Air Bag, Driver: Description
The injection molded, thermoplastic Driver AirBag (DAB) protective trim cover (2) is the most visible part of the DAB. The DAB is secured to the horn switch upper plate. The DAB is located in the center of the steering wheel (1), where it is secured by a spring wire retainer in the horn switch upper plate to two hooks, integral to the DAB. An injection molded emblem with the Fiat logo is applied to the center of the trim cover.
Concealed beneath the DAB trim cover are the folded airbag cushion, the airbag housing, the airbag inflator and the retainers that secure the inflator to the housing. The airbag cushion, housing and inflator are secured within an integral receptacle molded into the back of the trim cover. The vertical walls of this receptacle have numerous integral window features that are engaged by numerous hook features around the perimeter of the DAB housing. Once the trim cover is fully seated onto the housing, it can only be removed by cutting it off. The DAB housing also has four latch tabs, which are used to secure the floating horn switch and fixing plate unit to the back of the housing.
The DAB used in this vehicle is a multi-stage-type that complies with revised federal airbag standards to deploy with less force than those used in some prior vehicles. A radial deploying fabric airbag cushion with internal tethers is used. The airbag inflator is a dual-initiator, non-azide, pyrotechnic-type unit and is secured to the airbag housing. Two keyed and color-coded connector receptacles on the DAB inflator connect the two inflator initiators to the vehicle electrical system through two jacketed, two-wire pigtail harnesses from the clockspring wire harness connector. These connections are completed to the vehicle electrical system through a single wire harness from the clockspring.
The DAB cannot be repaired, and must be replaced if deployed, ineffective or in any way damaged. The DAB trim cover is serviced only as a unit with the DAB.