Air Bag Safety Precautions

Observe these precautions when working on the air bag system:

• Disable SRS before servicing any SRS or steering column component. Failure to do this may result in accidental air bag deployment and possible personal injury. See DISABLING & ACTIVATING AIR BAG SYSTEM  .
• After disabling SRS, wait at least 60 seconds before servicing SRS.
• After servicing, always turn ignition on from outside of vehicle in case of accidental air bag deployment.
• After servicing, check AIR BAG warning light to verify system operation. See SYSTEM OPERATION CHECK  .
• Always wear safety glasses when servicing or handling an air bag.
• Hearing protection must be worn by personnel performing deployment procedures.
• DO NOT expose air bag modules, clockspring or SRS ECU to temperatures greater than 200°F (93°C ).
• DO NOT expose seat belt pretensioners to temperatures greater than 194°F (90°C ).
• When placing a live air bag module on a bench or other surface, always place air bag module with trim cover up facing and away from surface. This will reduce motion of module if air bag accidentally deploys.
• After air bag deploys, air bag surface may contain deposits of sodium hydroxide, which irritates skin. Always wear safety glasses, rubber gloves and long-sleeved shirt during clean-up. Wash hands using mild soap and water. Follow correct clean-up and disposal procedures. See DISPOSAL PROCEDURES  .
• Because of critical system operating requirements, DO NOT service any SRS components. Repairs are only made by replacing defective parts.
• DO NOT allow any electrical source near inflator on back of air bag module.
• When carrying a live (undeployed) air bag module, trim cover must be pointed away from body to minimize injury in case of accidental air bag deployment.
• If instructed to probe wire harness, do so from harness side of connector.
• DO NOT probe a wire through insulator. Wire will be damaged and eventually fail due to corrosion.
• When performing electrical tests, prevent accidental shorting of terminals. Such shorts can damage fuses or components and may cause a second Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) to set, making diagnosis of original problem more difficult.
• Never use an analog volt/ohm meter or test light in place of a Digital Volt/Ohm Meter (DVOM). Use only a DVOM with a maximum test current of 2 mA (milliamps) at minimum range of resistance measurement.
• If SRS is not fully functional for any reason, DO NOT drive vehicle until system is repaired and is fully functional. DO NOT remove bulbs, modules, sensors, or other components or in any way disable system from operating normally. If SRS is not functional, park vehicle until repairs are made.