Maserati QUATTROPORTE Owner's Manual page 65

Air Bag Deployment Sensors
and Controls
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
The Occupant Restraint Controller
ORC determines if deployment of the
front and/or side air bags in a frontal
or side collision is required. Based on
the impact sensor's signals, a central
electronic ORC deploys the advanced
front air bags, SABIC and SAB air bags,
and front seat belt pretensioners, as
required, depending on the severity
and type of impact.
Beyond what is previously described,
the characteristics of the collision
registered by the sensors and sent to
the control unit of the ORC can also
cause a sudden cut of the power from
the battery, "blowing" the
pyrotechnical charge located on the
positive battery terminal.
CAUTION!
After a collision that has caused the
blowing up of the pyrotechnical
charge, this must be replaced at an
Authorized Maserati Dealer.
Advanced front air bags are designed
to provide additional protection by
supplementing the seat belts in
certain frontal collisions depending on
the severity and type of collision.
Advanced front air bags are not
expected to reduce the risk of injury in
rear, side, or rollover collisions.
The advanced front air bags will not
deploy in all frontal collisions,
including those that may produce
substantial vehicle damage, for
example, some pole collisions, truck
under rides, and corner impacts. On
the other hand, depending on the
type and location of impact, advanced
front air bags may deploy in crashes
with little vehicle front-end damage
but that produce a severe initial
deceleration.
The side air bags will not deploy in all
side collisions. Side air bag
deployment will depend on the
severity and type of collision. Because
air bag sensors measure vehicle
deceleration over time, vehicle speed
and damage alone are not good
indicators of whether or not an air
bag should have deployed.
Seat belts are necessary for your
protection in all accidents, and also
are needed to help keep you in
position, away from an inflating air
Before Starting
bag. The ORC monitors the readiness
of the electronic parts of the air bag
system whenever the ignition switch is
in the RUN position. If the ignition
switch is in the OFF position, in the
ACC position, or not active, the air bag
system is not activated and the air
bags will not inflate.
The ORC contains a backup power
supply system that may deploy the air
bags even if the battery has low
power or it becomes disconnected
prior to deployment. When starting
the vehicle, ORC turns on the air bag
warning light on the instrument
cluster for approximately 4 to 8
seconds for a test.
After the test, the air bag warning
light will turn off. If the ORC, during
the diagnosis phase detects a
malfunction that could affect the air
bag system, it turns on the air bag
warning light and the "Service Airbag
System" message either momentarily
or continuously. The diagnostics also
record the nature of the malfunction.
A beep will sound if the light
illuminates again after initial startup.
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