The Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS) System (USA/CDN - Certain Models Only)
The occupant weight sensor (OWS) is designed to meet the regulatory requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208 and is designed to disable (will not inflate) the passenger's side front airbag under certain conditions.
The occupant weight sensor (OWS) works with sensors that are part of the front passenger's seat and safety 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 occupant weight sensor (OWS) will disable (will not inflate) the passenger's side front airbag when:
- the front passenger seat is unoccupied, or there are small/medium objects in the front passenger 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 front passenger takes his/her weight off of the seat for a period of time,
- a child or a small person occupies the front passenger seat.
The occupant weight sensor (OWS) uses a passenger airbag warning lamp (PAD) which will illuminate and stay lit to remind you that the passenger's side front airbag is disabled. The passenger airbag warning lamp (PAD) is located in the interior rear view mirror.
The passenger airbag warning lamp (PAD) will illuminate for a short period of time when the ignition is turned on to confirm it is functional.
When the front passenger seat is not occupied (empty seat) or in the event that the passenger's side front airbag is enabled (may inflate), the passenger airbag warning lamp (PAD) will be unlit.
The occupant weight sensor (OWS) is designed to disable (will not inflate) the passenger's side front airbag when a rear facing infant seat, a forward-facing child restraint, or a booster seat is detected. The passenger airbag warning lamp (PAD) will illuminate and stay lit to remind you that the passenger's side front airbag is disabled.
Volvo recommends that children always be properly restrained in appropriate child restraints in the rear seats.
In rare situations when the safety belt is not latched, some child restraints may not be detected by the OWS because there is very little weight on the vehicle seat cushion. In these cases the passenger's side front airbag may be disabled, but the passenger airbag warning lamp (PAD) will not be lit. Do not assume that the passenger's side front airbag is disabled unless the passenger airbag warning lamp (PAD) is lit.
The occupant weight sensor (OWS) is designed to enable (may inflate) the passenger's side front airbag anytime the system senses that a person of adult size is sitting properly in the front passenger seat. The passenger airbag warning lamp (PAD) will be unlit and stay unlit.
The occupant weight sensor (OWS) detects pressure on the front passenger seat cushion as a result of load put in the seat. The occupant weight sensor (OWS) classifies the occupant as small or large based on whether the induced pressure is below or above a predetermined threshold. The threshold is defined between the pressure induced by children and the pressure induced by adults in accordance with the regulatory requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208. If the occupant weight sensor (OWS) determines a small occupant classification, the passenger's side front airbag will be disabled and the passenger airbag warning lamp (PAD) will be lit. If the occupant weight sensor (OWS) determines a large occupant classification, the passenger's side front airbag will be enabled and the passenger airbag warning lamp (PAD) will be unlit.