Pass Airbag Off display

[UniversalD]

Hello everybody, I'm hoping to get a little guidance from other Fusion owners. My 2010 Fusion was originally part of the seat recall with the gear plate that was changed before we even got the car. We picked it up in April and noticed that the "Pass Airbag Off" display on the dashboard was always on, it didn't matter if somebody was in the passenger seat or not.

 

We took it in yesterday for the first service appointment and mentioned the issue. They apparently reconnected some wires and it worked. It sounded like maybe they were accidently bumped when the seat recall change was made. Now, the display shortly lights up when the car is turned on but then goes off, meaning that the Passenger airbag is activated. But now we've noticed yesterday evening and this morning that is actually happening all the time. It doesn't matter if there is a passenger in the front seat or not, the "Pass Airbag Off" light goes off and the passenger airbag seems activated.

 

Is that normal operation and what other Fusion owners are experiencing? Reading the owner's manual, it seems to indicate that the passenger airbag should remain deactivated if nobody is in the passenger seat, or if there is a smaller kid or car seat, and the dashboard light display should stay on in that case.

 

It's not a huge deal as we don't have any car seats or small kids that ride in the passenger seat now, but you never know if there will be a relative or a future child in that seat so I do want to make sure it is eventually working properly. Before I give the dealership a call back about this issue, I was really hoping for some input on what your Fusions are doing in regard to the "Pass Airbag Off" light on the dashboard. Thanks in advance for any thoughts or experiences.

[rpreuss]

Now, the display shortly lights up when the car is turned on but then goes off, meaning that the Passenger airbag is activated. But now we've noticed yesterday evening and this morning that is actually happening all the time. It doesn't matter if there is a passenger in the front seat or not, the "Pass Airbag Off" light goes off and the passenger airbag seems activated.

 

Is that normal operation and what other Fusion owners are experiencing? Reading the owner's manual, it seems to indicate that the passenger airbag should remain deactivated if nobody is in the passenger seat, or if there is a smaller kid or car seat, and the dashboard light display should stay on in that case.

 

Perfectly normal. That is how it is described in my owner's manual and how it works in my fusion.

 

Note, the other day, for the first time, I put my laptop case (way too many papers in there!) on the pass seat and the light stayed on.

 

All other times, empty or occupied with the seat belt fastened, the light comes on, then turns off.

[UniversalD]

Great. Thanks so much for letting me know that's normal. I feel a lot better about it now and can quit being paranoid!

We're loving the new Fusion btw.

[sullied]

Is that normal operation and what other Fusion owners are experiencing? Reading the owner's manual, it seems to indicate that the passenger airbag should remain deactivated if nobody is in the passenger seat, or if there is a smaller kid or car seat, and the dashboard light display should stay on in that case.

Your owner's manual describes this light in detail for all scenarios.

[UniversalD]

Your owner's manual describes this light in detail for all scenarios.

Except the manual is contradictory in areas and difficult to understand on this topic.

On p. 140 it states

"The front passenger sensing system will disable the front passenger's frontal airbag if:

-The front passenger seat is unoccupied, or has small/medium objects in the front seat."

 

So from this section, it seems logical to think the light should be on, and the system disabled if the front seat is empty.

 

On p. 141, it eventually continues saying:

"When the front passenger seat is not occupied or in the event that the front passenger frontal airbag is enabled, the indicator lamp will be unlit. ....

-When the front passenger sensing system disables the front passenger frontal airbag, the indicator lamp will illuminate and stay lit to remind you that the front passenger frontal airbag is disabled."

 

This part is the most contradictory, but it eventually continues...

 

"The front passenger sensing system is designed to enable the front passenger's frontal airbag anytime the system senses that a person of adult size is sitting properly in the front passenger seat.

-When the front passenger sensing system enables the front passenger frontal airbag, the indicator lamp will be unlit and stay unlit."

 

This is at least confusing to understand when exactly the light should be lit and when it should not be lit and at worst it's contradictory. It's especially worrisome if it's something as important as a front airbag and it has not been working properly before.

 

The graph on p. 142 does seem to clarify nicely and is very helpful, I actually didn't notice it until now. But I also don't understand why they listed it on the next page after talking about troubleshooting the system if it lights up with somebody in the seat. It just seems like a confusing system to have the system unlit if either the airbag is on with a passenger, or if the system is detecting the seat as empty. ... and then finally on the chart on p. 143 it does say that if the passenger seat is empty and the seat belt is buckled it should light up. Hopefully this section can be made a little easier to understand in the future without combing through page after page.

 

But in any event, thanks for clarifying what other Fusions are doing as it now makes more sense to me.

Edited June 30, 2010 by UniversalD

[sullied]

The graph on p. 142 does seem to clarify nicely and is very helpful, I actually didn't notice it until now. But I also don't understand why they listed it on the next page after talking about troubleshooting the system if it lights up with somebody in the seat. It just seems like a confusing system to have the system unlit if either the airbag is on with a passenger, or if the system is detecting the seat as empty. ... and then finally on the chart on p. 143 it does say that if the passenger seat is empty and the seat belt is buckled it should light up. Hopefully this section can be made a little easier to understand in the future without combing through page after page.

It doesn't light up when nobody is in the seat because that would be annoying to have the little light on all the time if you drive by yourself.

[Buster1]

So my light is off when I'm solo in the car. It was also off with the wife in the right seat...this in normal????? :waiting:

[drolds1]

So my light is off when I'm solo in the car. It was also off with the wife in the right seat...this in normal????? :waiting:

 

Yes, it's normal and is explained in your owners guide:

 

 

When the front passenger seat is not occupied (empty seat) or in the event that the front passenger frontal airbag is enabled (may inflate), the

indicator lamp will be unlit.

 

The front passenger sensing system is designed to enable (may inflate) the front passenger’s frontal airbag anytime the system senses that a person of adult size is sitting properly in the front passenger seat.

 

When the front passenger sensing system enables the front passenger frontal airbag (may inflate), the indicator lamp will be unlit and stay unlit.

 

If a person of adult size is sitting in the front passenger’s seat, but the "passenger airbag off"or "pass airbag off" indicator lamp is lit, it is possible that the person isn’t sitting properly in the seat......