Air Bag, Driver: Description
The injection molded, thermoplastic Driver AirBag (DAB) protective trim cover (2) is the most visible part of the DAB. The DAB is located in the center of the steering wheel (1), where it is secured by a spring wire retainer integral to the fixing plate to two hooks of the steering wheel armature within the hub cavity of the steering wheel. An injection molded, bright emblem with the Dodge logo is applied to the center of the trim cover.
Concealed beneath the DAB trim cover (1) are the folded airbag cushion, the airbag housing, the airbag inflator (4) and the retainers that secure the inflator to the housing. The airbag cushion, housing and inflator are secured within an integral receptacle molded into the back of the trim cover. The vertical walls of this receptacle have numerous integral window features that are engaged by numerous hook features around the perimeter of the DAB housing. Once the trim cover is fully seated onto the housing, it can only be removed by cutting it off. The DAB housing also has four well nuts, to which four screws (5) are fastened to secure the spring wire retainer (3) and the floating horn switch/fixing plate unit (2) to the back of the housing.
The DAB used in this vehicle is a multistage-type that complies with revised federal airbag standards to deploy with less force than those used in some prior vehicles. A radial deploying fabric airbag cushion with internal tethers is used. The airbag inflator is a dual-initiator, non-azide, pyrotechnic-type unit and is secured to the airbag housing. Two keyed and color-coded connector receptacles on the two inflator initiators are connected to the vehicle electrical system through two jacketed, two-wire pigtail harnesses from the clockspring.
The DAB cannot be repaired, and must be replaced if deployed, ineffective or in any way damaged. The DAB trim cover and the floating horn switch are serviced only as a unit with the DAB.