Passenger Airbag Description - Dodge RAM 1500 1998 Owner's Manual

DR
PASSENGER AIRBAG
DESCRIPTION
Fig. 34 Passenger Airbag Door
1 - PASSENGER AIRBAG DOOR
2 - PANEL OUTLET
3 - GLOVE BOX DOOR
The rearward facing surface of the injection
molded, thermoplastic passenger airbag door is the
most visible part of the passenger airbag (Fig. 34).
The passenger airbag door is located above the glove
box opening on the instrument panel in front of the
front seat passenger seating position. The upper and
outboard edges of the airbag door are secured with
seven integral snap features to the instrument panel
base trim, while two screws secure the integral
inboard mounting flange to the base trim, and four
screws secure the lower mounting flange to the upper
glove box opening reinforcement integral to the
instrument panel structural support. The passenger
airbag door includes an air conditioning panel outlet
and housing. The panel outlet housing features four
snap features that secure it to the back of the airbag
door and a mounting tab that is also secured with
one screw to the upper glove box opening reinforce-
ment.
Located behind the passenger airbag door within
the instrument panel is the passenger airbag unit
(Fig. 35). The passenger airbag housing fits into a
molded receptacle on the back of the airbag door,
where six stamped hook formations on the upper and
lower edges of the airbag housing are engaged in six
small window openings on the upper and lower
flanges of the receptacle to secure the airbag door to
the airbag housing. The inboard airbag door fasten-
ers and mounting flange are concealed beneath the
instrument panel center bezel, while the lower fas-
teners and mounting flange are concealed beneath
the instrument panel lower surround. The passenger
airbag unit is secured by four screws through four
brackets (two front and two rear) that are integral to
the base of the airbag housing to the instrument
panel structural support.
Fig. 35 Passenger Airbag Unit
1 - DOOR
2 - PANEL OUTLET HOUSING
3 - SNAP FEATURE (7)
4 - REAR BRACKET (2)
5 - PIGTAIL WIRE CONNECTOR
6 - INITIATOR (2)
7 - FRONT BRACKET (2)
8 - HOUSING
The passenger airbag unit used in this model is a
multistage, Next Generation-type that complies with
revised federal airbag standards to deploy with less
force than those used in some prior models. The pas-
senger airbag unit consists of a stamped and welded
metal housing, the airbag cushion, the airbag infla-
tor, and a stamped metal airbag and inflator retainer
plate that is secured to the airbag housing with six
studs and nuts. The airbag housing contains the air-
bag inflator and the folded airbag cushion. An
approximately 80 centimeter (31.5 inch) wide by 90
centimeter (35.5 inch) high rectangular fabric cush-
ion is used.
The airbag inflator is a non-azide, pyrotechnic-type
unit that is secured to and sealed within the airbag
housing. A short four-wire pigtail harness with a
keyed, yellow connector insulator connects the two
inflator initiators to the vehicle electrical system
through a dedicated take out and connector of the
instrument panel wire harness.
The passenger airbag includes the airbag door and
the panel outlet housing. This unit cannot be
repaired, and must be replaced if deployed, faulty, or
in any way damaged.
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