Air Bag: Service Precautions

Safety Regulations For Vehicles With Airbag And Belt Tensioner

INFORMATION: As from model year 2002, the front three-point belt will be fitted with a belt tensioner as standard.

WARNING: Danger of injury and damage to property as a result of incorrect handling of airbag units. (Part 1) Please observe the following points:
- The airbag units are pyrotechnical items in hazard class T1.
- Handling, transport and storage of these units must conform to the explosives legislation.
- The listed statutory requirements refer to the Federal Republic of Germany.
- The relevant valid regulations must be observed in all other countries.
- The commencement of work with pyrotechnical items must be reported 14 days in advance to the Trade Supervisory Office (responsible authority).
- Airbag units may only be dispatched in transport packaging officially approved for that purpose.
- Airbag units may not be transported with other hazardous goods.
- Internally, they must always be transported in the luggage compartment or cargo hold of a vehicle using the above-mentioned transport packaging.
- They must not be transported in the passenger's compartment.
- Airbag units must be stored in accordance with the second ordinance of the explosives legislation.
- This ordinance stipulates that small quantities of materials and objects may be stored at certain locations without special storage approval.
- According to the Explosives Storage Directive of August 1997, these quantities are max. 10 kg (net) in a work room and max. 100 kg (net) in a storage room in the case of Class T 1 pyrotechnical items.

WARNING: Danger of injury and damage to property as a result of incorrect handling of airbag units. (Part 2) Please observe the following points:
- Airbag units must be kept in a locked place.
- When storing airbag units, ensure that the airbag opening faces upwards (risk of injury caused by inflation of the airbag units in the event of accidental ignition).
- Airbag units must be stored in a dry place and must not be stored together with other hazardous goods (varnishes, etc.).
- Loose airbag units, referred to as airbag modules below, or airbag modules installed in a loose steering wheel must never become the actual (physical) property of the customer.
- The possession of loose airbag modules not installed in the vehicle is not permissible in the private sector.
- Airbag modules may become the property of the customer only when installed in the vehicle.

Assembly and adjustment work

DANGER: Danger of injury through malfunction of airbag system. The triggering unit is locked with the Porsche System Tester.
- Never drive with an unlocked triggering unit - airbag.
- As long as the airbag triggering unit is not locked, the warning light lights up continuously.

WARNING: Danger of injury and damage to property as a result of incorrect handling of airbag units. Please observe the following point:
- Inspection and assembly work may only be carried out by specialist staff.

Before working on the airbag system and also when working on neighbouring parts where there is a risk because live parts are close to the airbag system, always implement the following safety measures:

1. Remove ignition key.
2. Disconnect and cover the negative terminal of the battery.

WARNING: Danger of injury and damage to property as a result of incorrect handling of airbag units. (Part 1) Please observe the following points:
- Inspection and assembly work may only be carried out by specialist staff.
- After the battery is disconnected, assembly work or work on the vehicle with a hammer or similar tools may not be started until after a waiting period of 1 minute. This is necessary in order to interrupt the power supply to the airbag system and to ensure it is not triggered accidentally.
- This is necessary in order to interrupt the power supply to the airbag system and to ensure it is not triggered accidentally.
- Airbag units must be fitted immediately after being removed from their storage location.
- On no account may airbag units be left lying around unsupervised.
- If work is interrupted, airbag units must immediately be locked away again.
- Airbag units must not come into contact with grease, oil, cleaning agents or similar substances.
- Airbag units may not be exposed to temperatures above 90 degrees C.
- Airbag units and control units which have fallen from a low height may no longer be installed.
- No additional linings, stickers or similar may be attached to the steering wheel in the vicinity of the passenger's airbag and side airbag.
- No changes may be made to the wiring and to the components of the airbag system.
- The battery must always be disconnected before starting straightening and welding work with an electrical welding unit.
- Electrostatic charge: in general, suitable work clothing and footwear are to be worn.
- Never connect airbag units to electrical power sources not in accordance with regulations (danger of immediate ignition). Only use testers prescribed by the manufacturer. Refer to Airbag diagnosis".

WARNING: Danger of injury and damage to property as a result of incorrect handling of airbag units. (Part 2) Please observe the following points:
- The control module must be removed in advance if you have to perform welding in the immediate vicinity of the control module.
- Airbag components may not be repaired.
- Airbag components must always be replaced.
- Wash your hands after touching triggered airbag units.

