starting Your F-Series .................................. 49

Warning Lights and Gauges ....................... 63

Instrument Panel Controls .......................... 79

Steering Column Controls .......................... 95

Features .......................................................... 109

Electronic Sound Systems ......................... 139

Driving Your F-Series ................................ 169

Roadside Emergencies ................................ 253

Customer Assistance ................................... 281

Reporting Safety Defects........................ 288

Accessories .................................................... 293

Servicing Your F-Series ............................. 301

Introductory Information

At Ford Motor Company, excellence is the continuous commitment to achieve the best result possible. It is dedication to learning what you want, determination to develop the right concept, and execution of that concept with care, precision, and attention to detail. In short, excellence means being the standard by which others are judged.

Our Guiding Principles

Quality comes first. For your satisfaction, the

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quality of our products and services must be our number one priority.

You are the focus of everything we do. Our

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work must be done with you in mind, providing better products and services than our competition.

Continuous improvement is essential to our

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success. We must strive for excellence in everything we do: in our products — in their safety and value — and in our services, our human relations, our competitiveness, and our profitability.

Employee involvement is our way of life.

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We are a team. We must treat one another with trust and respect.

Dealers and suppliers are our partners. We

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must maintain mutually beneficial relationships with dealers, suppliers, and our other business associates.

Integrity is never compromised. Our conduct

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worldwide must be pursued in a manner that is socially responsible and commands respect for its integrity and for its positive contributions to society.

This Guide

Congratulations on the purchase of your new vehicle. This guide has information about the equipment and the options for your new vehicle. You may not have bought all of the options available to you. If you do not know which information applies to your vehicle, talk to your dealer.

This guide describes equipment and gives specifications for equipment that was in effect when this guide was approved for printing. Ford may discontinue models or change specifications or design without any notice and without incurring obligation.

NOTES and WARNINGS

NOTES give you additional information about

the subject matter you are referencing. WARNINGS remind you to be especially careful

in those areas where carelessness can cause damage to your vehicle or personal injury to yourself, your passengers or other people. Please read all WARNINGS carefully.

RWARNING

Finding Information in This Guide

After you have read this guide once, you will probably return to it when you have a specific question or need additional information. To help you find specific information quickly, you can use the table of contents or the index.

The Quick Index at the end of the book provides a page number following each item which indicates where detailed information can be found.

This guide has a table of contents at the beginning of the book to show chapter titles.

To use the Index, turn to the back of the book and search in the alphabetical listing for the word that best describes the information you need. If the word you chose is not listed, think of other related words and look them up. We have designed the Index so that you can find information under a technical term.

Canadian Owners — French Version

French Owner Guides can be obtained from your dealer or by writing to Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited, Service Publications, P.O. Box 1580, Station B, Mississauga, Ontario L4Y 4G3.

Record Booklet

The Maintenance Schedule and Record booklet lists the services that are most important for keeping your vehicle in good condition. A record log is also provided to help you keep track of all services performed.

Your vehicle is covered by three types of warranties: Basic Vehicle Warranty, Extended Warranties on certain parts, and Emissions Warranties.

Read your Warranty Information Booklet carefully to find out about your vehicle’s warranties and your basic rights and responsibilities.

If you lose your Warranty Information Booklet, you can get a new one free of charge. Contact any Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer, or refer to the addresses and phone numbers on the first page of this owner guide.

Buying a Ford Extended Service Plan

If you bought your vehicle in the U.S., you can buy a Ford Extended Service Plan for your vehicle. This optional contract provides service protection for a longer period of time than the basic warranty that comes with your vehicle.

You do not have to buy this option when you buy your vehicle. However, your option to purchase the Ford Extended Service Plan runs out after 18 months or 18,000 miles. See your dealer for more details about the Ford Extended Service Plan.

If you purchased a Canadian vehicle and did not take advantage of the Ford Extended Service Plan at the time of purchase, you may still be eligible. See your dealer for the details.

FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES

As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or an accident. Be sure to read the

Additional Special Driving Instructions for Four-Wheel Drive Vehicle Operators, in this book

and the special supplement included with four-wheel drive vehicles entitled 4-Wheeling with Ford.

LIGHT TRUCK AMBULANCE CONVERSIONS

If your light truck is equipped with the Ford Ambulance Preparation Package, it can be

utilized as an ambulance. Ford urges ambulance manufacturers to follow the recommendations of the Ford Incomplete Vehicle Manual, Ford

Truck Body Builder’s Layout Book, and the QVM Guidelines as well as pertinent

supplements. For further information, please call the Light Truck Body Builders Advisory Service on 1-800-635-5560.

