Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)

SRS Components:

The Supplemental Air Bag Restraint System (SRS) helps to reduce the risk or severity of injury to the driver in a frontal collision. The SRS consists of:
- Driver side air bag module
- Center radiator primary crash front air bag sensor and bracket
- Center console primary crash/safing front air bag sensor and bracket
- Air bag diagnostic monitor
- Wiring harness
- Air bag sliding contact
- Air bag warning indicator

The driver side air bag module is located on the steering wheel.

The following four steps show how the SRS works:

NOTE: Steps 1-3 take place in a fraction of a second.

1. The sensors in the vehicle detect a severe frontal impact with the ignition switch in the ON or START position. When the center primary crash front air bag sensor or the center console primary crash front air bag sensor and the center console primary safing front air bag sensor close at the same time, electric current flows to the inflator and ignites the chemicals.
2. The chemicals then rapidly burn in the metal container. The rapid burning produces nitrogen gas and small amounts of dust. The nitrogen gas and dust are cooled and filtered during inflation of the air bag.
3. The inflating air bag splits open the steering wheel trim cover. The air bag then rapidly unfolds and inflates in front of the driver.
4. After inflation, the gas empties through holes in the air bag. The air bag deflates at once.

Electrical System
The Supplemental Air Bag Restraint System (SRS) can function with the ignition switch in the ON or START positions only. The SRS can function when the driver seat is unoccupied.










Sensors

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

The center radiator primary crash front air bag sensor and bracket, the center console primary crash front air bag sensor, and the safing sensor make use of an internal metal ball, a magnet, and electrical contacts in order to function. Initially, the metal ball is held in place on one side of the sensor by a magnet. When a sensor is activated by sufficient vehicle impact, the ball will overcome the force of the magnet and travel to the opposite side of the sensor to complete an electrical contact. In order to deploy the driver side air bag module, the safing sensor must be activated along with either the center radiator primary crash front air bag sensor and bracket or the center console primary crash front air bag sensor.

The center radiator primary crash front air bag sensor and bracket is located on the radiator support.

The center console primary crash front air bag sensor and the safing sensor are combined into the center console primary crash/safing front air bag sensor and bracket.

The center console primary crash/safing front air bag sensor and bracket is located behind the storage bin.

The Supplemental Air Bag Restraint System (SRS) sensors must always be installed with their arrow marks facing the front of the vehicle for proper operation.