Handling airbag and belt tensioner

Dangers for persons and the environment

INFORMATION:
- Injury caused by incorrect triggering of the installed unit.
- Injury caused by spinning away e.g. of the entire unit.
- Burns caused by touching the hot surfaces of a triggered unit.
- Damage to hearing due to the explosion when gas is released.
- Irritation caused by breathing in explosive dust, especially in older models.
- Irritation due to skin and eye contact with slag produced by the explosion, especially in older models.
- Airbag/belt tensioner components should neither be opened or repaired; always use only new parts.
- Injury caused by incorrect triggering due to manipulation of the short circuit bridge.

Protective measures and rules of behaviour

INFORMATION:
- Assembly work only by trained staff.
- Carry out tests only with the Porsche System Tester diagnostic module; do not use test lamps, voltmeters or ohmmeters.
- Do not bring into contact with grease, solvents or cleaning agents.
- Do not expose to temperatures above 100 degrees C.
- Keep the unfolding area of the airbag clear; e.g. do not hang test devices over the steering wheel. When carrying, hold the airbag with the blow-out direction facing away from the body. Store the unit with the airbag facing upwards.
- Electrostatic charge: in general, suitable work clothing and footwear are to be worn.
- Do not remove the short-circuit spring of the plug contacts.
- Never connect airbag units to electrical power sources not in accordance with regulations (danger of immediate ignition). Only use testers prescribed by the manufacturer. Refer to Airbag diagnosis.
- During installation/removal or work on the vehicle involving shocks: switch off ignition, disconnect and cover the negative terminal of the battery, wait 1 minute and only then disconnect the plug connection.
- Transport: in transport packaging. Forbidden in passenger compartment.
- Storage in the workshop: max. 10 kg (=> 100 driver's or 50 passenger's airbags); security against theft.
- The installation of the airbag/belt tensioner unit must be carried out immediately after removal from the transport container.
- If work is interrupted, the airbag/belt tensioner unit must be stored in the transport container again.
- Leaving the belt tensioner unit unsupervised is not permitted.

Behaviour in cases of malfunction or danger

INFORMATION:
- Protect against flames and heat.
- In case of fire, inform the fire brigade about the present units as it arrives.
- Do not install mechanically damaged units or units that have fallen from a low height.
- Always replace units that are mechanically damaged (bulges, cracks).
- Because of the irritating combustion residues, only handle triggered airbags with protective gloves and goggles.
- In the case of contact with combustion residues, wash the affected skin with soap and water.
- In the case of eye contact, wash the eyes with water.

Materials







General information

The airbag system is constantly monitored by a diagnosis unit in the triggering unit. Any fault is signalled by a warning light. The warning light for the airbag system lights up in the event of a fault. The airbag warning light lights for approx. 3 seconds after the ignition is switched on and goes out if no fault has been entered in the fault memory. If it lights up again, this indicates a fault in the system. The fault can be read out with the Porsche System Tester 2.

INFORMATION:
- A period of 10 seconds is required to enable the triggering unit to identify all faults in the system.
- In order to guarantee that every possible fault source is checked during the vehicle test, the ignition must be switched on for at least 10 seconds.
- The fault memory must be cleared following a fault in the airbag system and after it has been remedied.
- The replacement of a component must be noted in the Guarantee and Maintenance booklet.
- To do this, attach the documentation number in a free panel intended for that purpose.
- The documentation number is attached to the replacement part as a tear-off sticker.
- Exchanged airbag units or airbag modules must be taken into possession by the Porsche Centre or by a dealer authorised by Porsche and must not be handed over to the customer (customer has no right to possess them). They must be destroyed, disposed of or returned to the manufacturer in accordance with the explosives ordinance and the hazardous materials ordinance.
- When the steering wheel is exchanged, e.g. to install a steering wheel from the Tequipment product range, the airbag unit of the replaced steering wheel must be removed and destroyed, disposed of or returned to the manufacturer before the steering wheel is handed over to the customer.

Component exchange after airbag triggering

The following components must be removed and replaced after the airbag system is triggered:

After triggering of the airbag unit on the driver's side:
- Contact unit
- Airbag unit, driver's side

After triggering of the airbag unit on the passenger's side:
- Airbag unit, passenger's side
- Triggering unit after the third time the airbag is triggered

After triggering of the side airbag unit
- Side airbag unit
- Sensor for the side airbag unit after the third time the side airbag is triggered

After triggering of belt tensioner

After triggering of a belt tensioner, driver's and/or passenger's unit

After triggering one or more air bag units (driver's, passenger's and/or side airbag).
- All belt tensioner units

INFORMATION: Because it is difficult to visually determine if one or both belt tensioners has been triggered, check the following points.

Read out the airbag fault memory with the Porsche System Tester.
Check plug connection on the belt tensioner for damage.
Pull out the belt strap as far as possible and check for wear.
Perform a function test on the automatic belt device.