Use of your Ford light truck as an ambulance, without the Ford Ambulance Preparation Package voids the Ford New Vehicle Limited Warranty and may void the Emissions Warranties. In addition, ambulance usage without the preparation package could cause high underbody temperatures, overpressurized fuel, and a risk of spraying fuel which could lead to fires. If your light truck is equipped with the Ford Ambulance Preparation Package it will say so on its information decal. The decal is located on the driver’s side door pillar or on the

rear edge of the driver’s door. You can determine whether the ambulance manufacturer followed Ford’s recommendations by directly contacting that manufacturer. NOTE: Ford Ambulance Preparation Package is only available on certain 7.3L Diesel Econoline and F-Series vehicles.

DIESEL-POWERED VEHICLES

Read the 7.3L Diesel Engine Owner’s Guide Supplement for information regarding correct

operation and maintenance of your diesel-powered light truck.

Number (VIN)

Your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is the same as the warranty number that appears on your owner card. You should include this number any time you write to Ford Motor Company about your vehicle.

The Vehicle Identification Number is attached to your vehicle in the following places:

Complete Ford Built Vehicles

on the metal tag attached to the top of the

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instrument panel on the driver’s side — you can see the tag by looking through the windshield from outside your vehicle.

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN/Serial Number)

on the Safety Compliance Certification Label

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— this label is attached to the left front door lock facing or the door latch post pillar. It is required by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is made of special material. If someone tampers with it, it will be destroyed and/or a destruction pattern will appear.

The label contains the name of the manufacturer, the month and year of manufacture, the certification statement and the Vehicle Identification Number. The label also contains Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Gross Axle Weight Ratings, wheel and tire data and information codes for additional vehicle data. For further information about the Safety Compliance Certification Label and the information contained on it, refer to the Index.

Incomplete Vehicles

On completed derivations of incomplete vehicles, the Safety Compliance Certification Label is affixed at a location determined by a subsequent stage manufacturer of the completed vehicle. In these cases the completed vehicle is manufactured in two (or more) stages by two (or more) separate manufacturers, with the manufacture of the completed vehicle occurring at a later date than the manufacture of the incomplete vehicle. Consequently, the model year of the completed vehicle may be later than the model year of its chassis.

Federal Highway Administration Regulation

Regulations such as those issued by the Federal Highway Administration or issued pursuant to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and/or state and local laws and regulations may

require additional equipment for the way you intend to use the vehicle. It is the responsibility of the registered owner to determine the applicability of such laws and regulations to your intended use for the vehicle, and to arrange for the installation of required equipment. Your Ford dealer has information about the availability of many items of equipment which may be ordered for your vehicle.

Your new vehicle goes through an adjustment or break-in period during the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km) that you drive it. During the break-in period, you need to pay careful attention to how you drive your vehicle.

Avoid sudden stops. Because your vehicle

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has new brake linings, you should take these steps:

— Watch traffic carefully so that you can

anticipate when to stop. — Begin braking well in advance. — Apply the brakes gradually.

The break-in period for new brake linings lasts for 100 miles (160 km) of city driving or 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of highway driving.

Wheel lug nuts must be retightened to proper

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torque specifications at 500 miles/800 km of new vehicle operation. Proper torque specifications are provided in this guide. Also retighten to proper torque specification at 500 miles/800 km after any wheel change or any other time the wheel lug nuts have been loosened.

Use only the type of engine oil that Ford

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recommends. See Engine oil recommendations in the Index. Do not use special “break-in” oils.

Vehicle

Washing and Polishing Your Vehicle

Wash the outside of your vehicle, including the underside, with a mild detergent.

DO NOT:

Wash your vehicle with hot water

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Wash your vehicle while it sits in direct

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sunlight Wash your vehicle while the body is hot

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Pollen, bird droppings and tree sap can damage the paint, especially in hot weather. Wash your vehicle as often as necessary to keep it clean.

Take similar precautions if your vehicle is exposed to chemical industrial fallout.

Paint damage resulting from fallout is not related to a defect in paint materials or workmanship and therefore is not covered by warranty. Ford, however, believes that continual improvement in customer satisfaction is a high priority. For this reason, Ford has authorized their dealers to repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of new vehicles damaged by environmental fallout within 12 months or 12,000 miles (20,000 km) of purchase, whichever comes first. Customers may be required to bring their vehicle in for inspection by a Ford representative.

