Description And Operation: Description
Remote or satellite impact sensors are mounted in various strategic locations of the vehicle. These sensors are mounted remotely from the impact sensor that is internal to the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC). Sensors at the front of the vehicle provide an additional logic input for use by the ORC to control the front airbags, the seat belt tensioners and, if equipped, the driver Knee AirBag (KAB). Sensors on each side of the vehicle provide an additional logic input for use by the ORC to control the side curtain airbags, seat airbags and the seat belt tensioners. Two types of sensors are used in this vehicle. They are the acceleration-type and the pressure-type, which are described elsewhere within this service information.
- 4 impact sensors (2 accelerometer sensors, 2 pressure sensors)
- 2 front impact sensors ECS (Early Crash Sensor)
Front impact sensor
The sensor contains an accelerometer that measures the rate of vehicle deceleration in the event of an impact. The sensor is located inside the front radiator support.
In head-on collisions, the impact sensor in the ORC acts as the primary sensor and the front sensor provides confirmation of the event.
Side pressure and impact sensors
One pressure sensor is located in each of the front doors to protect front row passengers in the event of side crashes.
The pressure sensors can detect a sudden change in air pressure within the door which is consistent with a direct impact to the door. The sensor signal alone cannot command the explosion of the airbag. The ORC or a second sensor must detect a crash event simultaneously to deploy the side airbags.
B-pillar side impact sensor
Two accelerometric impact sensors are used on each side of the vehicle to detect a side impact and support the side curtain airbags, the seat-mounted thorax airbags, and the seat belt tensioners.
An accelerometer crash sensor for each side is located behind the cover at the bottom of the B-pillar. All sensors in the passive restraints system relay information to the ORC using the Peripheral Sensor Interface 5 (PSI5) network architecture.
During side impacts, the first sensor detects the impact and the other sensors confirm the event.