Technician Safety Information

The electrical circuit necessary for system deployment is powered directly from the battery and backup power supply. To avoid accidental deployment and possible personal injury, the airbag system must be deactivated prior to servicing or replacing any system components.
Safe handling of airbag modules requires following the procedures described below for both live and deployed airbags.
Always wear safety glasses when servicing an airbag vehicle and when handling an airbag module.
When carrying a live airbag module, ensure that bag and trim cover are pointed away from your body. In the unlikely event of an accidental deployment, the bag will then deploy with minimal chance of injury. In addition, when placing a live airbag module on a bench or other surface, always place bag and trim cover face up, away from the surface. This will reduce the motion of the module if it is accidentally deployed.
Safety precautions must also be observed when handling a deployed module. After deployment, the airbag surface may contain deposits of sodium hydroxide, a product of the gas generate combustion that is irritating to the skin. Always wear gloves and safety glasses when handling a deployed airbag module, and wash your hands with mild soap and water afterward.
Because of the critical operating requirements of the system, do not attempt to repair sensor assemblies, the slip ring/clockspring assembly, the monitor assembly or the airbag module. Corrections are made by replacement only.
Never probe the connectors on the airbag module. Doing so may result in airbag deployment which could result in personal injury.
All part replacements and wiring repairs must be made with airbag system deactivated.
The instruction Disconnect always refers to a connector. Never detach a part from vehicle when instructed to Disconnect.
If a vehicle equipped with an airbag system is involved in a crash where the fenders or grille area have been damaged, the sensors in the area of damage must be replaced whether or not the airbag deployed.

WARNING: SAFE HANDLING OF AIR BAG REQUIRES FOLLOWING THE PROCEDURES DESCRIBED BELOW FOR BOTH LIVE AND DEPLOYED AIR BAGS. ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY GLASSES WHEN SERVICING AN AIR BAG VEHICLE, AND WHEN HANDLING AN AIR BAG.

Live Air Bags
WHEN CARRYING A LIVE AIR BAG, MAKE SURE THE BAG AND TRIM COVER ARE POINTED AWAY FROM YOUR BODY. IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF AN ACCIDENTAL DEPLOYMENT, THE BAG WILL THEN DEPLOY WITH MINIMAL CHANCE OF INJURY. IN ADDITION, WHEN PLACING A LIVE AIR BAG ON A BENCH OR OTHER SURFACE, ALWAYS FACE THE BAG AND TRIM COVER UP, AWAY FROM THE SURFACE. THIS WILL REDUCE THE MOTION OF THE MODULE IF IT IS ACCIDENTALLY DEPLOYED.

Deployed Air Bags
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS MUST ALSO BE OBSERVED WHEN HANDLING A DEPLOYED AIR BAG. AFTER DEPLOYMENT, THE AIR BAG SURFACE MAY CONTAIN DEPOSITS OF SODIUM HYDROXIDE, A PRODUCT OF THE GAS GENERANT COMBUSTION THAT IS IRRITATING TO THE SKIN. ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES AND SAFETY GLASSES WHEN HANDLING A DEPLOYED AIR BAG, AND WASH YOUR HANDS WITH MILD SOAP AND WATER AFTERWARDS.

General Instructions
BECAUSE OF THE CRITICAL OPERATING REQUIREMENTS OF THE SYSTEM, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SERVICE SENSORS, THE CLOCKSPRING, THE MONITOR, THE BACKUP POWER SUPPLY, OR THE AIR BAG MODULE. CORRECTIONS ARE MADE BY REPLACEMENT ONLY.

IF EVER A PART IS REPLACED AND THE NEW PART DID NOT CORRECT THE CONDITION, REINSTALL THE ORIGINAL PART AND PERFORM THE DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE AGAIN.

NEVER PROBE THE CONNECTORS ON THE AIR BAG. DOING SO MAY RESULT IN AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WHICH COULD RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY.

ALL COMPONENT REPLACEMENTS AND WIRING REPAIRS MUST BE MADE WITH THE BATTERY GROUND AND BACKUP POWER SUPPLY DISCONNECTED.

THE INSTRUCTIONS "DISCONNECT" ALWAYS REFERS TO A CONNECTOR. NEVER DETACH A COMPONENT FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN INSTRUCTED TO "DISCONNECT".

VEHICLE SENSOR ORIENTATION IS CRITICAL FOR PROPER SYSTEM OPERATION. IF A VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH AN AIR BAG SYSTEM IS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE THE FENDERS OR GRILLE AREA HAVE BEEN DAMAGED, INSPECT THE SENSOR MOUNTING BRACKETS FOR DEFORMATION. IF DAMAGED THE SENSOR SHOULD BE REPLACED WHETHER OR NOT THE AIR BAG IS DEPLOYED. IN ADDITION, ENSURE THAT BODY STRUCTURE IN THE AREA OF SENSOR MOUNTING IS RESTORED TO ITS ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION.