Operation - Dodge Sprinter 2006 Manual

VA
Fig. 19 Driver Airbag Housing
1 - HOUSING
2 - INFLATOR
3 - CONNECTOR RECEPTACLE
4 - TRIM COVER
Th e a ir ba g u sed in t h is m odel is a Next Gen er a -
t ion -t ype t h a t com plies wit h r evised feder a l a ir ba g
st a n da r ds t o deploy wit h less for ce t h a n t h ose u sed
in som e pr ior m odels. A r a dia l deployin g fa br ic cu sh -
ion wit h in t er n a l t et h er s is u sed. Th e a ir ba g in fla t or
is a solid fu el, pyr ot ech n ic-t ype u n it wit h fou r st u ds
a n d is secu r ed by fou r h ex n u t s t o fou r st u ds on t h e
a ir ba g cu sh ion r et a in er r in g t o t h e ba ck of t h e
st a m ped m et a l a ir ba g h ou sin g. A keyed con n ect or
r ecept a cle on t h e dr iver a ir ba g in fla t or con n ect s t h e
in fla t or in it ia t or t o t h e veh icle elect r ica l syst em
t h r ou gh a yellow-ja cket ed, t wo-wir e pigt a il h a r n ess of
t h e clockspr in g.
Th e dr iver a ir ba g a n d t r im cover u n it ca n n ot be
r epa ir ed, a n d m u st be r epla ced if deployed, fa u lt y, or
in a n y wa y da m a ged.
OPERA TION
Fig. 20 Driver Airbag Operation
1 - TRIM COVER
2 - INFLATOR
3 - INITIATOR
4 - CUSHION (FOLDED)
5 - STEERING WHEEL
Th e dr iver a ir ba g is deployed by elect r ica l sign a ls
gen er a t ed by t h e Air ba g Con t r ol Modu le (ACM)
t h r ou gh t h e dr iver a ir ba g squ ib cir cu it t o t h e in it ia -
t or in t h e a ir ba g in fla t or (F ig. 20). Wh en t h e ACM
sen ds t h e pr oper elect r ica l sign a l t o t h e in it ia t or t h e
elect r ica l en er gy gen er a t es en ou gh h ea t t o in it ia t e a
sm a ll pyr ot ech n ic ch a r ge wh ich , in t u r n , ign it es
ch em ica l pellet s wit h in t h e in fla t or. On ce ign it ed,
t h ese ch em ica l pellet s bu r n r a pidly a n d pr odu ce a
la r ge qu a n t it y of in er t ga s. Th e in fla t or is sea led t o
t h e ba ck of t h e a ir ba g h ou sin g a n d a diffu ser in t h e
in fla t or dir ect s a ll of t h e in er t ga s in t o t h e a ir ba g
cu sh ion , ca u sin g t h e cu sh ion t o in fla t e. As t h e cu sh -
ion in fla t es, t h e dr iver a ir ba g t r im cover will split a t
pr edet er m in ed br ea kou t lin es, t h en fold ba ck ou t of
t h e wa y. F ollowin g a n a ir ba g deploym en t , t h e a ir ba g
cu sh ion qu ickly defla t es by ven t in g t h e in er t ga s
t owa r ds t h e in st r u m en t pa n el t h r ou gh filt er ed ven t s
wit h in t h e fa br ic u sed t o con st r u ct t h e ba ck (st eer in g
wh eel side) pa n el of t h e a ir ba g cu sh ion .
Som e of t h e ch em ica ls u sed t o cr ea t e t h e in er t ga s
m a y be con sider ed h a za r dou s wh ile in t h eir solid
st a t e befor e t h ey a r e bu r n ed, bu t t h ey a r e secu r ely
RESTRAINTS 8O - 17