You know... maybe they published one of these for the later models.

'Spose?

 

Hmmmmm...

http://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/2...iers_guide.pdf

 

And here is the warning from the 2008 document:

WARNING: Do not place objects or mount equipment in front of the air bag module cover or in front seat areas that may come in contact with a deploying air bag. Dash-, tunnel- or console-mounted equipment should be placed within the specified zone. Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury.

As I noted when I started this thread, the airbag module cover for the 2008 covers the entire dash...

 

So it looks like the 08-09s don't flip up the "top" of the dash, when the air bags are deployed.
thanks for the info guys!

 

I guess from the document provided, that the top cover does NOT flip up. I just checked my 2008, and it does appear that the bag is directly in front rather than on the top.

So the area from about 1/2 of the center of the stack to the left should be available for SG mounting - any further right and the airbag might hit the SG.

I would think that the area behind the wheel is OK as well, even though it technically falls within the area of the driver airbag. But I think the driver airbag would not be impacted, since it deploys from the center of the wheel and not forwards towards the front of the FEH.

 

You know, the doc provided has diagrams that show the area to be kept clear, including a side view for the steering wheel air bag.

Might be worth a look, after all.

 

Right, I had already looked at it, you are correct, and my analysis was correct; it is OK to put stuff behind the stearing wheel.

It is generally best to assume that people do actually read your posts, including URLs. It makes for better conversations... and it is also nice to just state the information directly.

 

So have we now determined that the whole dash DOES NOT flip up in all of the Ford Escape Hybrids? Models 2005 to 2008 have a door or "window" that the air bag deploys from.

 

It was clear that you didn't think about the 06-07 doc I posted.

Had you thought it through you would have spent the two minutes it took me to then find the 08 one and posted it. Instead you chose the negative which told me you didn't want to be bothered with facts.

It's interesting to note that the 06-07 & 08 diagrams are very, very similar. They probably use the same airbags!

Now that we know the whole top of the dash doesn't open up...

 

Actually the side airbag is in the frame of the front seats, there's a tag on the door side edge of the seat back. It's a problem for some that want to get seat covers. There is a canopy airbag in the headliner also in the '09s at least.