Side Air Bag: Service and Repair

SIDE AIR BAG MODULE







Removal

WARNING:
- Always wear safety glasses when repairing an air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) vehicle and when handling an air bag module. This will reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accidental deployment.
- Carry a live side air bag module with the air bag and tear seam pointed away from your body. This will reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accidental deployment.
- Do not set a live side air bag module down on the cover tear seam. This will reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accidental deployment.
- After deployment, the air bag surface can contain deposits of sodium hydroxide, a product of the gas generant combustion that is irritating to the skin. Wash your hands with soap and water afterwards.
- Never probe the connectors on the air bag module. Doing so can result in air bag deployment, which can result in personal injury.
- Side air bag modules with damaged covers must be replaced.
- Front seat back trim covers installed on seats equipped with side air bags cannot be repaired, they are to be replaced. Cleaning is permissible.
- To reduce the risk of personal injury, do not use any memory saver devices.

NOTE:
- If a side air bag deployment took place a new seat back foam pad, trim cover, side air bag module, bracket and nuts, U-nuts and bolts must be installed. The seat back frame should be replaced if necessary.
- If a seat equipped with a supplemental restraint system (SRS) component is being serviced, the SRS must be depowered.
- When replacing the side air bag after deployment, refer to Seats for additional information concerning the installation of a new side air bag.
- The SRS must be fully operational and free of faults before releasing the vehicle to the customer.
- Driver seat side air bag module shown, passenger side similar.
- Repair is made by installing a new part only. If the new part does not correct the condition, install the original part and carry out the diagnostic procedure again.

1. Position the seat to access all of the seat track-to-floor pan bolts.
2. Depower the system.
3. Remove the front seat.
4. Remove the front seat backrest.
5. Remove the plastic rivets attaching the backrest trim cover to the inboard and outboard recliners.







6. Release the front seat backrest trim cover J-clip.
7. Remove the seat backrest trim cover inner J-clip.







8. WARNING: Front seat back trim covers installed on seats equipped with side air bags cannot be repaired; they are to be installed new (cleaning is permissible).

CAUTION: Use care when separating the seat cushion trim cover from the hook and loop strips. The hook and loop strips can be torn from the seat cushion foam.

Invert the seat backrest trim cover up.
1 Place a hand between the seat backrest trim cover and foam pad and carefully separate the hook and loop strips.
2 Remove the hog rings.







9. Position the seat back foam pad aside.







10. WARNING: Note the position of the wiring harness, to aid installation. An incorrectly routed wiring harness could become damaged when the seat is moved. Failure to follow this instruction may result in personal injury.

Detach the wiring pin-type retainers from seat backrest frame.







11. Remove the bolts and the side air bag module.

Installation

Seats installing a new side air bag module







1. NOTE: When installing a new side air bag module after deployment, install a new module, module bracket, module-to-bracket nuts, U-nuts-to-backrest frame and module and bracket-to-backrest frame bolts.

Install the side air bag module bracket on the side air bag module and tighten the 2 nuts.
- Tighten the nuts to 6 Nm (53 lb-in).

All seats







2. WARNING:
- Inspect the mounting surfaces of the side air bag module and the seat back frame mounting bracket for any foreign objects before installing the side air bag module. If any foreign objects are found, remove them. Failure to do so may result in personal injury, in the event of an air bag deployment.
- Before installing the side air bag module, check it for damage and foreign objects. If the air bag module is damaged, install a new one. If any foreign objects are found, remove them. Failure to do so may result in personal injury, in the event of an air bag deployment.
- Inspect the side air bag cavity in the seat back pad for any foreign objects. If any foreign objects are found, remove them. Failure to do so may result in personal injury in the event of an air bag deployment.
- If the air bag cover has separated or the air bag material has been exposed, install a new side air bag module. Do not attempt to repair the air bag module. Failure to do so may result in personal injury in the event of an air bag deployment.

CAUTION: Make sure the side air bag module wiring harness is not pinched between the side air bag module and the mounting bracket.

Install the side air bag module and the bolts.
- Tighten the bolts to 10 Nm (89 lb-in).







3. NOTE: Note wire routing from removal.

Attach the wiring pin-type retainers to the seat backrest frame.







4. Reposition the seat back foam pad to the seat backrest frame.







5. WARNING: Make sure to install 2 hog rings to attach the backrest trim cover wire to the listing wire in each foam pad window to correctly retain the backrest trim cover and allow correct deployment of the seat side air bag module. Failure to follow this instruction may result in personal injury in the event of a seat side air bag module deployment.

Install the seat backrest trim cover.
1 Install the 2 hog rings per window as shown.
2 Attach the hook and loop strips.

6. Attach the seat backrest trim cover inner J-clip.







7. Attach the front seat backrest trim cover J-clip.
8. Fold the backrest trim cover over on each side of the inboard and outboard recliner. Install the plastic rivets attaching the backrest trim cover to the inboard and outboard recliners.
9. Install the front seat backrest.
10. Install the front seat.
11. Repower the system.