Airbag System Components

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT CONTROLLER (ORC)
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) contains the accelerometer and energy reserve capacitor. The ORC is mounted on the tunnel floor pan, forward of the center console.

The accelerometer is located inside the ORC. The accelerometer provides confirmation of a crash, discriminating severity. The ORC monitors the system to determine the system readiness. The ORC may store sufficient energy to deploy the airbags for only two minutes after the battery is disconnected. The ORC contains on-board diagnostics, and will illuminate the AIRBAG warning lamp on the cluster when a fault occurs. The warning equipment is tested for a few seconds every time the vehicle is started.

Clockspring Location:

CLOCKSPRING
The clockspring is mounted to the steering column behind the steering wheel. The clockspring is used to maintain a continuous electrical circuit between the wiring harness and the:
- Driver's airbag module
- Speed control switches
- Horn switch

The clockspring consists of a flat, ribbon like, electrically conductive tape which winds and unwinds with the steering wheel rotation.

Driver Airbag Location:

DRIVER AIRBAG MODULE

WARNING: NEVER DISASSEMBLE THE DRIVER/PASSENGER AIRBAG MODULES, THERE ARE NO SERVICEABLE PARTS WITHIN THE MODULES.

The driver side inflator assembly is mounted from the back of the module housing. When supplied with the proper electrical signal the inflator assembly will produce a gas and discharge it directly into the cushion. A protective cover is fitted to the front of the Driver Airbag Module and forms a decorative cover in the center of the steering wheel. This cover incorporates the integral horn switch. The driver airbag module is mounted directly to the steering wheel.

IMPACT SENSOR
The Airbag System is a supplemental safety device designed to help protect the driver and passenger from serious injury, caused by a frontal impact of the vehicle.

The Occupant Restraint Controller's (ORC) internal impact sensor provides verification of the direction and severity of an impact. The sensor is mounted within the ORC

The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) uses data collected from it's internal accelerometers to discriminate the direction and severity of an impact. The ORC will activate power stages internal to the module in order to deploy the driver and passenger side airbags once a predetermined threshold has been exceeded. The ORC is calibrated for a particular vehicle family and uses an advanced software algorithm to discriminate the severity and direction of any vehicle event.

Driver Airbag Location:

PASSENGER AIRBAG MODULE

WARNING: NEVER DISASSEMBLE THE DRIVER/PASSENGER AIRBAG MODULES, THERE ARE NO SERVICEABLE PARTS WITHIN THE MODULES.

The Passenger Airbag Module is located beneath the instrument panel and pad assembly. The module is mounted to a bracket (welded to the floor pan) with three screws.

The passenger inflator assembly is within the module housing. When supplied with the proper electrical signal the inflator will produce a gas and discharge it directly into the cushion. Upon deployment, the instrument panel upper cover will tear open and allow the passenger airbag to fully inflate.