Seat Belt Buckle; Operation; Removal - Jeep Wrangler 2001 Service Manual

8Os - 20 RESTRAINTS
PASSENGER AIRBAG (Continued)
Fig. 21 Seat Belt Buckle
1 - SEAT CUSHION
2 - SEAT BACK
3 - TRIM ATTACHMENT WIRES
4 - SEAT TRACK
5 - SEAT RISER
6 - SEATBELT BUCKLE
and sealed within the stamped metal airbag housing
along with the folded airbag cushion. A yellow con-
nector on the end of a short, two-wire pigtail harness
connects the passenger airbag inflator to the vehicle
electrical system.
The molded plastic passenger airbag door also
serves as a trim cover and has two flanges and a
stamped metal bracket that secure it in place. The
two flanges are secured with screws to the top of the
instrument panel structural support and the upper
glove box opening reinforcement. The stamped metal
bracket is secured to the back of the instrument
panel structural support with two screws, and also
serves as the passenger airbag door hinge. Following
a passenger airbag deployment, the passenger airbag
and the passenger airbag door must be replaced. The
passenger airbag cannot be repaired, and must be
replaced if faulty or in any way damaged. The pas-
senger airbag door can be disassembled from the
instrument panel and replaced as a separate service
item.

OPERATION

The passenger airbag is deployed by an electrical
signal generated by the Airbag Control Module
(ACM) through the passenger airbag line 1 and line 2
2001 JEEP WRANGLER
(or squib) circuits. The hybrid-type inflator assembly
includes a small canister of highly compressed argon
gas. When the ACM sends the proper electrical signal
to the airbag inflator, the electrical energy generates
enough heat to ignite chemical pellets within the
inflator. Once ignited, these chemical pellets burn
rapidly and produce the pressure necessary to rup-
ture a containment disk in the argon gas canister.
The inflator and argon gas canister are sealed to the
airbag cushion so that all of the released argon gas is
directed into the airbag cushion, causing the cushion
to inflate. As the cushion inflates, the passenger air-
bag door will split at predetermined breakout lines,
then fold back over the top of the instrument panel
and out of the way. Following an airbag deployment,
the airbag cushion quickly deflates by venting the
argon gas through the porous fabric material used on
each end panel of the airbag cushion.
Some of the chemicals used to create the pressure
to burst the argon gas containment disk are consid-
ered hazardous in their solid state, before they are
burned, but they are securely sealed within the air-
bag inflator. However, the gas that is produced when
the chemicals are burned is harmless. A small
amount of residue from the burned chemicals may
cause some temporary discomfort if it contacts the
skin, eyes, or breathing passages. If skin or eye irri-
tation is noticed, rinse the affected area with plenty
of cool, clean water. If breathing passages are irri-
tated, move to another area where there is plenty of
clean, fresh air to breath. If the irritation is not alle-
viated by these actions, contact a physician immedi-
ately.

REMOVAL

The following procedure is for replacement of a
faulty or damaged passenger airbag. If the passenger
airbag has been deployed, the instrument panel
assembly must be replaced. Replacement instrument
panels include the passenger airbag and the passen-
ger airbag door. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT
PANEL - REMOVAL).
WARNING:
BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY STEERING WHEEL,
STEERING COLUMN, OR INSTRUMENT PANEL
COMPONENT DIAGNOSIS OR SERVICE. DISCON-
NECT AND ISOLATE THE BATTERY NEGATIVE
(GROUND) CABLE, THEN WAIT TWO MINUTES FOR
THE AIRBAG SYSTEM CAPACITOR TO DISCHARGE
BEFORE PERFORMING FURTHER DIAGNOSIS OR
SERVICE. THIS IS THE ONLY SURE WAY TO DIS-
ABLE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. FAILURE TO TAKE
THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS COULD RESULT IN
ACCIDENTAL AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSI-
BLE PERSONAL INJURY.
DISABLE THE AIRBAG
TJ
SYSTEM