LEMON Manuals: Even more car manuals for everyone: 1960-2025
Home >> Ford >> 2015 >> Explorer Sport >> Repair and Diagnosis >> External Pages >> Different car >> Section 45 (Supplemental Restraint System) >> General Procedures >> Pyrotechnic Device Disposal >> Driver Air Bag Module, Passenger Air Bag Module, Knee Air Bag Module and Seat Side Air Bag Module - Remote Deployment
April 5, 2026: LEMON Manuals is launched! Read the announcement.

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

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2015 Lincoln Navigator and 2015 Ford Expedition. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
WARNING: Never probe the electrical connectors on airbag, Safety Canopy or side air curtain assemblies. Failure to follow this instruction may result in the accidental deployment of these assemblies, which increases the risk of serious personal injury or death.
WARNING: Always carry a live airbag with the deployment door, trim cover or tear seam pointed away from the body. Do not place a live airbag down with the deployment door, trim cover or tear seam facing down. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury in the event of an accidental deployment.
WARNING: Always carry a live Safety Canopy or side air curtain assembly with the tear seam pointed away from your body. Failure to follow this instruction may result in serious personal injury or death in the event of an accidental deployment.
WARNING: Deploy all supplemental restraint system (SRS) devices (airbags, pretensioners, load limiters, etc.) outdoors with all personnel at least 9 meters (30 feet) away to make sure of personal safety. Due to the loud report which occurs when an SRS device is deployed, hearing protection is required. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury.
NOTE: For air bag modules with multiple loops, deploy all of the loops on the air bag module.
NOTE: Some driver and passenger front air bags have 2 deployment stages and an active canister vent. After a collision it is possible that Stage 1 has deployed and Stage 2 and the active canister vent have 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, knee and seat side air bag modules 

  1. 1.

    Make a container to house the air bag module for deployment.
      NOTE: The tires must be of sufficient size to accommodate the air bag module.
    • 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.
GFD32672Courtesy of FORD MOTOR COMPANY

  1. 2.

    Depower the SRS. Refer to Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Depowering and Repowering  in the General Procedures portion of this article.

  1. 3.

    Remove the air bag module. Refer to the appropriate procedure in this article.
    NOTE: If the air bag module does not have a hard-wired pigtail, cut the wires and connector(s) from the vehicle wire harness and reconnect to the air bag module.

  1. 4.
    Cut each of the air bag module wires near the electrical connector that connects to the vehicle wire harness.

  1. 5.

    Remove any sheathing (if present) and strip the insulation from the ends of the cut wires.
    NOTE: Typical driver air bag module with 2 loops shown, other air bag modules with multiple loops or multiple features (canister vent, active tether) similar.

  1. 6.
    For air bag modules with multiple loops, twist together a wire from each loop then repeat for the remaining wires from each loop.
GFD32673Courtesy of FORD MOTOR COMPANY

  1. 7.

    Make a jumper harness to deploy the air bag module.
    • Obtain 2 wires (20 gauge minimum) at least 9.14 m (30 ft) long and strip both ends of each wire.
    • At one end of the jumper harness, connect the wires together.

  1. 8.

    Using the end of the jumper harness where 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 loops. Use tape or other insulating material to make sure that the leads do not make contact with each other.
GFD32674Courtesy of FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Driver air bag modules 

    NOTE: Make sure the air bag connections are maintained.

  1. 9.
    For driver air bag modules, 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.
GFD32675Courtesy of FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Passenger, knee and seat side air bag modules 

    NOTE: Make sure the air bag connections are maintained.

  1. 10.
    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.

  1. 11.

    Place the tire stack upright, with the wheel on top.
GFD32676Courtesy of FORD MOTOR COMPANY

All driver, passenger, knee and seat side air bag modules 

  1. 12.

    Remain at least 9.14 m (30 ft) away from the air bag module.

  1. 13.

    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.

  1. 14.

    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.

  1. 15.

    To allow for cooling, wait at least 10 minutes before approaching the deployed air bag module.

  1. 16.

    Dispose of the deployed air bag module in the same manner as any other part to be scrapped.
scientia non olet · About LEMON Manuals