Auto Trader NZ
Published 3 September 2020
The 2009 F-150’s Safety Canopy side-curtain airbag rollover protection system helps protect front and rear outboard passengers in rollovers and side-impact crashes.
The airbag stays inflated for several seconds for additional protection in rollovers which often last longer than side-impact crashes.
Other safety gear includes dual-stage front airbags and the K-bag, a front seat dual-chamber side airbag named for its unique shape which is designed to protect occupants’ ribcages.
F-150 safety and towing aid technologies include Advance Trac with Roll Stability Control that uses a gyroscopic sensor to help detect and then prevent skidding and rollovers.
Trailer Sway Control technology measures the truck’s yaw motion to see if the trailer is swaying and acts to bring it under control.
Tow Haul Mode changes gearshift points under acceleration to keep the engine higher in the power range to avoid unnecessary shifts in rolling terrain.
It also prevents the transmission from shifting up when the vehicle crests a hill, and provides downhill brake support that allows the transmission to downshift so that engine-compression braking can maintain steady vehicle speed.
Ford says recent customer research shows that 83 percent of F-150 buyers consider safety a leading purchase reason.
