Side Impact Air Bag System

The side impact air bag system consists of the following components:
^ Two inflatable restraint Side Impact Sensors (SIS) (one in each lower center pillar).
^ Two inflatable restraint side impact inflator modules (one side air bag in each front seat).
^ An inflatable restraint Sensing And Diagnostic Module (SDM).
^ An AIR BAG Warning Lamp in the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC).

The inflatable restraint side impact sensor (SIS), inflatable restraint side impact inflator modules (Side Air Bags), inflatable restraint sensing and diagnostic module (SDM), and the connecting wires make up the side impact inflatable restraint system. The SDM contains a sensing device (accelerometer) that converts vehicle velocity changes to an electrical signal. The SIS is treated as a discriminating sensor and is a input to the SDM. If the SIS determines that the side air bags should be deployed, the SIS tells the SDM to deploy the side air bags. The SDM will then check to see if there is enough vehicle acceleration to warrant a deployment. If so, the SDM will send current to the side air bag deploying the side air bag module. Deployment occurs when the SDM receive vehicle velocity changes through the SIS that are severe enough to warrant deployment.