Description & Operation

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2004 Dodge Dakota. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

WARNING: Accidental air bag deployment is possible. Personal injury may result. Read and follow all WARNINGS and AIR BAG SAFETY PRECAUTIONS before working on air bag system or related components.

Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), or air bag system, is designed to deploy air bags in a frontal collision of moderate to severe force. SRS consists of an AIR BAG warning light, driver-side air bag module, passenger-side air bag module, passenger-side air bag on-off switch, driver- and passenger-side seat belt pretensioners, clockspring and Air Bag Control Module (ACM). See COMPONENT LOCATIONS .

The SRS uses ACM to determine direction and severity of front impact, deploy front air bags and seat belt pretensioners, and monitor system readiness. Also, ACM monitors status of passenger side air bag on-off switch. ACM is equipped with integral impact and safing sensors. When impact and safing sensors register sufficient deceleration force during a front-end collision, ACM deploys front air bags and seat belt pretensioners. ACM will not deploy passenger-side air bag module when passenger-side air bag on-off switch is in OFF position.

ACM uses on-board diagnostics and can communicate with other vehicle electronic control modules, as well as with the DRBIII scan tool, using Programmable Communications Interface (PCI) data bus network. ACM continuously monitors all air bag and pretensioner electrical circuits to determine system readiness. If ACM detects an air bag system malfunction, Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) will set and stored in memory, and AIR BAG warning light will be illuminated. Active DTCs remain in memory only for the current ignition switch cycle; stored DTCs are stored in memory until a predetermined number of ignition switch cycles have occurred.