Caution: Refer to SIR Inflator Module Handling and Storage Caution in the Preface section.
Live and Undeployed Inflator Module
Take special care when handling or storing a live and undeployed inflator module.
An inflator module deployment produces a rapid generation of gas. This may cause the
inflator module, or an object in front of the inflator module, to project through
the air in the event of an unlikely deployment.
Scrapping Procedure
During the course of useful vehicle life, certain situations may arise which
will require the disposal of a live and undeployed inflator module. Do not dispose
of a live and undeployed inflator module through normal disposal channels until the
inflator module has been deployed. The following information covers the proper procedures
for the disposing of a live and undeployed inflator module.
Do not deploy the inflator module in the following situations:
• | After replacement of an inflator module under warranty. The inflator module
may need to be returned undeployed to the manufacturer. |
• | If the vehicle is the subject of a product liability report, GM-1241,
related to the SIR system. When a vehicle is the subject of a product liability report,
do not alter the SIR system in any manner. |
• | If the vehicle is involved in a campaign affecting the inflator modules.
Follow the instructions in the campaign service bulletin for proper SIR handling procedures. |
Deployment Procedures
The inflator module can be deployed inside or outside of the vehicle. The method
used depends upon the final disposition of the vehicle. Review the following procedures
in order to determine which will work best in a given situation:
Deployment Outside Vehicle - Steering Wheel Module, I/P Module, and Side
Impact Module
Tools Required
• | An appropriate pigtail adaptor |
Deploy the inflator module outside of the vehicle when the vehicle will be returned
to service. Situations that require deployment outside of the vehicle include the
following:
• | Using the SIR diagnostics, it is determined that the inflator module is
malfunctioning. |
• | The inflator module is cosmetically damaged, scratched, or ripped. |
• | The inflator module pigtail, if equipped, is damaged. |
• | The inflator module connector is damaged. |
• | The inflator module connector terminals are damaged. |
Deployment and disposal of a malfunctioning inflator module is subject to any
required retention period.
Caution: Refer to SIR Inflator Module Disposal Caution in the Preface section.
- Turn OFF the ignition.
- Remove the ignition key.
- Put on safety glasses.
- Remove the inflator module. Refer to the following:
Caution: Refer to SIR Inflator Module Handling and Storage Caution in the Preface section.
- Place
the inflator module with the vinyl trim cover facing up and away from the surface
on a work bench, floor, or deployment fixture.
- Clear
a space on the floor approximately 1.85 m (6 ft) in diameter for deployment
of the inflator module. If possible, use a paved, outdoor location free of activity.
Otherwise, use a space free of activity on the shop floor. Make sure you have sufficient
ventilation.
- Make sure no loose or flammable objects are in the area.
- When deploying the steering wheel module, place the steering wheel module
in the center of the space.
- When deploying the I/P module, refer to
the following instructions:
9.1. | Place the J 39401-B
(2)
in the center of the cleared area. |
9.2. | Fill the deployment fixture with water or sand. |
9.3. | Using the proper nuts and bolts, mount the I/P module (1) to the
deployment fixture (2), with the vinyl/plastic trim cover facing up. |
9.4. | Securely tighten all fasteners that hold the I/P module (1) to
deployment fixture (2). |
- When deploying a side impact module, refer
to the following instructions:
• | Place the J 39401-B
(3)
in the center of the cleared area |
• | Fill the deployment fixture with water or sand |
• | Mount the side impact module (1) in the deployment fixture (3)
with the vinyl/plastic trim cover facing up. |
• | Adjust and secure the J 39401-B
fixture arms (4) to the deployment fixture (3). |
• | Securely tighten all fasteners that hold the side impact module (1)
to deployment fixture (3). |
- Inspect
the J 38826
and the appropriate
pigtail adapter for damage. Replace as needed.
- Short the 2 SIR deployment harness (1) leads together using
one banana plug seated into the other.
- Connect the appropriate pigtail adapter (2) to the J 38826
(1).
- Extend
the SIR deployment harness and adapter to full length from the deployment fixture.
- Connect the inflator module (1) to the adapter (2) on the J 38826
(3).
Important: When deploying an inflator module the rapid
expansion of gas involved with deploying an inflator module is very loud. Notify all
the people in the immediate area that an inflator module will be deployed. When the
inflator module deploys, the deployment fixture may jump about 30 cm (1 ft)
vertically. This is a normal reaction of a deploying inflator module.
- Clear the area of people.
- Place a 12-volt minimum/2-amp
minimum power source, such as a vehicle battery, near the shorted end of the J 38826
.
- Separate the 2 banana plugs on the J 38826
.
Important: The inflator module will deploy when the
SIR deployment harness wires contact the power source.
- Connect the SIR deployment harness wires to the power source. Inflator module
deployment will occur when contact is made.
- Disconnect the SIR deployment harness from the power source.
- Seat
one banana plug into the other in order to short the deployment harness leads.
- If the inflator module did not deploy, disconnect the adapter and discontinue
the procedure. Contact the Technical Assistance Group. Otherwise, proceed to the following
steps.
Caution: Refer to SIR Deployed Inflator Modules Are Hot Caution in the Preface section.
- Put on a pair of shop gloves.
- Disconnect the pigtail adapter from the inflator module as soon as possible.
- Dispose of the deployed inflator module through normal refuse channels.
- Wash hands with a mild soap.
Deployment Inside Vehicle - Vehicle Scrapping Procedure
Caution: Refer to SIR Inflatable Module Deployment Outside Vehicle Caution in the Preface section.
