Passenger Air Bag Deactivation (PAD) Indicator

The passenger air bag deactivation (PAD) indicator is a visual indicator used to inform the front seat occupants of the passenger air bag state. The PAD indicator is a stand-alone indicator installed into the vehicle instrument panel in a position visible to each front seat occupant.

The RCM controls the state of the PAD indicator through a direct hardwire connection, based on information provided by the OCS system. The PAD indicator is lit to indicate the passenger air bag module is disabled. An exemption to this is when the front passenger seat is determined to be empty, and therefore indication of a deactivated passenger air bag module is not necessary. In all other cases, the PAD indicator is unlit when the passenger air bag module is enabled.

When the ignition switch is in the ON position, the PAD indicator prove-out period is initiated by the RCM. The RCM briefly activates the PAD indicator to prove-out the indicator function and verify to the front occupants correct functional operation of the PAD indicator.

When an OCS system fault is present, the supplemental restraint system (SRS) defaults the passenger air bag module to enabled regardless of the size of the occupant in the front outboard passenger seat. The PAD indicator will be unlit. For additional information on the OCS system, refer to Occupant Classification Sensor in this article.

The following table indicates the passenger air bag status and the PAD indicator status based the size of the front passenger occupant.