I have an 07 FEH which has been great. Only significant complaint is that when my wife, about 120 pounds, is in the front passenger seat about half the time the passemger airbag light is on, indicating that the airbag is turned off. Neither of us is very happy about this and of course the Ford Dealer checked it and says everything is functioning normally. the We have tried the suggestions in the owner's manual which had no effect. Clearly this is a significant safety issue. Anyone else noting similiar problems? If I cannot resolve considering contacting NHTSA, etc.

Anyone know what the weight limit is where the airbag is supposed to deploy at lower power or turn off? I'm sure its less than 120 so it seems like it should stay on.

Incidentally, you can thank parents for that one. Babies were getting killed because their parents were putting them in the front seat with a rear mounted car seat. The seats SAY this is dangerous and the airbag can kill them but the people still did it rather than put the child in the back seat where its proven that the child is safer in an accident... so in order to provide convenience to parents we've got "intelligent generation II" airbags that are supposed to figure out if a child or child seat is in the front. As I recall the manufacturers didn't really want to offer it... they figured that there would be cases where the airbag would not go off for an adult and they'd end up sued. In any case... we now have some lighter weight adults that appear to be being put at risk for the convenience of a few that want to put their kid in the front.

i have a very sim prob in my 05. i have a friend who is about 110 or so and when we go out, she has to jump on the seat to get the light to go off but it is only a very temp fix, as the first time i tap the brakes the light goes on again.

prg,

If it happens that often I would suggest you take the service advisor for a ride while your wife is sitting in the passenger seat. Then you can ask him how everything can possibly be "functioning normally."

If you don't get any satisfaction from your service advisor, or if he refuses to go for a ride to witness the problem, head to a different dealer.

This could be a malfunctioning warning light but more than likely there's a problem with the pressure switch in the seat. When they have a big burly mechanic check it out, the switch works fine because he weighs a lot more than 120.

Good luck, let us know how it comes out.

Best trip: 48.9 mpg over 17.9 miles (scangauge)
Best tank: 40.7 mpg over 606 miles (calculated)

I thought that the Gen II airbags were supposed to have a "weight limit" of 80 lbs? No way your 120 lb wife should be triggering the airbag to shut off. My wife (when not 6mos pregnant) usually weighs about 112 lbs. The only time the light ever triggers is if she turns sideways to reach something in the back seat. Something is wrong with your seat in my opinion.

-Tim

2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid AWD
Black with Pebble interior
Premium Package with Nav & Moonroof



Current ODO: 26,152
Typical Drive: 20 min crosstown in heavy traffic (3.5mi there and back twice a day)


532 Gallons of gas saved
That's 10,642 lbs less CO2 emitted

My wife is a lightweight (98lbs) as well... we have an HCH I and the light goes off if she sits at an angle. If she sits "normally" everything is OK.

Of course you are FAR SAFER with a seat belt on and no airbag, then you are with an airbag armed and no seat belt.

Just because you are an adult doesn't mean the airbag should deploy. If you don't weigh very much then you really are better off to just have the seat belt and not have the airbag deploy.

Well, my dog, who weighs 55 pounds, does not cause the light to light up, so the air bag would go off and likely injure my dog. According to the manual it is designed to recognize "someone of adult size." Surely someone who weighs 100 pounds is of adult size?

If the weight is under a certain limit ( 35 pounds I think ) the light will be dark, and the air bag WILL NOT deploy. Under 35 pounds, the seat is assumed to be empty, or just having cargo ( briefcase, etc. ).
If the seat belt is buckled on an empty seat, the system assumes there is an ( improperly ) buckled infant child seat, and the lamp will light.

Between 35 and 80 pounds, it is assumed there is a child, or small adult in the seat. The "pass airbag off" lamp should be lit. Air bag deployment is not based on age, but by size. Now, there needs to be over 80 pounds on the SEAT ( buttocks ) area. If a person weighs 100 pounds, and their feet are on the floor, then 10 or 15 pounds of weight are on the floor, right? Now, if the seat back is reclined anything past 90 degrees ( straight up ), and most people's are, then some weight, 5 or 10 or 20 pounds of weight might be placed on the seat back, and not on the seat bottom. So take both, and a 100 pound person may only exert 60 or 70 pounds of actual weight on the sensors. Oh, one more thing: The system checks the seat-belt connection also. If there is over 80 pounds on the seat, and no seat belt connected, the system assumes it is cargo, and air-bags will not deploy, even though the lamp is dark. Launching cargo at high velocity from air-bag deployment is seen as a huge hazard to possible rear passengers, or even the driver.

The car is probably functioning properly.
I've heard of this concern for 3 years now.
It has always been user error, or user not knowing how the system worked.
Does that explain things?
All the info should be in the owner's manual, in even greater detail.
-John

John, that all makes sense but what does it mean for the original poster? That his wife needs to start eating more red meat? I mean that's kind of brutal if she's sitting there in a car he may have chosen due to its safety features, but she's not going to be protected.

Best trip: 48.9 mpg over 17.9 miles (scangauge)
Best tank: 40.7 mpg over 606 miles (calculated)