Deploy the inflator modules inside of the vehicle when destroying the vehicle
or when salvaging the vehicle for parts. This includes but is not limited to the following
situations:
• | The vehicle has completed its useful life. |
• | Irreparable damage occurs to the vehicle in a non-deployment type accident. |
• | Irreparable damage occurs to the vehicle during a theft. |
• | The vehicle is being salvaged for parts to be used on a vehicle with a
different VIN as opposed to rebuilding as the same VIN. |
- Disable the SIR system. Refer to
SIR Disabling and Enabling
.
- Put on safety glasses.
- Remove all loose objects from the front seats.
- Disconnect the steering wheel module coil connector.
- Cut
the steering wheel module coil harness connector out of the vehicle, leaving at least
16 cm (6 in) of wire at the connector.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from each of the connector
wire leads.
- Cut
two 4.6 m (15 ft) deployment wires from a 0.8 mm (18 gage)
or thicker multi-strand wire. These wires will be used for the steering wheel module
deployment harness.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from both ends of the
wires cut in the previous step.
- Twist together one end from each of the wires in order to short the wires.
Deployment wires shall remain shorted, and not connected to a power source until you
are ready to deploy the inflator module.
- Twist
together one connector wire lead to one deployment wire.
- Inspect that the previous connection is secure.
- Bend
flat the twisted connection.
- Secure and insulate the connection using electrical tape.
- Twist
together, bend, and tape the remaining connector wire lead to the remaining deployment
wire.
- Connect the deployment harness to the steering wheel module coil connector.
- Route the deployment harness out of the
driver side of the vehicle.
- Disconnect the side impact module -
LF connector (1), located under the driver seat.
- Cut
the side impact module - LF connector out of the vehicle, leaving at least 16 cm
(6 in) of wire at the connector.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from each of the connector
wire leads.
- Cut
two 4.6 m (15 ft) deployment wires from a 0.8 mm (18 gage)
or thicker multi-strand wire. These wires will be used for the side impact module -
LF deployment harness.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from both ends of these
wires.
- Twist together one end from each of the wires in order to short the wires.
Deployment wires shall remain shorted, and not connected to a power source until you
are ready to deploy the inflator module.
- Twist together one connector wire lead to one deployment wire.
- Inspect that the previous connection is secure.
- Bend flat the twisted connection.
- Secure and insulate the connection using electrical tape.
- Twist
together, bend, and tape the remaining connector wire lead to the remaining deployment
wire.
- Connect the deployment harness to the side
impact module - LF connector (1).
- Route the side impact module - LF
deployment harness out of the driver side of the vehicle.
- Disconnect the I/P module connector.
- Cut the I/P module harness connector out
of the vehicle, leaving at least 16 cm (6 in) of wire at the connector.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from each of the connector
wire leads.
- Cut
two 4.6 m (15 ft) deployment wires from a 0.8 mm (18 gage)
or thicker multi-strand wire. These wires will be used for the I/P module deployment
harness.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from both ends of the
wires cut in the previous step.
- Twist together one end from each of the wires in order to short the wires.
Deployment wires shall remain shorted, and not connected to a power source until the
inflator module is ready to be deployed.
- Twist together one connector wire lead to
one deployment wire.
- Inspect that the previous connection is secure.
- Bend flat the twisted connection.
- Secure and insulate the connection using electrical tape.
- Twist together, bend, and tape the remaining
connector wire lead to the remaining deployment wire.
- Connect the deployment harness to the I/P
module connector.
- Route the I/P module deployment harness
out of the passenger side of the vehicle.
- Disconnect the inflatable restraint side
impact module - RF connector (1), located under the passenger seat.
- Cut
the side impact module - RF connector out of the vehicle, leaving at least 16 cm
(6 in) of wire at the connector.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from each of the connector
wire leads.
- Cut
two 4.6 m (15 ft) deployment wires from a 0.8 mm (18 gage)
or thicker multi-strand wire. These wires will be used for the side impact module -
RF deployment harness.
- Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from both ends of these
wires.
- Twist together one end from each of the wires in order to short the wires.
Deployment wires shall remain shorted, and not connected to a power source until you
are ready to deploy the inflator module.
- Twist together one connector wire lead to one deployment wire.
- Inspect that the previous connection is secure.
- Bend flat the twisted connection.
- Secure and insulate the connection using electrical tape.
- Twist
together, bend, and tape the remaining connector wire lead to the remaining deployment
wire.
- Connect the deployment harness to the side
impact module - RF connector (1).
- Route the side impact module - RF
deployment harness out of the passenger side of the vehicle.
- Completely cover the windshield and the
front door openings with a drop cloth.
- Deploy each deployment loop one at a time.
- Stretch out all of the deployment harness wires on the left and right
side of the vehicle to their full length.
- Place a power source, 12-volt minimum/2-amp minimum, such as a vehicle
battery, near the shorted end of the harnesses.
Important: The inflator module will deploy when the
wire ends contact the power source.
- Separate one set of wires and touch the wire ends to the power source in order
to deploy the inflator modules.
- Disconnect the deployment harness from the power source and twist the
wire ends together.
- Continue the same process with the remaining deployment harnesses that
are available.
- Remove the drop cloth from the vehicle.
- Disconnect all harnesses from the vehicle.
- Discard the harnesses.
- Scrap the vehicle in the same manner as a non-SIR equipped vehicle.
- If one or more of the inflator modules did not deploy, perform the following
steps to remove the undeployed modules from the vehicle:
- Call the Technical Assistance Group for further assistance.