Dual-stage Driver and Front Passenger Airbags
Electronic Front Crash Severity Sensor
Front Outboard Safety Belt Usage Sensors
Driver’s-seat Position Sensor
Restraint Control Module
Energy Management Retractors
SAFETY/SECURITY
This page is about:
2007 Fusion
Safety/Security
Fusion
Fusion
17
May 2006
Key Features of the Personal Safety System
®
Dual-stage Driver and Front Passenger Airbags
• The dual-stage system provides the capability of deploying
in the full-powered mode or with less pressure in the Stage
1 mode
• In less severe frontal crashes, airbags inflate with less force
— or not at all — helping to reduce the risk of injury due to
the inflation of the airbags
Electronic Front Crash Severity Sensor
• The sensor provides the Restraint Control Module (RCM)
with an early indication of the severity of the impact,
allowing the RCM to calculate crash severity quickly
Front Outboard Safety Belt Usage Sensors
• The sensors monitor whether the driver and front passenger
are buckled up
• At higher speeds, airbags need to deploy with greater
pressure if front-seat passengers haven’t buckled their
safety belts
• At lower speeds with safety belts buckled, airbags can
deploy with less pressure, helping reduce the risk of
airbag-related injuries
Driver’s-seat Position Sensor
• The sensor tells the Restraint Control Module (RCM) where
the driver’s seat is in relation to the steering wheel
• The closeness of the seat to the steering wheel will help
determine the airbag pressure that will be deployed
• If the sensor determines that the seat is close to the steering
wheel, Stage 1 (lower pressure) will be activated. Stage 2
is deactivated at this time
Restraint Control Module
• The Restraint Control Module (RCM) is a sophisticated
computer located behind the center of the instrument panel.
The RCM receives signals from the front crash severity
sensor and judges how fast the vehicle is decelerating
• It processes signals from the other Personal Safety System
sensors and determines how the dual-stage front airbags
will deploy
Front Outboard Safety Belt Energy
Management Retractors
• Retractors gradually allow the safety belt to loosen if
necessary, reducing the force of the belts on the
occupants’ chests
Front Outboard Safety Belt Pretensioners
• Pretensioners cause the front safety belts to tighten, holding
them firmly against the occupants before the airbags inflate,
to help reduce the force of the belts on the occupants
Front Passenger Sensing System (FPSS)
The Front Passenger Sensing System (FPSS) determines when
the front passenger seat airbag should be activated or
deactivated. It uses a front passenger seat weight sensor and
safety belt tension sensor to recognize when:
•
The front passenger seat is empty
If the system detects that the front passenger seat is empty,
the front passenger airbag is turned off and a “passenger
airbag off” warning light comes on
•
A small person or object is present
If the system detects a small object on the seat like a purse
or briefcase, the airbag is turned off and a “Passenger
Airbag Off” warning light comes on. The front passenger
airbag will also be turned off if FPSS detects the presence
of a properly installed child restraint seat
•
An adult is properly seated
If the system detects a properly seated adult, the front
passenger airbag is activated
FPSS does not lessen the importance of keeping children
properly restrained in the back seat.
The Personal Safety System features a number of sensors in the vehicle that all work to provide outstanding passenger protection
in certain frontal collisions. A primary benefit is that it judges how best to help protect front-seat occupants by considering
several crash factors when deploying the front airbags. The system then determines how to adjust the deployment and inflation
pressure of the front airbags — all in a matter of milliseconds. The Personal Safety System is standard on all models.
NOTE:
Feature availability: Latest Dealer Ordering Guide.
07 Fusion SB.5 8/3/06 5:38 PM Page 17
