Description & Operation

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2007 MINI Cooper, 2006 MINI Cooper, 2005 MINI Cooper, and 2004 MINI Cooper. 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.

The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), also known as air bag system, is designed to provide increased accident protection for driver and passengers by deploying front air bags and seat belt pretensioners in a front-end collision and side air bags and head protection system when a side impact is detected.

Main components of the air bag system include air bag control unit, driver-side air bag module, passenger-side air bag module, side air bag modules, Advanced Head Protection System (AHPS II) or head air bag, side air bag crash sensors, seat belt pretensioners or Emergency Tensioning Retractors (ETR), AIR BAG warning light and contact ring or clockspring.

Air bag control unit is capable of system self-diagnosis. Air bag system components are monitored electrically. Any interferences in operation can be detected. These interferences (faults) are then stored in air bag control unit memory. Diagnosis can only be performed when DIS/MoDiC tester is connected to vehicle"s Data Link Connector (DLC).