Passenger Airbag
PASSENGER AIRBAGThe passenger airbag door on the instrument panel above the glove box is the most visible part of the passenger airbag. The airbag used in this model is a Next Generation-type that complies with revised federal airbag standards to deploy with less force than those used in some prior models. The passenger airbag is located in the instrument panel in front of the front seat passenger seating position, where it is secured with nuts to three weld studs on the instrument panel structural support and two weld studs on the dash panel. Concealed beneath the passenger airbag door are the folded airbag cushion, the airbag retainer or housing, and the airbag inflator. The airbag inflator is a hybrid-type unit that is secured to and sealed within the stamped metal airbag housing along with the folded airbag cushion. A yellow connector on the end of a short, two-wire pigtail harness connects the passenger airbag inflator to the vehicle electrical system.
The molded plastic passenger airbag door also serves as a trim cover and has two flanges and a stamped metal bracket that secure it in place. The two flanges are secured with screws to the top of the instrument panel structural support and the upper glove box opening reinforcement. The stamped metal bracket is secured to the back of the instrument panel structural support with two screws, and also serves as the passenger airbag door hinge. Following a passenger airbag deployment, the passenger airbag and the passenger airbag door must be replaced. The passenger airbag cannot be repaired, and must be replaced if faulty or in any way damaged. The passenger airbag door can be disassembled from the instrument panel and replaced as a separate service item.
The passenger airbag is deployed by an electrical signal generated by the Airbag Control Module (ACM) through the passenger airbag line 1 and line 2 (or squib) circuits. The hybrid-type inflator assembly includes a small canister of highly compressed argon gas. When the ACM sends the proper electrical signal to the airbag inflator, the electrical energy generates enough heat to ignite chemical pellets within the inflator. Once ignited, these chemical pellets burn rapidly and produce the pressure necessary to rupture a containment disk in the argon gas canister. The inflator and argon gas canister are sealed to the airbag cushion so that all of the released argon gas is directed into the airbag cushion, causing the cushion to inflate. As the cushion inflates, the passenger air- bag door will split at predetermined breakout lines, then fold back over the top of the instrument panel and out of the way. Following an airbag deployment, the airbag cushion quickly deflates by venting the argon gas through the porous fabric material used on each end panel of the airbag cushion.
Some of the chemicals used to create the pressure to burst the argon gas containment disk are considered hazardous in their solid state, before they are burned, but they are securely sealed within the air- bag inflator. However, the gas that is produced when the chemicals are burned is harmless. A small amount of residue from the burned chemicals may cause some temporary discomfort if it contacts the skin, eyes, or breathing passages. If skin or eye irritation is noticed, rinse the affected area with plenty of cool, clean water. If breathing passages are irritated, move to another area where there is plenty of clean, fresh air to breath. If the irritation is not alleviated by these actions, contact a physician immediately.