2018 Escape Owner's Manual

Supplementary Restraints System

The side airbags are located on the outboard side of the seatbacks of the front seats. In certain sideways crashes, the airbag on the side affected by the crash will be inflated. The airbag was designed to inflate between the door panel and occupant to further enhance theprotection providedoccupants in side impact crashes.

The design and development of the side airbag system included recommended testing procedures that were developed by a group of automotive safety experts known as the Side Airbag Technical Working Group. These recommended testing procedures help reduce the risk of injuries related to the deployment of side airbags. DRIVER KNEE AIRBAG A driver's knee airbag is located under the instrument panel. During a crash, the restraints control modulemay activate the driver's knee airbag basedon crash severity and occupant conditions. Under certain crash and occupant conditions, the driver’s knee airbag may deploy but the driver’s front airbagmay not activate. Aswith front and side airbags, it is important to be properly seated and restrained to reduce the risk of death or serious injury.

E152533 The system consists of the following: • A label or embossed side panel indicating that side airbags are fitted to your vehicle. • Side airbags located inside the driver and front passenger seatbacks. • Front passenger sensing system. E67017 • Crash sensors and monitoring system with readiness indicator. See Crash Sensors andAirbag Indicator (page 45). Note: The passenger sensing system will deactivate the passenger seat-mounted side airbag if it detects an empty passenger seat.

Make sure the knee airbag is operating properly. See Crash Sensors and Airbag Indicator

E67017

(page 45).

SAFETY CANOPY™ WARNINGS

Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near the headliner at the siderail that may come into contact with a deploying curtain airbag. Failure to follow these instructions may increase the risk of personal injury in the event of a crash. Do not lean your head on the door. The curtain airbag could injure you as it deploys from the headliner.

43

Escape(TM2)Canada/UnitedStatesofAmerica,enUSA,Editiondate:201706,FirstPrinting