Driver Air Bag Module, Passenger Air Bag Module and Seat Side Air Bag Modules - Remote Deployment

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2005 Mercury Mountaineer and 2005 Ford Explorer. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

WARNING: Always wear safety glasses when repairing an air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) vehicle and when handling an air bag module. This will reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accidental deployment.

WARNING: Never probe the connectors on the air bag module. Doing so can result in air bag deployment, which can result in personal injury.

WARNING: Carry a live air bag module with the air bag and trim cover pointed away from your body. This will reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accidental deployment.

WARNING: Do not set a live air bag module down with the trim cover face down. This will reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accidental deployment.

WARNING: Carry a live seat side air bag module with the air bag and tear seam pointed away from your body. This will reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accidental deployment.

WARNING: Deployment is to be carried out outdoors with all personnel at least 9.14 meters (30 feet) away to make sure of personal safety. Due to the loud report which occurs when the air bag is deployed, hearing protection is required.

WARNING: After deployment, the air bag surface can contain deposits of sodium hydroxide, a product of the gas generant combustion that is irritating to the skin. Wash your hands with soap and water afterwards.

NOTE: For air bag modules with multiple squibs, all the squibs on the air bag module must be deployed.

NOTE: Some driver and passenger front air bags have 2 deployment stages. After a crash event it is possible that stage 1 has deployed and the second stage has not.

If a front air bag module has deployed, it is mandatory that the front air bag module be remotely deployed using the appropriate air bag disposal procedure.

NOTE: A typical air bag disposal is shown that is similar for all vehicles.

All driver, passenger and seat side air bag modules

Make a container to house the air bag module for deployment.
- Obtain a tire and wheel assembly and an additional 4 tires (without wheels) of the same size.
- With the tire and wheel assembly on the bottom, stack the tires.
- Securely tie all of the tires together.
  
  Fig 1: Making Container To House Air Bag Module For Deployment
  Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
Depower the system. For additional information, refer to SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) DEPOWERING AND REPOWERING .
Remove the air bag module. For additional information, refer to the appropriate procedure in this article.

NOTE: If the air bag module does not have a hard-wired pigtail, it will be necessary to cut the wires and connector(s) from the vehicle wire harness and reconnect to the air bag module.

Cut each of the air bag module wires near the electrical connector that connects to the vehicle wire harness.
Remove any sheathing (if present) and strip the insulation from the ends of the cut wires.

NOTE: Typical driver air bag module with 2 squibs shown in Fig 2, other air bag modules with multiple squibs similar.

Fig 2: Locating Air Bag Module Wire Squibs

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

For air bag modules with multiple squibs, twist together a wire from each squib then repeat for the remaining wires from each squib.
Make a jumper harness to deploy the air bag module.
- Obtain 2 wires (20 gauge minimum) at least 9.14 meters (30 feet) long and strip both ends of each wire.
- At one end of the jumper harness, connect the wires together.
Using the end of the jumper harness that the wires are not connected together, attach each wire of the jumper harness to each wire of the air bag module or to the twisted-together wires if multiple squibs. Use tape or other insulating material to make sure that the leads do not make contact with each other.

Fig 3: Connecting Jumper Wires To Squibs
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

Driver air bag modules

NOTE: Make sure to maintain the connections to the air bag module.

Fig 4: View Of Air Bag Modules Inside Tires For Deployment

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

With the stack of tires upright and the wheel on the bottom, carefully place the driver air bag module, with the trim cover facing up, on the wheel.

Passenger and seat side air bag modules

NOTE: Make sure to maintain the connections to the air bag module.

Tip the stack of tires on its side and place the air bag module inside the center tire, making sure that there are 2 tires beneath the tire containing the air bag module and 2 tires (including the tire and wheel assembly) above the tire containing the air bag module.
Place the tire stack upright, with the wheel on top.

Fig 5: Identifying Passenger Or Seat Side Air Bag Modules Inside Center Tire
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

All driver, passenger and seat side air bag modules

Remain at least 9.14 meters (30 feet) away from the air bag module.
From the end of the jumper harness that is not connected to the air bag module, disconnect the 2 wires of the jumper harness from each other.
Deploy the air bag module by touching the ends of the 2 wires of the jumper harness to the terminals of a 12-volt battery.
To allow for cooling, wait at least 10 minutes before approaching the deployed air bag module.
Dispose of the deployed air bag module in the same manner as any other part to be scrapped.