Operation CHARM: Car repair manuals for everyone.

Description






DESCRIPTION





Side curtain airbags are standard equipment for this vehicle when it is also equipped with dual front airbags. These airbags are passive, inflatable, Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) components, and vehicles with this equipment can be readily identified by a molded identification trim plug with the SRS - AIRBAG logo located near the tops of the B and C-pillar trim. This system is designed to reduce injuries to the vehicle occupants in the event of a side impact collision or a vehicle rollover incident.





Each vehicle has two individually controlled curtain airbag units (2). These airbag units are concealed and mounted above the headliner where they are each secured to one of the roof side rails by two plastic push-in fasteners and to five studs on the inner roof side rail by five nuts. Each folded airbag cushion is contained within a fabric wrap and has molded plastic ramps that extend along the roof rail from the A-pillar at the front of the vehicle to just behind the C-pillar at the rear of the vehicle.

A long tether (1) extends down the A-pillar from the front of the airbag cushion. The tether is secured to mounting holes in the inner A-pillar sheet metal with plastic push-in routing clips and is secured to the base of the A-pillar near the belt line with a metal key engaged into a slot in the A-pillar. A plastic push-in fastener fills the A-pillar slot after the metal key is installed to prevent the key from becoming disengaged.

The hybrid-type inflator (3) for each airbag is secured to the roof rail at the rear of the airbag unit between the C-pillar and the D-pillar, and is connected to the airbag cushion by a long tubular manifold. The bracket holding the inflator is secured by nuts to two studs on the inner roof side rail.

One end of a two-wire jumper harness connects to the initiator at the forward end of the curtain airbag inflator. The other end is routed down the D-pillar with plastic push-in routing clips and connects to the body wire harness near the belt line, which connects the airbag unit to the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC).

The side curtain airbag unit cannot be adjusted or repaired and must be replaced if deployed, ineffective, or in any way damaged. Once a side curtain airbag has been deployed, the complete airbag unit, the headliner, the upper A, B, C and D-pillar trim, and all other visibly damaged components must be replaced.