Curtain Airbag: Removal
The following procedure is for replacement of a faulty or damaged side curtain airbag. If the airbag is faulty or damaged, but not deployed, review the recommended procedures for handling non-deployed supplemental restraints. (Refer to ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS - STANDARD PROCEDURE - HANDLING NON-DEPLOYED SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINTS) . If the side curtain airbag has been deployed, review the recommended procedures for service after a supplemental restraint deployment before removing the airbag from the vehicle. (Refer to ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS - STANDARD PROCEDURE - SERVICE AFTER A SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT DEPLOYMENT) .
WARNING:
To avoid personal injury or death, on vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the supplemental restraint system before attempting any steering wheel, steering column, airbag, occupant classification system, seat belt tensioner, impact sensor, or instrument panel component diagnosis or service. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative (ground) cable, then wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before performing further diagnosis or service. This is the only sure way to disable the supplemental restraint system. Failure to take the proper precautions could result in accidental airbag deployment.
WARNING:
To avoid personal injury or death, when removing a deployed airbag, rubber gloves, eye protection, and a long-sleeved shirt should be worn. There may be deposits on the airbag unit and other interior surfaces. In large doses, these deposits may cause irritation to the skin and eyes.
WARNING:
To avoid personal injury or death, use extreme care to prevent any foreign material from entering the side curtain airbag, or becoming entrapped between the side curtain airbag cushion and the headliner. Failure to observe this warning could result in occupant injuries upon airbag deployment.
- Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable. Wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before further service.
- Remove the lower trim from the inside of the B-pillar. (Refer to BODY/INTERIOR/B-PILLAR LOWER TRIM - REMOVAL) .
- Remove the headliner from the vehicle. (Refer to BODY/INTERIOR/HEADLINER - REMOVAL) .
- Remove the screw that secures the side curtain airbag tether retainer to the base of the A-pillar near the belt line. See Fig 1.
1 - A-PILLAR 2 - CLIP (1) 3 - TETHER 4 - RETAINER (1) 5 - SCREW (1) - Disengage the side curtain airbag tether plastic retainer clip from the A-pillar.
- Disconnect the side curtain airbag pigtail wire connector from the body wire harness connector near the base of the B-pillar. See Fig 2.
1 - RETAINER (3) 2 - B-PILLAR 3 - WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR 4 - PIGTAIL WIRE - Disengage the three side curtain airbag pigtail wire retainer clips from the B-pillar.
- Remove the three screws that secure the side curtain airbag manifold tube brackets to the U-nuts in the roof rail and. See Fig 3 and Fig 4.
1 - ROOF PANEL 2 - PIGTAIL WIRE 3 - B-PILLAR 4 - PUSH-IN FASTENER (4) 5 - RETAINER 6 - CHANNEL 7 - A-PILLAR 8 - TETHER 9 - SCREW (3) 10 - U-NUT (5) 1 - ROOF PANEL 2 - SCREW (3) 3 - U-NUT (5) 4 - PIGTAIL WIRE 5 - MANIFOLD 6 - C-PILLAR 7 - PUSH-IN FASTENER (4) 8 - CHANNEL - Remove the two screws that secure the side curtain airbag inflator bracket to the U-nuts in the roof rail. See Fig 5.
1 - U-NUT (5) 2 - ROOF PANEL 3 - INFLATOR 4 - C-PILLAR 5 - SCREW (2) 6 - MANIFOLD 7 - PIGTAIL WIRE 8 - BRACKET - Grasp the extruded plastic side curtain airbag channel firmly and pull it straight away from the roof rail far enough to disengage all four plastic push-in fasteners that secure it.
- Remove the side curtain airbag from the vehicle as a unit.