Ford S-Max, what a ridiculous car

ION08

Just got my hands on a Ford S-Max, a boring 7 seater MPV which you would think is aimed at familes? .. not unreasonable right? Perhaps growing families that have babies you might even assume.

You would think such a boring, soul destroying MPV would at least excel at being a good, practical family car and therefore would have all the necessities and safety features youd expect come standard on a car that was made in 2007 as opposed to 1987.

So how the feck do I disable the Passenger Side Airbag on this stupid monstrosity of a car?

Oh that’s right, it doesn’t have a Passenger Airbag Switch so now I can’t load a rear facing baby seat in the front :rolleyes: :mad:

My wifes previous ‘02 Clio had an Airbag switch, my Golf GTI has one so I can safely and legaly carry a baby seat in the front if i need to.

What does this stupid fecking monstrosity of a car have in the glovebox? An Airbag warning sticker and f**g AUX input.

Thanks Ford. Well done. :rolleyes:

porsche boy

U ok hun?

freshpopcorn

I'm almost certain when we had Focus's the switch had to be fitted after market if you wanted one.

martyc5674

ION08 wrote: »

Just got my hands on a Ford S-Max, a boring 7 seater MPV which you would think is aimed at familes? .. not unreasonable right? Perhaps growing families that have babies you might even assume.

You would think such a boring, soul destroying MPV would at least excel at being a good, practical family car and therefore would have all the necessities and safety features youd expect come standard on a car that was made in 2007 as opposed to 1987.

So how the feck do I disable the Passenger Side Airbag on this stupid monstrosity of a car?

Oh that’s right, it doesn’t have a Passenger Airbag Switch so now I can’t load a rear facing baby seat in the front :rolleyes: :mad:

My wifes previous ‘02 Clio had an Airbag switch, my Golf GTI has one so I can safely and legaly carry a baby seat in the front if i need to.

What does this stupid fecking monstrosity of a car have in the glovebox? An Airbag warning sticker and f**g AUX input.

Thanks Ford. Well done. :rolleyes:

You’ve seven seats.. do you really need the baby up front?(safer in the back anyway)

Ryath

Are you sure it's not on the side of the glovebox when you open the door. I'm pretty certain my 2008 Mondeo had the switch so would be surprised if the S max didn't.

I'd still prefer to put them in the middle row unless there was no other choice.

https://www.ford.ie/owner/resources-and-support/how-to-videos/technology-features/deactivate-front-passenger-airbag

George Dalton

martyc5674 wrote: »

You’ve seven seats.. do you really need the baby up front?(safer in the back anyway)

Exactly my thinking.

Pkiernan

Who puts a baby in the front seat?

There's 2 other rows

ION08

martyc5674 wrote: »

You’ve seven seats.. do you really need the baby up front?(safer in the back anyway)

George Dalton wrote: »

Exactly my thinking.

Well if you have 7 seats and travelling alone with an 8 month old baby, you’re hardly gonna place the baby seat in the 3 row are you?.. you want to be able to see the baby and ensure all is well and godforbid aren’t getting suffocated by something or that they are still breathing.

There’s a reason why [most] cars have a Passenger Airbag on/off switch and its exactly this.

Sure ya have 7 seats, why woudja want to hve your baby in your line of sight, ya may aswell play blind musical chairs in the car :rolleyes:

gctest50

Pkiernan wrote: »

Who puts a baby in the front seat?.......

Volvo ?

colm_mcm

Ford are particularly bad at including this sort of stuff as standard. ISOFIX was optional on the CMax. Same craic with with the focus, but a feckin MPV without standard ISOFIX is crazy.

Pkiernan

ION08 wrote: »

Well if you have 7 seats and travelling alone with an 8 month old baby, you’re hardly gonna place the baby seat in the 3 row are you?.. you want to be able to see the baby and ensure all is well and godforbid aren’t getting suffocated by something or that they are still breathing.

There’s a reason why [most] cars have a Passenger Airbag on/off switch and its exactly this.

Sure ya have 7 seats, why woudja want to hve your baby in your line of sight, ya may aswell play blind musical chairs in the car :rolleyes:

Your child will be much safer in the middle row, especially if you are driving a 12 year old car.

ION08

gctest50 wrote: »

Volvo ?

Sweet jebus. Who puts a baby in the front??? Seriously??

A lot of people who travel alone woth a baby from time to time , thats who.

Come back to me when youre a parent and ask me stupid questions and ill be glad to give you some practical parenting advice.

I see the first ill informed poster who posted this question has gotten his 6 misinformed likes from people without a clue.

Pkiernan

gctest50 wrote: »

Volvo ?

Apples and oranges comparing a 2019 Volvo to a 2007 Smax

elbyrneo

ION08 wrote: »

Well if you have 7 seats and travelling alone with an 8 month old baby, you’re hardly gonna place the baby seat in the 3 row are you?.. you want to be able to see the baby and ensure all is well and godforbid aren’t getting suffocated by something or that they are still breathing.

There’s a reason why [most] cars have a Passenger Airbag on/off switch and its exactly this.

Sure ya have 7 seats, why woudja want to hve your baby in your line of sight, ya may aswell play blind musical chairs in the car :rolleyes:

Baby in second (middle) row, rear facing. Mirror near head rest of 2nd row seat facing down to baby. You can check baby through your rear view mirror, once angled correctly, when safe to do so.

Why you would have baby in front seat is bizarre to me.

Less safe for baby, less safe for you with distraction and an urge to reach out to baby instead of focussing on road and pulling over if needed.

opti76

ION08 wrote: »

Sweet jebus. Who puts a baby in the front??? Seriously??

A lot of people who travel alone woth a baby from time to time , thats who.

Come back to me when youre a parent and ask me stupid questions and ill be glad to give you some practical parenting advice.

I see the first ill informed poster who posted this question has gotten his 6 misinformed likes from people without a clue.

quite pleasant really aren't you...

colm_mcm

ION08 wrote: »

Come back to me when youre a parent and ask me stupid questions and ill be glad to give you some practical parenting advice.
.

I think there’s a few others on boards who have children apart from you.

ION08

freshpopcorn wrote: »

I'm almost certain when we had Focus's the switch had to be fitted after market if you wanted one.

Yes, upon further research it seems like its quite a common complaint on Fords and dealers charge 150 euro to retrofit a switch. Pretty crazy imho, especially in an car like the S Max

George Dalton

I don’t have kids but literally everybody I know puts their child seats in the rear seat (or middle row in the case of an S-Max)

I drive hundreds of cars every year with child seats and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a child seat in the front passenger seat of a car with an empty second row.

Pkiernan

ION08 wrote: »

Sweet jebus. Who puts a baby in the front??? Seriously??

A lot of people who travel alone woth a baby from time to time , thats who.

Come back to me when youre a parent and ask me stupid questions and ill be glad to give you some practical parenting advice.

I see the first ill informed poster who posted this question has gotten his 6 misinformed likes from people without a clue.

You seem very irrational.
I'd hate to be on the same stretch of road as you.
Constantly checking to see if your child is always breathing will make you a very distracted driver.

But a newer, safer car, put your child's safety first and calm down.

Our Smax makes an ideal family vehicle.

martyc5674

ION08 wrote: »

Sweet jebus. Who puts a baby in the front??? Seriously??

A lot of people who travel alone woth a baby from time to time , thats who.

Come back to me when youre a parent and ask me stupid questions and ill be glad to give you some practical parenting advice.

I see the first ill informed poster who posted this question has gotten his 6 misinformed likes from people without a clue.

That would be me....
I am a parent... always had the kids in the back, buy a mirror and you’ll be well able to monitor them.
Don’t worry I won’t be looking for any practical parenting tips from you

Pkiernan

ION08 wrote: »

Yes, upon further research it seems like its quite a common complaint on Fords and dealers charge 150 euro to retrofit a switch. Pretty crazy imho, especially in an car like the S Max

Why didn't you research this first? Seems a bit of an oversight really.

elbyrneo

Pkiernan wrote: »

Why didn't you research this first? Seems a bit of an oversight really.

Too busy ranting at the world perhaps.

Benny Biscotti

I'd be steering clear of any vehicle with max in the name. It just gets worse and worse. But next time you buy ask a question.

ION08

colm_mcm wrote: »

I think there’s a few others on boards who have children apart from you.

Yes, and I’d be willing to bet its the ones with informed posts such as the one you made about isofix seats and not the ones questioning why one would want to have a baby in the front seat.

Citizenpain

elbyrneo wrote: »

Baby in second (middle) row, rear facing. Mirror near head rest of 2nd row seat facing down to baby. You can check baby through your rear view mirror, once angled correctly, when safe to do so.

Why you would have baby in front seat is bizarre to me.

Less safe for baby, less safe for you with distraction and an urge to reach out to baby instead of focussing on road and pulling over if needed.

3 kids and never realized that’s what the disable airbag switch was for!! Never entered my head to put baby in front . Did get a big mirror though and gritted my teeth trying to find somewhere safe to pull in

ION08

Pkiernan wrote: »

Why didn't you research this first? Seems a bit of an oversight really.

elbyrneo wrote: »

Too busy ranting at the world perhaps.