Polish your vehicle to remove harmful deposits and protect the finish.

Cleaning Chrome and Aluminum Parts

Wash chrome and aluminum parts with the same detergent you use to wash the vehicle body, such as Ford Premium Car Wash Concentrate. You can use Ford Extra Strength Tar and Road Oil Remover or equivalent to clean grease, oil, and tar from chrome-plated parts, including wheelcovers, aluminum wheels, bumpers, or anodized aluminum parts.

Cleaning Plastic Parts

Some of your vehicle’s exterior trim parts are plastic. Clean with a tar and road oil remover if necessary. Use a vinyl cleaner for routine cleaning.

Do not clean plastic parts with thinners, solvents or petroleum-based cleaners.

If you have your vehicle rustproofed, remove oversprayed rustproofing with a tar and road oil remover. If rustproofing is not removed from plastic and rubber parts, it can cause deterioration.

Safety Restraints

The use of safety belts helps to restrain you and your passengers in case of a collision. In most states and in Canada the law requires their use.

Safety belts provide best restraint when:

the seatback is upright

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the occupant is sitting upright (not slouched)

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the lap belt is snug and low on the hips

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the shoulder belt is snug against the chest

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the knees are straight forward

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To help you remember to fasten your safety belt, a warning light may come on and a chime may sound. See Safety Belt Warning Light and Chime in the Warning Lights and Gauges chapter.

See the following sections in this chapter for directions on how to properly use these safety belts. Also see Safety Restraints for Children in this chapter for special instructions about using safety belts for children.

RWARNING

Make sure that you and your passengers wear safety belts. Always drive and ride with your seatback upright and the lap belt snug and low across the hips.

RWARNING

Passengers should not be allowed to ride in the cargo area. Persons not riding in a seat with a fastened seat belt are much more likely to suffer serious injury in a collision. Cargo should always be secured to prevent it from shifting and causing damage to the vehicle or harm to passengers.

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Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap while the vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the child from injury in a collision.

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To reduce the risk of serious injury in a collision, children should always ride with the seatback upright.

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Never wear the shoulder belt under the arm. Never swing it around the neck over the inside shoulder. Never use a single belt for more than one person or across more than one seating position. Each seating position in your vehicle has a specific safety belt assembly which is made up of one buckle and one tongue that are designed to be used as a pair. Failure to follow these precautions could increase the risk and/or severity of injury in a collision.

RWARNING

Lock the doors of your vehicle before driving to lessen the risk of the door coming open in a collision.

Your vehicle is equipped with a dual locking mode retractor on the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap/shoulder safety belt for front seat passenger and rear seat outboard passengers.

Dual Locking Mode Retractors

Vehicle Sensitive (Emergency) Locking Mode

In this operating mode, the shoulder belt retractor will allow the occupant freedom of movement, locking tight only on hard braking, hard cornering or impacts of approximately 5 mph (8 km/h) or more.

The front seat belt retractor can also be made to lock by pulling/jerking on the belt.

Automatic Locking Mode

In this operating mode, the shoulder belt retractor will be automatically locked and remain locked when the combination lap/shoulder safety belt is buckled, and does not allow the occupant freedom of movement. This mode provides the following:

A tight lap/shoulder belt fit on occupant

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Child seat/infant carrier installation restraint

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RWARNING

Rear-facing infant seats should never be placed in the front seat.

This mode must be used when installing a child seat on the front passenger seat and rear outboard seats where dual locking retractors are provided.

To switch the retractor from the “emergency locking mode” to the “automatic locking mode,” perform the following steps:

1. Buckle the lap/shoulder combination belt.

2. Grasp the shoulder portion of the belt and pull downward until all of the belt is extracted, and when allowed to retract, a clicking sound will be heard. At this time, the belt retractor is in the “automatic locking mode” (child restraint mode).

3. A clicking sound will continue to be heard as the belt is allowed to retract. This indicates that the retractor is in the “automatic locking mode.”

NOTE: When the combination lap/shoulder

belt is unbuckled and allowed to retract completely, the retractor will switch back to the vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode. See the detailed instructions under Safety Seats for Children in this chapter.

Belts

While your vehicle is in motion, the combination lap and shoulder belt adjusts to your movement. However, if you brake hard, corner hard or if your truck receives an impact of 5 mph (8 km/h) or more, the combination lap/shoulder belt locks and helps reduce your forward movement. The front seat belt systems can also be made to lock by jerking on the shoulder belt.

NOTE: The rear belts cannot be made to lock

up by jerking on shoulder belt.

