DESCRIPTION & OPERATION
| WARNING | To avoid injury from accidental air bag deployment, read and carefully follow all WARNINGS and SERVICE PRECAUTIONS . |
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) is designed to work in conjunction with seat belts. SRS helps to reduce the risk or severity of serious injury during a front-end collision. Driver-side air bag is stored in a module in steering wheel hub. All models are equipped with passenger-side air bags. Passenger-side air bag is stored in the instrument panel, above glove box. All air bags are covered by a pad bearing the air bag SRS logo.
Air bag(s) inflate and deflate within 1/10th of a second of impact sensor switches closing. This creates a cushion of air between driver and steering wheel and passenger and instrument panel. System consists of an AIR BAG warning light, clockspring, driver and passenger side air bag modules, Air Bag Control Module (ACM), one impact sensor (located inside ACM) and an energy reserve capacitor. The ACM monitors system, stores fault codes (messages) and provides information to AIR BAG warning light and Data Link Connector (DLC). When a malfunction occurs, a fault code is stored and AIR BAG warning light is activated for more than 12 seconds.
When impact sensor registers sufficient deceleration force during a front-end collision, an electrical charge is sent from ACM to air bag module inflator via clockspring. Inflator actuates and produces nitrogen gas, which inflates air bag(s).
SYSTEM OPERATION CHECK
| WARNING | To avoid possible injury from accidental air bag deployment after repairs, disconnect and isolate negative battery terminal. Turn ignition switch to ON position. Ensure no one is inside vehicle and connect negative battery cable. Turn ignition off. |
| CAUTION | When battery is disconnected, vehicle computer and memory systems may lose memory data. Driveability problems may exist until computer systems have completed a relearn cycle. See COMPUTER RELEARN PROCEDURES in GENERAL INFORMATION before disconnecting battery. |
Turn ignition on and observe AIR BAG warning light. AIR BAG warning light should come on for 6-8 seconds, then go out, indicating system is functioning properly. If AIR BAG warning light either fails to come on, blinks on and off, or comes on and stays on, a system malfunction exists. Perform self-diagnostics. See DIAGNOSIS & TESTING .