Definitions

AIR BAG - An inflatable cloth cushion designed to deploy in certain frontal crashes. It supplements the protection offered by the seat belts by distributing the impact load more evenly over the vehicle occupant's head and torso.

AIR BAG WIRE HARNESS - The wires and connectors that electrically connect the components in the air bag system.

B+ - Battery voltage, the voltage available at the battery at the time of the indicated measurement. With the key "ON" and the engine not running, the system voltage will likely be between 10 and 14 volts. At idle the voltage may be 14 to 16 volts. The voltage could be as low as 7 to 10 volts during engine cranking.

BULB CHECK - The SDM will cause the "AIR BAG" warning lamp to flash 7 times and then go "OFF" whenever the ignition switch transitions to the "ON" position from any other ignition switch position and no malfunctions are detected.

DATA LINK CONNECTOR (DLC) - Formerly "ALDL", a connector which is connected by wires to multiple on-board computers allowing communication with an off-board computer, such as a Tech-1 (scan tool).

DEPLOY - To inflate the air bag.

DEPLOYMENT LOOPS - The circuits which supply current to the air bag (inflator) modules to deploy the air bags.

DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) - A numerical designator used by the SDM to indicate specific air bag system malfunctions.

EEPROM - Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory. Memory which retains its contents when power is removed from the SDM.

INITIATOR - The electrical component inside the air bag (inflator) module which, when sufficient current flows, sets off the chemical reaction that inflates the air bag.

SCAN TOOL - An off-board computer, such as a Tech-1 used to read diagnostic information from on- board computers via the data link connector.

SDM - Sensing and Diagnostic Module which provides reserve energy to the deployment loops, deploys the air bags when required and performs diagnostic monitoring of all air bag system components.

SERIAL DATA - Information representing the status of the air bag system.

RESERVE VOLTAGE - The reserve energy supply (voltage) from the SDM which provides deployment power when vehicle voltage is lost in a frontal crash.