Description & Operation: Notes

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. 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 or lateral (side) impact of moderate to severe force. SRS consists of an AIR BAG warning light, dual-stage driver-side air bag module, dual-stage passenger-side air bag module, right- and left-side curtain (head impact) air bag modules, left and right front impact sensors, left- and right-side impact sensors, seat belt switches, clockspring and Air Bag Control Module (ACM). See COMPONENT LOCATIONS .

ACM is equipped with integral accelerometer. SRS uses ACM and front impact sensors to determine direction and severity of front impact, and deploy front air bags. When ACM accelerometer and front impact sensors registers sufficient deceleration force during a front-end collision, ACM deploys front air bags. ACM also uses front seat buckle switch status and impact severity to determine level of dual-stage driver- and passenger-side air bag module deployment (low, medium or high).

SRS uses ACM and side impact sensors to determine direction and severity of lateral (side) impact, and deploy curtain air bags. When ACM and side impact sensors registers sufficient lateral deceleration force during a side collision, ACM deploys appropriate curtain air bags.

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 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.