After you get into your vehicle, close the door and lock it. Then adjust the seat to the position that suits you best.

To fasten the belt

Pull the combination lap/shoulder belt from the retractor so that the shoulder portion of the belt crosses your shoulder and chest. Be sure the belt is not twisted. If it is, remove the twist. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle until you hear a snap and feel it latch. Make sure the tongue is securely fastened to the buckle by pulling on tongue.

RWARNING

Use the shoulder belt on the outside shoulder only. Never wear the shoulder belt under the arm. Never swing it around the neck over the inside shoulder. Never use a single belt for more than one person. Failure to follow these precautions could increase the risk and/or severity of injury in a collision.

To tighten the lap portion of the belt, pull up on the shoulder belt until it fits you snugly. The belt should rest as low on your hips as possible.

RWARNING

Due to folding rear seats, sometimes the buckles and tongues toward the center of the vehicle may be hidden by the rear edge of the seat cushion. Pull them out so they will be accessible.

While you are fastened in the seat belt, the combination lap and shoulder belt adjusts to your movement. However, if you brake hard, turn hard, or if your vehicle receives an impact of 5 mph (8 km/h) or more, the lap and shoulder belt will become locked and help reduce your forward movement.

Adjustable Lap Belts Without Retractors

The lap belts for center side facing (Jump seat) do not have retractors, but do have a locking adjustable tongue. They should be shortened and fastened to buckle when you are not using them. To lengthen your belt, tip the belt tongue at a right angle to the belt and pull the belt over your lap until the tongue reaches the buckle.

Fastening occupant safety lap belts

To fasten the belt, pull the belt across your hips and insert the tongue into the correct buckle on your seat until you hear a snap and feel it latch. Make sure the buckle is securely fastened by pulling tongue.

Adjust the belt so that it fits snugly and as low as possible around the hips:

If you need to lengthen the belt, unfasten it

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and repeat the procedure above. If you need to shorten the belt, pull on the

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loose end of the webbing.

To unfasten the belt:

1. Push the release button on the buckle. This allows the tongue to unlatch from the buckle.

Unfastening the outboard lap/shoulder belts

2. While the belt retracts, guide the tongue to its stowed position. If you do not guide the tongue, it may strike you or part of the vehicle.

How to Untwist or Unjam a Safety Belt Retractor

If you should jam the lap belt retractor by allowing the belt to retract when it is twisted, you can free the webbing with this procedure:

1. Pull on the belt with both hands to tighten it on the retractor spool.

2. Feed the belt back into the retractor until it is completely retracted. Repeat previous step if necessary.

3. Pull the belt out of the retractor as far as it will go and untwist the belt or remove the object that is jamming the belt. Let the belt retract.

4. Then, pull the belt out and let it retract several times to make sure that the belt works properly.

Procedure to Correct a Twisted Safety Shoulder Belt at the “D” Ring (if so equipped) Front and/or Rear Outboard Seating Positions

NOTE: The restraint system shown in the

following figures may be different than the restraint system in your vehicle. However, use these figures and this procedure to correct a twisted safety shoulder belt at any outboard seating position that has a “D” ring.

1. Grasp the belt webbing at the “D” ring. See Figure 2.

2. Rotate and fold the belt webbing over itself as required to remove the twist.

3. Feed the folded portion of the belt through the “D” ring.

4. When completed, the safety belt should look like Figure 3.

Safety Belt Extension Assembly

For some people, the safety belt may be too short even when it is fully extended. You can add about eight inches (20 cm) to the belt length with a safety belt extension assembly (part number 611C22). Safety belt extensions are available at no cost from your dealer.

Use only extensions manufactured by the same supplier as the safety belt. Manufacturer identification is located at the end of the webbing on the label. Also, use the safety belt extension only if the safety belt is too short for you when fully extended. Do not use extension to change the fit of the shoulder belt across the torso.

RWARNING

Failure to follow these instructions will affect the performance of the safety belts and increase the risk of personal injury.

Check your safety belt system periodically to make sure that it works properly and isn’t damaged. If the webbing shows any wear, nicks or cuts, have it examined by a qualified technician to determine if replacement is necessary. Always have your safety belt system checked after a collision by a qualified technician.

All safety belt assemblies, including retractors, buckles, front seat belt buckle support assemblies (slide bar) (if so equipped), child safety seat tether bracket assemblies (if so equipped), and attaching hardware, should be inspected after any collision. Ford recommends that all safety belt assemblies used in vehicles involved in a collision be replaced. However, if the collision was minor and a qualified technician finds that the belts do not show damage and continue to operate properly, they do not need to be replaced. Safety belt assemblies not in use during a collision should also be inspected and replaced if either damage or improper operation is noted.

