'SIR' LIGHT ON (REPAIR WIRING). Buick Century 1994

SUBJECT: "SIR" LIGHT ON (REPAIR WIRING)

MODELS: 1994-95 BUICK CENTURY 1994-95 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS CIERA

CONDITION:

THE CUSTOMER MAY REPORT THAT THE "SIR" LIGHT IS ON CONTINUOUSLY. WHEN TRYING TO READ THE CODES, THE DERM MAY NOT COMMUNICATE WITH THE TECH 1.

IN RARE INSTANCES, THE IGNITION OR BATTERY WIRES COMING FROM THE DERM MAY BE CHAFFED ON EITHER THE CASE OF THE DERM OR THE MOUNTING BRACKET, CAUSING A SHORT TO GROUND THRU THE DERM. THIS MAY DAMAGE THE DERM, THE WIRING, AND/OR THE CONNECTOR. THE DAMAGE WILL USUALLY BE MELTED WIRE INSULATION, MELTED CONNECTOR BODIES (BOTH THE HARNESS CONNECTOR AND THE DERM CONNECTOR), AND TERMINALS WHICH APPEAR DARKENED OR BURNED.

THIS WAS CORRECTED IN SEPTEMBER, 1994, WITH ADDED CONDUIT AROUND THE WIRING. VERY FEW 1995 VEHICLES WILL BE AFFECTED.

CORRECTION:

**CAUTION: THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES MUST BE FOLLOWED IN THE ORDER LISTED TO TEMPORARILY DISABLE THE SUPPLEMENTAL INFLATABLE RESTRAINT (SIR) SYSTEM AND PREVENT FALSE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES FROM SETTING. FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES COULD RESULT IN POSSIBLE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, PERSONAL INJURY OR OTHERWISE UNNEEDED SIR SYSTEM REPAIRS.**

1. DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE. REMOVE THE "AIR BAG" FUSE FROM THE I/P FUSE BLOCK. DISCONNECT THE CONNECTOR POSITION ASSURANCE (CPA) AND THE YELLOW 2-WAY CONNECTOR AT THE BASE OF THE STEERING COLUMN.

2. FIND THE SOURCE OF THE CHAFFING. ON BUICK VEHICLES, THIS IS MOST LIKELY IN THE AREA OF THE BUNDLE OF WIRES COMING THRU THE FRONT OF DASH, ABOVE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS BUNDLE CAN RUB AGAINST THE SCREW HOLDING THE DERM TO ITS BRACKET. ON OLDSMOBILE VEHICLES, CHECK THE AREA WHERE THE LARGE I/P BUNDLE BENDS AROUND THE DERM BRACKET.

3. CHECK THE DERM CONNECTOR CAREFULLY FOR SIGNS OF MELTING OR OTHER DAMAGE. IF ANY DAMAGE EXISTS, REPLACE THE CONNECTOR WITH P/N 12167101. THIS CONNECTOR WILL HAVE WIRES (ALL THE SAME COLOR) AND TERMINALS ALREADY INSTALLED IN EACH CAVITY. SPLICE EACH WIRE INTO THE HARNESS, ONE CIRCUIT AT A TIME, USING THE HEAT-SHRINK CONNECTORS PROVIDED. USE THE EXISTING CONNECTOR AS YOUR PATTERN TO INSURE THAT THE WIRES ARE CONNECTED PROPERLY. CUT OFF OR REMOVE ANY UNUSED WIRES FROM THE CONNECTOR.

4. REPAIR ANY DAMAGE TO THE HARNESS. VERIFY THAT ALL DERM GROUND WIRES FROM CONNECTOR CAVITIES A1, A2, AND A12 DO NOT HAVE DAMAGE, AND ARE PROPERLY CONNECTED TO BODY GROUND THRU THE RING TERMINALS. REPLACE IF NEEDED. MAKE SURE THAT HARNESSES ARE SECURED AND PROTECTED FROM FURTHER DAMAGE. USE EXTRA CONDUIT IF NEEDED.

5. FOLLOW THE NEXT STEPS IN THIS ORDER:

- REPLACE THE DERM.

- ATTACH THE NEW CONNECTOR TO THE DERM.

- RECONNECT THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE.

- TURN IGNITION SWITCH TO "LOCK" AND REMOVE KEY.

- RECONNECT THE YELLOW 2-WAY CONNECTOR AND THE CPA.

- REPLACE THE "AIR BAG" FUSE.

- STAYING WELL AWAY FROM THE INFLATOR MODULE, TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH TO "RUN", AND VERIFY THAT THE "AIR BAG" WARNING LAMP FLASHES SEVEN (7) TIMES AND THEN TURNS OFF. IF IT DOES NOT OPERATE AS DESCRIBED, PERFORM THE "SIR" DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM CHECK" IN SECTION 9J OF THE SERVICE MANUAL.

PART AVAILABILITY:

PARTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE ON 10/03/94 AT GMSPO.

WARRANTY INFORMATION:

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, USE: LABOR OPERATION: N6473 USE PUBLISHED LABOR OPERATION TIME.

FIGURES: 0

GENERAL MOTORS BULLETINS ARE INTENDED FOR USE BY PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIANS, NOT A "DO-IT-YOURSELFER". THEY ARE WRITTEN TO INFORM THOSE TECHNICIANS OF CONDITIONS THAT MAY OCCUR ON SOME VEHICLES, OR TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT COULD ASSIST IN THE PROPER SERVICE OF A VEHICLE. PROPERLY TRAINED TECHNICIANS HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, TOOLS, SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND KNOW-HOW TO DO A JOB PROPERLY AND SAFELY. IF A CONDITION IS DESCRIBED, DO NOT ASSUME THAT THE BULLETIN APPLIES TO YOUR VEHICLE, OR THAT YOUR VEHICLE WILL HAVE THAT CONDITION. SEE A GENERAL MOTORS DEALER SERVICING YOUR BRAND OF GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLE FOR INFORMATION ON WHETHER YOUR VEHICLE MAY BENEFIT FROM THE INFORMATION.