2023 FORD Transit Owner’s Manual

Introducing the 2023 Ford Transit, a versatile and reliable commercial van that takes efficiency and functionality to new heights. Built with purpose and precision, the Transit is designed to cater to the diverse needs of businesses, from transporting cargo to accommodating passengers. With a range of configurations available, it offers ample space, modern technology, and advanced safety features to ensure a smooth and secure journey for both driver and passengers alike. Embracing the latest innovations, the 2023 Ford Transit is ready to be the ideal partner for businesses, delivering practicality and dependability, making every workday productive and efficient.

Airbags

HOW DO THE FRONT AIRBAGS WORK
The driver and front passenger airbags deploy during significant frontal and near frontal crashes.
The driver and passenger front airbag the system consists of:

• Driver and passenger airbag modules.
• Front passenger sensing system.
• Crash sensors and monitoring system with readiness indicator.

The airbags are a supplemental restraint system and are designed to work with the seatbelts to help protect the driver and right-front passenger from certain upper body injuries. Airbags do not inflate slowly; there is a risk of injury from a deploying airbag.
Note: You will hear a loud bang and see a cloud of harmless powdery residue if an airbag deploys. This is normal.
The airbags inflate and deflate rapidly upon activation. After airbag deployment, it is normal to notice a smoke-like, powdery residue or smell the burnt propellant. This may consist of cornstarch, talcum powder (to lubricate the bag), or sodium compounds (for example, baking soda) that result from the combustion process that inflates the airbag. Small amounts of sodium hydroxide may be present which may irritate the skin and eyes, but none of the residue is toxic.
Contact with a deploying airbag may cause abrasions or swelling. Temporary hearing loss is also a possibility as a result of the noise associated with a deploying airbag.
Because airbags must inflate rapidly and with considerable force, there is the risk of death or serious injuries such as fractures, facial and eye injuries, or internal injuries, particularly to occupants who are not properly restrained or are otherwise out of position at the time of airbag deployment. Thus, it is extremely important that occupants be properly restrained as far away from the airbag module as possible while maintaining vehicle control.
Routine maintenance of the airbags is not required.

HOW DO THE SIDE AIRBAGS WORK

WARNING

• Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near the airbag cover, on the side of the front or rear seatbacks, or in areas that may come into contact with a deploying airbag. Failure to follow these instructions may increase the risk of personal injury in the event of a crash.
• Accessory seat covers not released by Ford Motor Company could prevent the deployment of airbags and increase the risk of injuries in a crash.
• Do not lean your head on the door. The side airbag could injure you as it deploys from the side of the seatback.

The side airbags are on the outermost side of the seat backrests of the front seats. In certain sideways crashes or rollovers, the airbags will be inflated. The airbag was designed to inflate between the door panel and the occupant to further enhance the protection provided to occupants in side impact crashes.

The system consists of the following:

• A label or embossed side panel indicating that side airbags are fitted to your vehicle.
• Side airbags inside the driver and front passenger seat backrests.
• Crash sensors and monitoring system with readiness indicator.

HOW DOES THE SAFETY CANOPY™ WORK

WARNING

• Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near the headliner at the side rail 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.
• To reduce the risk of injury, do not obstruct or place objects in the deployment path of the airbag.

The Safety Canopy deploys during significant side crashes or when a certain likelihood of a rollover event is detected by the rollover sensor. The Safety Canopy is mounted to the roof side-rail sheet metal, behind the headliner, and above each row of seats. In certain sideways crashes or rollover events, the Safety Canopy will be activated, regardless of which seats are occupied. The Safety Canopy inflates between the side window area and occupants to further enhance the protection provided in side impact crashes and rollover events.

The system consists of the following:

• Safety Canopy curtain airbags above the trim panels over the front and rear side windows are identified by a label or wording on the headliner or roof-pillar trim.
• A flexible headliner opens above the side doors to allow air curtain deployment.
• Crash sensors and monitoring system with a readiness indicator.

Properly restrain children 12 years old and under in the rear seats. The Safety Canopy will not interfere with children restrained using a properly installed child or booster seat because it is designed to inflate downward from the headliner above the doors along the side window opening.

AIRBAG PRECAUTIONS

• Airbags do not inflate slowly or gently, and the risk of injury from a deploying airbag is the greatest close to the trim covering the airbag module.
• All occupants of your vehicle, including the driver, should always properly wear their seatbelts, even when an airbag supplemental restraint system is provided. Failure to properly wear your seatbelt could seriously increase the risk of injury or death.
• Properly secure children 12 years old and under in a rear seating position whenever possible. If you are unable to properly secure all children in a rear seating position, properly secure the largest child on the front seat. If you must use a forward-facing child restraint on the front seat, move the seat as far back as possible. Failure to follow these instructions could result in personal injury or death.
• Do not place your arms on the airbag cover or through the steering wheel. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury.
• Keep the areas in front of the airbags free from obstruction. Do not affix anything to or over the airbag covers. Objects could become projectiles during airbag deployment. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.
• To reduce the risk of injury, do not obstruct or place objects in the deployment path of the airbag.
• Do not place a rearward-facing child restraint in front of an active airbag. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.
• Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the supplementary restraint system or associated components. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.
• Several airbag system components get hot after inflation. To reduce the risk of injury, do not touch them after inflation.
• If a supplementary restraint system component has been deployed, it will not function again. Have the system and associated components inspected as soon as possible. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.

PROPERLY ADJUSTING THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS
WARNING: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends a minimum distance of at least 10 in (25 cm) between an occupant’s chest and the driver airbag module.

To properly position yourself away from the airbag:

• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the pedals comfortably.
• Recline the seat slightly one or two degrees from the upright position.

After all, occupants have adjusted their seats and put on seatbelts, it is very important that they continue to sit properly. Properly seated occupants sit upright, lean against the seat backrest, and center themselves on the seat cushion, with their feet comfortably extended on the floor. Sitting improperly can increase the chance of injury in a crash event. For example, if an occupant slouches, lies down, turns sideways, sits forward, leans forward or sideways, or puts one or both feet up, the chance of injury during a crash greatly increases.

CHILDREN AND AIRBAGS
WARNING: Do not place a rearward-facing child restraint in front of an active airbag. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.

Children must always be properly restrained. Accident statistics suggest that children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating position than in the front seating position. Failure to follow these instructions may increase the risk of injury in a crash. If two adults and a child occupy a vehicle without rear seats, properly restrain the child in the center front seat unless doing so would interfere with driving your vehicle. This provides lap and shoulder belt protection for all occupants, and airbag protection for the adults. A child or infant properly restrained in the center front seat should have a reduced risk of serious injury from the airbags.

CRASH SENSORS AND AIRBAG INDICATOR
WARNING: Modifying or adding equipment to the front end of your vehicle (including hood, bumper system, frame, front-end body structure, tow hooks, and hood pins) may affect the performance of the deployable hood system, increasing the risk of injury. Do not modify or add equipment to the front end of your vehicle.

Your vehicle has a collection of crash and occupant sensors. These sensors provide information to the restraints control module which activates the following:

• Front and rear seatbelt pretensioners.
• Driver airbag.
• Passenger airbag.
• Seat-mounted side airbags.
• Safety Canopy.

Based on the type of crash, the restraints control module deploys the appropriate safety devices. The restraints control module also monitors the readiness of the above safety devices plus the crash and occupant sensors. The readiness of the safety system is indicated by a warning indicator light in the instrument cluster or by a backup tone if the warning light is not working. Routine maintenance of the airbag is not required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:

• The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after you switch the ignition on.
• The readiness light either flashes or stays on.
• You hear a series of five tones. The tone pattern repeats periodically until the problem, the light, or both are repaired.

If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the supplemental restraint system serviced immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a crash.
The fact that the seatbelt pretensioners or front airbags did not activate for both front seat occupants in a crash does not mean that something is wrong with the system. Rather, it means the restraints control module determined the accident conditions (crash severity, seatbelt usage) were not appropriate to activate these safety devices.

• The front airbags activate only in frontal and near-frontal crashes. Front airbags may activate in rollovers, side impacts, or rear impacts if the crash causes sufficient frontal deceleration.
• The seatbelt pretensioners activate in frontal, near-frontal, and side crashes, and in rollovers.
• The side airbags inflate in certain side impact crashes or rollover events. Side airbags may activate in other types of crashes if the vehicle experiences sufficient sideways motion or deformation.
• The Safety Canopy inflates in certain side impact crashes or rollover events. The Safety Canopy may activate in other types of crashes if the vehicle experiences sufficient sideways motion or deformation, or a certain likelihood of rollover.

DISPOSING OF AIRBAGS
Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible. Airbags must be disposed of by qualified personnel.

FAQ’s