Ford Vehicles: Helpful Guides

You know about defensive driving. At Ford, we're learning all about defensive cars. From bumper to bumper, our innovative safety features help keep you-and those you care about-safe on the road home.

Personal Safety System
The Personal Safety System comprises several features working together to help protect the driver and right front passenger in the event of a collision. The system is able to adjust the deployment of the air bags to enhance protection for front seat occupants, depending on a number of factors. It does this with the help of several components:

- Electronic crash severity sensor
- Personal Safety System restraint control module
- Dual-stage driver and right-front passenger airbags
- Driver's seat position sensor
- Front outboard safety belt energy management retractors
- Front outboard safety belt pretensioners
- Front outboard safety belt usage sensors

The Personal Safety System is standard in Ford Crown Victoria, Five Hundred, Freestar, Freestyle, and Fusion.

Child safety
Child safety ranks first among Ford's priorities. One important feature is the LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children)-a series of anchor points and rigid bars designed to work with LATCH-compatible child safety seats. LATCH eliminates the need to use the vehicle's safety belts to install a child safety seat, providing a secure attachment and reducing the likelihood of incorrect installation. You'll also find child safety locks on the rear doors of most Ford vehicles.

Five-Star Crash Test Rating
For years, we've landed more than our fair share of five-star ratings in US government front crash tests (the highest possible rating). Five-star winners include Crown Victoria, Ranger, Escape, Expedition, Explorer, F-150, Focus, and Mustang.

Safety from the Outside In
Where personal safety is concerned, one line of defense is on the outside: brakes, side door intrusion beams, even the outside rearview mirrors. Explained below are some of the most prominent external safety features:

Anti-Lock Brakes
When computer-controlled sensors indicate wheel lockup during hard braking, the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) electronically "pumps" the brakes several times per second. This provides straighter stops and greater steering control under most driving conditions.

All-Speed Traction Control
Traction Control improves traction on slippery or loose surfaces by using a combination of brake and/or engine control. It's especially useful when a lane is slippery on one or both sides, as you're pulling out from an icy parking lot or highway shoulder, and when accelerating while cornering.

This advanced feature is available for Crown Victoria, Five Hundred, Focus, Freestar, Freestyle, and Mustang.

SecuriLock^Ž Passive Anti-Theft System
The SecuriLock^Ž passive anti-theft system is designed to help prevent the engine from being started unless a coded key programmed to your vehicle is used. The electronically encoded ignition key activates a specially designed transponder located inside the vehicle. The system disarms whenever the correct key is inserted into the ignition, and automatically re-arms when it is removed.

Safety Within
A second line of defense is on the inside. For example, a "safety cell" construction surrounds the entire vehicle interior with a structural cage. In the event of a crash, the safety cell resists the force of the collision on the passenger compartment, helping to reduce the impact to you and your family. In addition, crumple zones are built into every Ford car, truck and SUV. Placed in strategic areas of the vehicle's frame or body, crumple zones absorb some of the energy of a crash, dissipating it to protect the passenger compartment safety cell. Explained below are some of the most prominent internal safety features.

Second-Generation Front Air Bags
Second-generation front air bags inflate with less force than previous designs, helping reduce the chance of airbag-deployment injuries.

Side-impact Airbags
Available side-impact air bags provide additional protection for the driver and right front passenger. They help protect an occupant's head and chest in certain side collisions. Also, they inflate from the outboard side of the front seatbacks and not the doors, so no matter how the seat is positioned, the airbags inflate in the optional position for the driver and the right-front passenger.

3-Point Shoulder Safety Belts
Three-point shoulder safety belts at all seating positions provide optimum protection for all passengers. Front seats feature height adjustable safety belts, which allow the occupants to adjust the safety belt height for a more comfortable fit.

For more information on the safety features and systems available on specific Ford Motor Company products, please consult your local dealer and the latest vehicle catalogs.

*Always wear your safety belt and secure children in the rear seat.