Post-Collision Inspection

Service of Air Bag Equipped Vehicles Involved in Collisions
While servicing an air bag equipped vehicle that has been involved in a collision, check the radiator primary crash sensors and wiring.

Sensors
Vehicle sensor orientation is critical for proper air bag 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, ensure that body structure in the area of the sensor mounting is restored to its original condition. Inspect the air bag sensor mounting brackets for damage.
- Damaged sensors should be replaced whether or not the air bag is deployed.
- Undamaged sensors will reset automatically after a collision and can be reused.

Damaged Wiring

CAUTION: Before attempting diagnostic prove out, check for wiring shorts that could cause the diagnostic monitor thermal fuse to blow, causing unnecessary servicing.

Inspect the sensor wiring and the wiring harness for any damage that may have occurred due to the collision. Replace any damaged wiring, terminals, insulation or connectors, as required.

If splices are required in adjacent wiring. Splices should be staggered 51 mm (2 inches) apart from each other. Service as follows:

- Use a waterproof butt-splice connector on any exposed wiring.
- A heat shrink nylon splice prevents water, salt, condensation and heat from affecting the wiring service.

The inner wall of the splice connector is lined with an adhesive that melts when heated with a heat gun and flows under pressure from the tubing, sealing the splice. The connectors can be crimped with a standard insulated connector crimping tool. The splices are color coded for gauge identification and are transparent to allow inspection of the finished splice.

Steering Column and Air Bag Sliding Contact
If the collision involved an air bag deployment, the steering column may have been loaded sufficiently to deform its mounting brackets or damage column wiring. An inspection should be made of the column structure and air bag sliding contact wiring to ensure that any damaged components are replaced.