Live and Undeployed Inflator Module
Caution: Refer to SIR Inflator Module Handling and Storage Caution in the Preface section.
Take special care when handling or storing an undeployed inflator module. An
inflator module deployment produces a rapid generation of gas. This may cause the
inflator module, or an object in front of the inflator module, to project through
the air in the event of an unlikely deployment.
Scrapping Procedure
During the course of a vehicle's useful life, certain situations may arise which
will require the disposal of a live and undeployed inflator module. Do NOT dispose
a live and undeployed inflator module through normal disposal channels until the inflator
module has been deployed.
Do not deploy the inflator module in the following situations:
• | After replacement of an inflator module under warranty - the inflator
module may need to be returned undeployed to the manufacturer. |
• | If the vehicle is the subject of a Product Liability report, GM-1241,
related to the supplemental inflatable restraint (SIR) system and is subject to a
preliminary investigation - do NOT alter the SIR system in any manner. |
• | If the vehicle is involved in a campaign affecting the inflator modules
- follow the instructions in the Campaign Service Bulletin for proper SIR handling
procedures. |
Deployment Procedures
You can deploy the inflator module either inside or outside of the vehicle.
The method used depends upon the final disposition of the vehicle. Review the following
procedures in order to determine which will work best in a given situation:
Deployment Outside Vehicle - Steering Wheel Module, I/P Module, and Roof
Rail Module
Deploy the inflator module outside of the vehicle when the vehicle will be returned
to service. Situations that require deployment outside of the vehicle include the
following:
• | Using the SIR diagnostics, you determine that the inflator module is malfunctioning. |
• | The inflator module is cosmetically damaged, scratched, or ripped. |
• | The inflator module pigtail is damaged. |
• | The inflator module connector is damaged. |
• | The inflator module connector terminals are damaged. |
Deployment and disposal of a malfunctioning inflator module is subject to any
required retention period.
Caution: Refer to SIR Inflator Module Disposal Caution in the Preface section.
Tools Required
• | SA9413NE SIR Deployment Fixture |
• | An appropriate pigtail adapter |
- Turn OFF the ignition.
- Remove the ignition key.
- Put on safety glasses.
- Remove the inflator module.
Caution: Refer to SIR Inflator Module Handling and Storage Caution in the Preface section.
- Place the inflator module on a work bench,
with the vinyl trim cover facing up and away from the surface.
- Clear a space on the ground about 1.85 m
(6 ft) in diameter for deployment of the inflator module or deployment fixture.
If possible, use a paved, outdoor location free of activity. Otherwise, use a space
free of activity on the shop floor. Ensure you have sufficient ventilation.
- Clear the area of loose or flammable objects.
- If you are deploying a steering wheel inflator module, place the inflator
module in the center of the space.
- When deploying an I/P inflator module, perform
the following instructions:
9.1. | Place the SA9413NE SIR deployment fixture (2) in the center of
the cleared area. |
9.2. | Fill the deployment fixture with water or sand. |
9.3. | Using the proper nuts and bolts, mount the I/P module (1) to the
deployment fixture (2), with the vinyl trim facing up. |
9.4. | Securely tighten all fasteners that hold the I/P module (1) to
the deployment fixture (2). |
- When deploying a roof rail module, perform
the following instructions:
10.1. | Place the SA9413NE SIR deployment fixture (3) in the center of
the cleared area. |
10.2. | Fill the deployment fixture with water or sand to provide sufficient stabilization
of fixture during deployment. |
10.3. | Adjust and secure the fixture arms (4) to the deployment fixture (3),
using the proper nuts and bolts. |
10.4. | Attach the roof rail module in the deployment fixture and securely tighten
all fasteners. |
- Inspect the SA9409Z-A
and the appropriate pigtail adapter (2) for damage.
Replace as needed.
- Short the 2 SIR deployment harness leads (1) together using
one banana plug seated into the other.
- Connect the appropriate pigtail adapter (2) to the SIR deployment
harness (1).
- Extend the SIR deployment harness and adapter
to the full length from the deployment fixture or area.
- Connect the inflator module (1) to
the adapter (2) on the SIR deployment harness (3).
Important:
• | The rapid expansion of gas involved with deploying an inflator module
is very loud. Notify all the people in the immediate area that you intend to deploy
the inflator module. |
• | When the inflator module deploys, the deployment fixture may jump about
30 cm (1 ft) vertically. This is a normal reaction of the inflator module
due to the force of the rapid expansion of gas inside the inflator module. |
- Clear the area of people.
- Separate the 2 banana plugs on the SIR deployment harness that were shorted
together earlier in the procedure.
- Place a 12 V minimum/2 A minimum
power source, such as a vehicle battery, near the shorted end of the harness.
- Connect the SIR deployment harness wires to the power source. Deployment
of the inflator module will occur when contact is made.
- Disconnect the SIR deployment harness from
the power source after the inflator module deploys.
- If the inflator module did not deploy, disconnect the adapter and discontinue
the procedure and contact the Technical Assistance Group.
If deployment was successful, proceed to the following steps.
Caution: Refer to SIR Deployed Inflator Modules Are Hot Caution in the Preface section.
- Seat one banana plug into the other in order to short the deployment
harness leads.
- Put on a pair of shop gloves.
- Disconnect the pigtail adapter from the inflator module as soon as possible.
- Inspect the pigtail adapter and the SIR deployment harness. Replace as
needed.
- Dispose of the deployed inflator module through normal refuse channels.
- Wash your hands with a mild soap.