Cleaning the Safety Belts

Clean the safety belts with any mild soap solution that is recommended for cleaning upholstery or carpets. Do not bleach or dye the belt webbing because this may weaken it.

System (SRS)

Driver air bag (F-150 — F-250 under 8500 lbs. only)

Your vehicle is equipped with a driver side air bag supplemental restraint system located in the steering wheel and identified by the letters “SRS” in the center of the wheel.

The driver air bag is a Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), provided in addition to the driver lap/shoulder belt, and is designed to supplement the protection provided to a properly belted driver in moderate to severe frontal collisions. The supplemental air bag system does not provide restraint to the lower body.

The Importance of Wearing Safety Belts

RWARNING

Safety belts must be worn by all vehicle occupants to be properly restrained and help reduce the risk of injury in a collision.

RWARNING

All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always wear their safety belts, even when an air bag Supplemental Restraint System is provided.

There are four very important reasons to use safety belts even with an air bag system. Use your safety belts to:

help keep you in the proper seating position

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(away from the air bag) when it inflates reduce the risk of harm in rollover, side or

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rear impact collisions, because an air bag is not designed to inflate in such situations

reduce the risk of harm in frontal collisions

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that are not severe enough to activate the supplemental air bag

reduce the risk of being thrown from your

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vehicle

The Importance of Being Properly Seated

In a collision, the air bag must inflate extremely fast to help provide additional protection for you. In order to do this, the air bag must inflate with considerable force. If you are not seated in a normal riding position with your back against the seatback, the air bag may not protect you properly and could possibly hurt you as it inflates.

RWARNING

Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near the air bag cover on the steering wheel or in front seat areas that may come in contact with a deploying air bag. Failure to follow this instruction may increase the risk of personal injury in the event of a collision.

How the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System Operates

The air bag supplemental restraint system has two main parts. One part is the air bag system with the driver air bag and inflator located in the center of the steering wheel. The second part is the electrical system, which has impact sensors, and a diagnostic module, and backup power supply. The diagnostic module monitors its own internal circuits and the supplemental air bag electrical system readiness, including the impact sensors, the system wiring, the air bag system readiness light, air bag power, and the air bag ignitor.

The location of the air bag and warning label

The air bag system uses a readiness light and a tone to indicate the condition of the system. The readiness light is in the instrument cluster. When you turn the ignition to the ON position, this light will illuminate for approximately six (6) seconds and then turn off. This indicates that the system is operating normally. NOTE: Maintenance of the air bag system is not required.

A problem with the system is indicated by one or more of the following: the readiness light will either flash or stay lit, or it will not light, or a group of five beeps will be heard.

RWARNING

If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the air bag system serviced at your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer immediately.

Tone generator

The air bag readiness light indicates the air bag system condition. However, a series of five sets of five beeps will be heard only if the readiness light does not work and there is a problem with the air bag system. This also means that the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) is in need of service. The tone pattern will repeat (five sets of five beeps) periodically until the problem and light are repaired. Unless serviced, the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System may not function properly in the event of a collision.

RWARNING

Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System or its fuses. See your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.

The air bag system is designed to stay out of sight until it is activated. The air bag system is designed to deploy in frontal and front-angled collisions more severe than hitting a parked vehicle of similar size and weight head-on at about 28 mph (45 km/h). Because the system senses the crash severity rather than vehicle speed, some frontal collisions at speeds above 28 mph (45 km/h) will not inflate the air bag. The system activates when the sensors detect a forward deceleration equal to or greater than the deceleration experienced if you would drive your vehicle into a solid wall at 14 mph. In some side impacts, the forward deceleration of your vehicle can be great enough to deploy your air bag.

The following four steps show how the air bag system works:

1. Sensors in the vehicle will detect the degree of severity of a frontal impact. When the sensor system is activated, electric current flows to the inflator and the system ignites the gas generant.

2. The propellant then rapidly burns in the metal container. The rapid burning produces nitrogen gas and small amounts of dust. The nitrogen gas and dust are cooled and filtered during inflation of the air bag.

3. The inflating supplemental air bag splits open the trim cover. The supplemental air bag then rapidly unfolds and inflates in front of the driver.

NOTE: STEPS 1-3 TAKE PLACE IN A

FRACTION OF A SECOND.

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