Front Airbag System

Front Airbag System Component Location:

A dual front airbag system utilizes driver and passenger airbags. Both the driver and passenger airbags are certified to new federal regulations, which allows them to deploy with less force than prior airbags. The primary occupant restraints in this vehicle are the seat belts, which require active use by the vehicle occupants. The front airbag system is a supplemental passive restraint that was designed and is intended to enhance the protection for the front seat occupants of the vehicle when used in conjunction with the seat belts.

The driver airbag includes an inflatable airbag and an inflator unit behind a trim cover in the hub area of the steering wheel. The passenger airbag includes an inflatable airbag and an inflator unit behind an airbag door in the instrument panel above the glove box.

The dual front airbag system consists of the following components:
- Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
- Airbag indicator lamp.
- Clock Spring
- Driver and passenger airbags (including the air-bag inflators).
- Wire harness and connections.

Refer to the proper Body Diagnostic Procedures to test or diagnose a problem with any component of the front airbag system.

The front airbag system electrical circuits are continuously monitored by a microprocessor and soft-ware contained within the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC). The ORC also contains impact sensing elements, which are monitored by the ORC to determine when an impact occurs that is severe enough to require front airbag system protection. When a frontal impact is severe enough, the ORC initiates the inflator units of both front airbags to deploy.

An airbag indicator lamp in the instrument cluster lights for six to eight seconds as a bulb test each time the ignition switch is turned to the ON position. Following the bulb test, the airbag indicator lamp is turned ON or OFF by the ORC to indicate the status of the airbag system. If the airbag indicator lamp comes ON at any time other than during the bulb test, it indicates that there is a problem in the airbag system. Such a problem may cause the airbags not to deploy when required, or to deploy when not required.

During a frontal vehicle impact, the knee blockers work in conjunction with properly adjusted seat belts to restrain the driver and front seat passenger in the proper position for an airbag deployment. The knee blockers also work to absorb and distribute the crash energy from the driver and front seat passenger to the structure of the instrument panel. The driver side knee blocker is integral to the lower instrument panel bezel. The passenger side knee blocker is integral to the glove box door.