It figures that the day after we buy this used 2010 MKT we end up with issues. Sporadically when we start the car we get a note in the information center that instructs us to remove objects near the passenger seat (even when there is nothing around or on it), the "Passenger airbag off" indicator remains illuminated, and the airbag light in the instrument cluster remains on. I've pulled the diagnostic codes for the airbag system and it has a code for "Passenger Occupancy Sensor" which if I recall correctly is code B1B00, system 9. When I looked it up in the service manual it sent me to a dead end.
Monitoring the passenger seat occupancy parameter, it properly detects if the seat is empty or not. Also, so far, it has never come up with this issue if there is a passenger in the seat, and so far it remains working properly for one ignition cycle after a passenger has been in the seat.
The vehicle is still under warranty so I don't plan to spend my own money fixing this, but I was curious if anyone has any ideas what may be causing this? I have checked the wiring as well as checked for any items under the seat. There's nothing around the seat that should be causing this.
-Rod