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 to the armature of the four-spoke steering wheel. An injection molded bright emblem with the Ram 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 (4), the airbag inflator (3) and the retainers that secure the inflator to the airbag housing. The airbag cushion, housing, and inflator are secured within an integral receptacle molded into the back of the trim cover. The four vertical walls of this receptacle have numerous small windows with blocking tabs (2) that are engaged by numerous hook formations around the perimeter of the airbag housing. Each hook is inserted through one of the windows and the blocking tab in each window keeps the hook properly engaged with the trim cover, locking the trim cover securely into place on the airbag housing.
Three wire loop snap retainers (6) extend from the housing to secure the airbag to the steering wheel armature. The wire loop at the 6 o'clock position has a distinctive V-shape to ensure proper orientation of the airbag when it is installed onto the steering wheel. Unlike many prior DAB units, the horn switch used for this application is not a resistive membrane unit located between the airbag cushion and trim cover. The horn switch used in this vehicle is a floating type switch design that is secured to four pods within the steering wheel hub cavity and is separate from the DAB. Refer to SWITCH, HORN, REMOVAL .
The airbag 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 67 centimeter (26.5 inch) diameter fabric cushion with internal tethers is used. The airbag inflator is a dual-initiator, non-azide, pyrotechnic-type unit and is secured to the stamped metal airbag housing by four studs using four flanged hex nuts. Two keyed and color-coded connector receptacles (5) on the DAB inflator connect the two inflator initiators to the vehicle electrical system through two black-jacketed, two-wire pigtail harnesses of the clockspring. A locator hole has been added to the back of the DAB housing at the 12 o'clock position and a routing clip with a plastic push-in retainer has been added to the clockspring pigtail wires to route the wiring away from potential pinch points.
The DAB unit cannot be repaired, and must be replaced if deployed, ineffective or in any way damaged. The DAB trim cover may be disassembled from the DAB unit, and is available for separate service replacement.