Occupant weight sensor
Disabling the passenger's side front airbag
Volvo follows NHTSA's recommendations and recommends that ALL children up to and including 12 years of age sit in the rear seat and are restrained in a suitable manner appropriate to their height and weight. This is strongly recommended for children in rear-facing child seats.
The OWS works with sensors that are part of the front passenger's seat and seat belt. The sensors are designed to detect the presence of a properly seated occupant and determine if the passenger's side front airbag should be enabled (may inflate) or disabled (will not inflate).
The OWS will disable (will not inflate) the passenger's side front airbag when:
- the front passenger's seat is unoccupied, or has small/medium objects in the front seat,
- the system determines that an infant is present in a rear-facing infant seat that is installed according to the manufacturer's instructions,
- the system determines that a small child is present in a forward-facing child restraint that is installed according to the manufacturer's instructions,
- the system determines that a small child is present in a booster seat,
- a child or a small person occupies the front passenger's seat.
The OWS uses a PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp which will illuminate and stay on to remind you that the passenger's side front airbag is disabled. The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is located in the overhead console, near the base of the rearview mirror.
Note
However, if a fault is detected in the system:
- The OWS indicator light will stay on
- The SRS warning light will come on and stay on and a text message will be displayed.
Warning
Warning
- Never try to open, remove or repair any components in the OWS system. This could cause the system to malfunction. Maintenance or repairs should only be carried out by an a trained and qualified Volvo service technician.
- The front passenger's seat should not be modified in any way. This could reduce pressure on the seat cushion, which might interfere with the OWS system's function.
| Passenger's seat occupancy status | OWS indicator light status | Passenger's side front airbag status |
|---|---|---|
| Seat unoccupied | OWS indicator light lights up | Passenger's side front airbag disabled |
| Seat occupied by low weight occupant/object1 | OWS indicator light lights up | Passenger's side front airbag disabled |
| Seat occupied by heavy occupant/object | OWS indicator light is not lit | Passenger's side front airbag enabled |
The OWS is designed to enable (may inflate) the passenger's side front airbag in the event of a collision anytime the system senses that a person of adult size is sitting properly in the front passenger's seat. The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp will be off and remain off.
If a person of adult size is sitting in the front passenger's seat, but the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is on, it is possible that the person isn't sitting properly in the seat. If this happens:
- Turn the vehicle off and ask the person to place the backrest in an upright position.
- Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with the person's legs comfortably extended.
- Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for about two minutes. This will allow the system to detect that person and enable the passenger's frontal airbag.
- If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp remains on even after this, the person should be advised to ride in the rear seat.
This indicates limitations in OWS classification capability. It does not indicate OWS malfunction.
Modifications
If you are considering modifying your vehicle in any way to accommodate a disability, for example by altering or adapting the driver's or front passenger's seat(s) and/or airbag systems, please contact Volvo at:
In the United States
Volvo Car USA, LLC
Customer Care Center
1 Volvo Drive
P.O. Box 914
Rockleigh, New Jersey 07647
1-800-458-1552
In Canada
Volvo Car Canada Ltd.
Customer Care Centre
9130 Leslie Street, Suite 101
Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 0B9
1-800-663-8255
Warning
- No objects that add to the total weight on the seat should be placed on the front passenger's seat. If a child is seated in the front passenger's seat with any additional weight, this extra weight could cause the OWS system to enable the airbag, which might cause it to deploy in the event of a collision, thereby injuring the child.
- The seat belt should never be wrapped around an object on the front passenger's seat. This could interfere with the OWS system's function.
- The front passenger's seat belt should never be used in a way that exerts more pressure on the passenger than normal. This could increase the pressure exerted on the weight sensor by a child, and could result in the airbag being enabled, which might cause it to deploy in the event of a collision, thereby injuring the child.
Warning
- Keep the following points in mind with respect to the OWS system. Failure to follow these instructions could adversely affect the system's function and result in serious injury to the occupant of the front passenger's seat.
- The full weight of the front seat passenger should always be on the seat cushion. The passenger should never lift him/herself off the seat cushion using the armrest in the door or the center console, by pressing the feet on the floor, by sitting on the edge of the seat cushion, or by pressing against the backrest in a way that reduces pressure on the seat cushion. This could cause OWS to disable the front, passenger's side airbag.
Warning
- Do not place any type of object on the front passenger's seat in such a way that jamming, pressing, or squeezing occurs between the object and the front seat, other than as a direct result of the correct use of the Automatic Locking Retractor/Emergency Locking Retractor (ALR/ELR) seat belt.
- No objects should be placed under the front passenger's seat. This could interfere with the OWS system's function.