Safety regulations for handling air bag components

Safety Regulations For Handling Airbag System

Failure to comply with warning and repair instructions may result in faulty activations and cause physical injury!

This is applicable in particular to components with gas generators:
- Airbag module
- Seat belt tensioner
- ITS head airbag
- Safety battery terminal

The gas generators are pyrotechnic objects of the danger class T 1. The handling, transport and storage of unignited gas generators is subject to the German "Explosive Materials Act" (Explosive materials law of 13/09/1976).

The appropriate trade supervisory authority must be notified at least 2 weeks in advance before any pyrotechnic objects are handled for the first time.

Here the relevant authority must be notified in writing of the person responsible, e.g. dealership owner, holder of general power of attorney or if necessary workshop supervisor. A certificate of qualification, i.e. specific training, is not required for the person responsible.

The specifications listed refer to the Federal Republic of Germany. In all other countries, the relevant legislation and regulations must be observed in each case. Country-specific legal regulations that go beyond this information or court decisions based thereon must be followed in each case or given precedence over these regulations.

1. Disassembly and assembly

- Inspection, testing and installation work may only be carried out by properly qualified personnel at BMW Service.

- Work on components of the airbag system must always be carried out with the battery disconnected, the negative pole or terminal covered and the plug connector of the wire leading to the gas generator disconnected. If the battery is only disconnected, it is absolutely essential to adhere to the prescribed waiting period:

- 30 minutes for vehicles up to 9/93
- 1 minute for vehicles from 9/93

- In the event of breaks in work, a component with a gas generator that has been removed must be secured access by other persons.

- Individual components must never be repaired. Instead, always replace them.

- Do not treat airbag system components with cleaning agents or grease.

- Do not expose components of the airbag system to temperatures above 75°C.

- Components of the airbag system, including diagnosis electronics, which have been dropped from a height of more than 0.5 m must not be refitted in a vehicles.

- Before being installed, inspect components of airbag system (also diagnosis electronics) must be visually inspected for damaged and necessary replaced.

- Airbag system components may only be tested electrically while installed and such test may only be carried using the BMW SERVICE TESTER/DIS.

- Danger of injury!

- The airbag module may only be set down with the cushion (airbag) facing upwards. Otherwise the generator will be thrown upwards if it is fired.

- Do not point the firing pellet of a gas generator at another person under any circumstances.

- Components with gas generators must not be fired when removed but must rather be disposed of by special disposal companies or sent to BMW in the packaging of the new components.

- When carrying out straightening and welding work with an electric arc welder:
- Disconnect the battery
- Cover the negative terminal (Post)
- Disconnect the plug connection on the gas generators so that the power supply to the gas generator is cut off in each case.

- When removing a fired airbag module, avoid contact with the skin at all costs-wear gloves. In the event of skin contact-wash with water.

2. Transport
- Components with gas generators must be sent off in the packaging of the new components.

3. Storage
- Observe the regulations of the relevant trade supervisory authority and the applicable national regulations.