Description & Operation

WARNING: Accidental air bag deployment is possible. Personal injury may result. Read and follow all WARNINGS and AIR BAG SAFETY PRECAUTIONS before working on air bag system or related components.

The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), also known as air bag system, is designed to provide increased accident protection for driver and front passenger by deploying front air bags in a front-end collision. The air bag system is designed to work in conjunction with the 3-point seat belt system.

The main components of the air bag system are: driver-side air bag module, contact coil or clockspring, passenger-side air bag module, Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM) and AIR BAG warning light. See COMPONENT LOCATIONS . The driver-side air bag module and passenger-side air bag module are deployed by current supplied from SDM through squib circuits. Current ignites an ignition compound which causes the generation of a large quantity of nitrogen gas to rapidly inflate the air bags.

The contact coil is combined with the combination switch assembly and is mounted on the steering column. It allows rotation of the steering wheel while maintaining continuous continuity of driver-side deployment loop for driver-side air bag module. The Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM) functions to detect velocity changes as a result of frontal collision severe enough to warrant air bag deployment. The SDM also performs malfunction monitoring of the air bag system and provides malfunction diagnosis through use of a Tech 1 scan tool.