Benny Biscotti wrote: »

I'd be steering clear of any vehicle with max in the name. It just gets worse and worse. But next time you buy ask a question.

Didnt buy it. Got it as a loan as i have a temporary need for a 7 seater.

Not overly fussed, just seems like a bizzare omission for such car that is designed with families in mind.

Family car with no isofix and no airbag on/off?

Bizzare.

Olenty of other cars that arent even geared towards families have these features.

Its as cheap and as surprising as ****ty specced modern Audis or “premium” badged cars with windy down windows in the back

Wishbone Ash

ION08 wrote: »

Yes, and I’d be willing to bet its the ones with informed posts such as the one you made about isofix seats and not the ones questioning why one would want to have a baby in the front seat.

If you are one of those weirdos who wish to place a baby in the front passenger seat, would you not have done your homework before buying the vehicle?


....and, yes, I have children.

Put the baby in the second row. You don't need to be constantly checking them. Concentrate on not killing another road user.

Paullimerick

Is it not on the side of the glove box. When u open the passenger door. I had an smax and had many other little problems with it. And have 4 children. But never once had the car seat in the front. Everyone to there own..

ION08

Paullimerick wrote: »

Is it not on the side of the glove box. When u open the passenger door. I had an smax and had many other little problems with it. And have 4 children. But never once had the car seat in the front. Everyone to there own..

No, definitely no switch there, just a sticker. It was an optional extra from new, people get them retrofitted apparently from what ive read.

Wont have the car for long (thankfully) but it just struck me as crazy that it doesn’t have this as a standard feature.

But sure look, were not here to discuss practicalities of a family car. We’re here to criticise parenting and question why youd want to carry a baby in the front when nearly 99% of other cars have this feature.

Wishbone Ash

ION08 wrote: »

... were not here to discuss practicalities of a family car. We’re here to criticise parenting and question why youd want to carry a baby in the front ....

You didn't come here to discuss anything. Your opening post is just a obnoxious rant. What sort of replies did you expect?

RocketRaccoon

I'm on baby number 3 at the moment, I've driven the length and breadth of the country with all 3 and never have I even considered putting a baby seat in the front. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever, put them in the middle row like a regular human.

funnyname

https://www.smythstoys.com/ie/en-ie/baby/car-seats-and-bases/car-seat-accessories/diono-easy-view-car-seat-mirror/p/152570?gclid=CjwKCAjw7MzkBRAGEiwAkOXexI4KxOntZPhV6NylRpIVLTJ2J3C8if7bFX-duq-V3KVI-YL2FuS3qxoCIVMQAvD_BwE

helimachoptor

elbyrneo wrote: »

Baby in second (middle) row, rear facing. Mirror near head rest of 2nd row seat facing down to baby. You can check baby through your rear view mirror, once angled correctly, when safe to do so.

Why you would have baby in front seat is bizarre to me.

Less safe for baby, less safe for you with distraction and an urge to reach out to baby instead of focussing on road and pulling over if needed.

Preach.

Mirrors are the ops friend.

Have a 2011 smax

ION08

ION08 wrote: »

Sweet jebus. Who puts a baby in the front??? Seriously??

A lot of people who travel alone woth a baby from time to time , thats who.

Come back to me when youre a parent and ask me stupid questions and ill be glad to give you some practical parenting advice.

I see the first ill informed poster who posted this question has gotten his 6 misinformed likes from people without a clue.

Every parent I know travels regularly alone with a baby in the back seat. Just look around you will see that everyone does this.

The only people I ever see with a baby seat in the front is those using a van or 2 seat commercial 4x4 with a baby seat.

I actually don’t have much issue with putting a baby seat in the front but it’s extremely rare to see it and you are very much alone in thinking it’s not normal to travel alone with a baby in the back seat.

V8 Interceptor

ION08 wrote: »

you want to be able to see the baby and ensure all is well and godforbid aren’t getting suffocated by something or that they are still breathing.

:eek:

creedp

ION08 wrote: »

Sweet jebus. Who puts a baby in the front??? Seriously??

A lot of people who travel alone woth a baby from time to time , thats who.

Come back to me when youre a parent and ask me stupid questions and ill be glad to give you some practical parenting advice.

I see the first ill informed poster who posted this question has gotten his 6 misinformed likes from people without a clue.

Have 4 kids and never once put a baby seat in the front passenger seat. Kind of consider that constantly staring at a baby while driving is kind of dangerous for everyone including the baby.

biko

We'll stop here as thread started out badly and went downhill from there.