Deployment Inside Vehicle - Vehicle Scrapping Procedure
Deploy the inflator modules inside of the vehicle when destroying the vehicle
or when salvaging the vehicle for parts. This includes, but is not limited to, the
following situations:
• | The vehicle has completed all useful life. |
• | Irreparable damage occurred to the vehicle in a non-deployment type accident. |
• | Irreparable damage occurred to the vehicle during a theft. |
• | The vehicle is being salvaged for parts to be used on a vehicle with a
different VIN, as opposed to rebuilding as the same VIN. |
Caution: Refer to SIR Inflatable Module Deployment Outside Vehicle Caution in the Preface section.
- Lower the driver and passenger windows.
- Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position and remove the ignition key.
- Check that all inflator modules which will be deployed are mounted securely.
• | Driver inflator module is secured to steering wheel. |
• | Passenger inflator module is secured to instrument panel. |
• | Left roof rail inflator module is secured to left roof rail. |
• | Right roof rail inflator module is secured to right roof rail. |
- Put on safety glasses.
- Remove all loose objects from the front seats.
- Disconnect the steering wheel module yellow connector from vehicle harness yellow
connector.
- Cut the yellow harness connector out of
the vehicle, leaving at least 16 cm (6 in) of wire at the connector.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from each of the connector
wire leads.
- Cut two 6.1 m (20 ft) deployment
wires from a 0.8 mm (18 gage) or thicker multi-strand wire. Use these
wires to fabricate the driver deployment harness.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from both ends of the
wires.
- Twist together one end from each of the wires in order to short the wires.
Deployment wires shall remain shorted, and not connected to a power source until
you are ready to deploy the inflator module.
- Twist together one connector wire lead to
one deployment wire.
- Inspect that the previous connection is secure.
- Bend flat the twisted connection.
- Secure and insulate the connection using electrical tape.
- Twist together, blend, and tape the remaining
connector wire lead to the remaining deployment wire.
- Connect the deployment harness to the connector on the steering wheel module.
- Route the deployment harness out of the driver side of the vehicle.
- Disconnect the yellow left roof rail harness
connector from the vehicle harness connector.
- Cut the harness connector out of the vehicle,
leaving at least 16 cm (6 in) of wire at the connector.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from each of the connector
wire leads.
- Cut two 6.1 m (20 ft) deployment
wires from a 0.8 mm (18 gage) or thicker multi-strand wire. These wires
will be used to fabricate the roof rail air bag deployment harness.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from both ends of the
wires.
- Twist together one end from each of the wires in order to short the wires.
- Twist together one connector wire lead to
one deployment wire.
- Bend flat the twisted connection.
- Secure and insulate the connection using electrical tape.
- Twist together, bend, and tape the remaining
connector wire lead to the remaining deployment wire.
- Connect the deployment harness to the yellow
connector of the roof rail module.
- Route the deployment harness out of the driver side of the vehicle.
- Disconnect the I/P module yellow harness
connector from the vehicle harness connector.
- Cut the yellow harness connector out of
the vehicle, leaving at least 16 cm (6 in) of wire at the connector.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from each of the connector
wire leads.
- Cut two 6.1 m (20 ft) deployment
wires from a 0.8 mm (18 gage) or thicker multi-strand wire. These wires
will be used to fabricate the passenger deployment harness.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from both ends of the
wires.
- Twist together one end from each of the wires in order to short the wires.
- Twist together one connector wire lead to
one deployment wire.
- Inspect that the previous connection is secure.
- Bend flat the twisted connection.
- Secure and insulate the 3-wire connection to the deployment harness using
electrical tape.
- Twist together, bend, and tape the remaining
connector wire lead to the remaining deployment wire.
- Connect the deployment harness to the I/P
module in-line connector.
- Route the deployment harness out of the passenger side of the vehicle.
- Disconnect the yellow harness connector
to the right roof rail air bag from the vehicle harness connector.
- Cut the harness connector out of the vehicle,
leaving at least 16 cm (6 in) of wire at the connector.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from each of the connector
wire leads.
- Cut two 6.1 m (20 ft) deployment
wires from a 0.8 mm (18 gage) or thicker multi-strand wire. These wires
will be used to fabricate the roof rail air bag deployment harness.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from both ends of the
wires.
- Twist together one end from each of the wires in order to short the wires.
- Twist together one connector wire lead to
one deployment wire.
- Bend flat the twisted connection.
- Secure and insulate the connection using electrical tape.
- Twist together, bend, and tape the remaining
connector wire lead to the remaining deployment wire.
- Connect the deployment harness to the roof
rail module yellow connector.
- Route the deployment harness out of the passenger side of the vehicle.
- Completely cover the windshield and the front door window openings with
a drop cloth.
- Stretch to the full length all of the deployment harness wires on the
right side of the vehicle.
- Deploy each deployment loop one at a time.
- Place a power source, 12 V minimum/2 A minimum, such as
a vehicle battery, near the shorted end of the harnesses.
- Separate one set of wires and touch the wire ends to the power source
in order to deploy the selected inflator module.
- Disconnect the deployment harness from the power source and twist the
wire ends together.
- Continue the same process with the remaining deployment harnesses.
- Stretch to the full length all of the deployment harness wires on the
left side of the vehicle.
- Deploy each deployment loop one at a time.
- Place a power source, 12 V minimum/2 A minimum, such as
a vehicle battery, near the shorted end of the harnesses.
- Separate one set of wires and touch the wires ends to the power source
in order to deploy the selected inflator modules.
- Disconnect the deployment harness from the power source and twist the
wire ends together.
- Continue the same process with the remaining deployment harnesses.
- Remove the drop cloth from the vehicle.
- Disconnect all harnesses from the vehicle.
- Discard the harnesses.
- Scrap the vehicle in the same manner as a non-SIR equipped vehicle.
- If one or all of the inflator modules did not deploy, perform the following
steps to remove the undeployed modules from the vehicle: