Driver Air Bag Module, Passenger Air Bag Module, Knee Air Bag Module and Seat Side Air Bag Module - Remote Deployment

WARNING: Never probe the electrical connectors on air bag, Safety Canopy® or side air curtain modules. Failure to follow this instruction may result in the accidental deployment of these modules, which increases the risk of serious personal injury or death.

WARNING: Always carry or place a live air bag module with the air bag and deployment door/trim cover/tear seam pointed away from the body. Do not set a live air bag module down with the deployment door/trim cover/tear seam face down. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury in the event of an accidental deployment.

WARNING: Always carry or place a live Safety Canopy®, or side air curtain module, with the module and tear seam pointed away from your body. Failure to follow this instruction may result in serious personal injury or death in the event of an accidental deployment.

WARNING: Deploy all supplemental restraint system (SRS) devices (air bags, pretensioners, load limiters, etc.) outdoors with all personnel at least 9 meters (30 feet) away to make sure of personal safety. Due to the loud report which occurs when an SRS device is deployed, hearing protection is required. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury.

NOTE: For air bag modules with multiple loops, deploy all of the loops on the air bag module.

NOTE: Some driver and passenger front air bags have 2 deployment stages and an active canister vent. After a collision it is possible that Stage 1 has deployed and Stage 2 and the active canister vent have not.
If a front air bag module has deployed, it is mandatory that the front air bag module be remotely deployed using the appropriate air bag disposal procedure.

NOTE: A typical air bag disposal is shown in illustration that is similar for all vehicles.

All driver, passenger, knee and seat side air bag modules

Make a container to house the air bag module for deployment.
- Obtain a tire and wheel assembly and an additional 4 tires (without wheels) of the same size.
- With the tire and wheel assembly on the bottom, stack the tires.
- Securely tie all of the tires together.
Fig 1: Placing Air Bag Modules Inside Tire For Deployment
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
Depower the SRS. Refer to SRS Depowering and Repowering .
Remove the air bag module. Refer to REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION for appropriate procedure.

NOTE: If the air bag module does not have a hard-wired pigtail, cut the wires and connector(s) from the vehicle wire harness and reconnect to the air bag module.

Cut each of the air bag module wires near the electrical connector that connects to the vehicle wire harness.
Remove any sheathing (if present) and strip the insulation from the ends of the cut wires.

NOTE: Typical driver air bag module with 2 loops shown in illustration, other air bag modules with multiple loops or multiple features (canister vent, active tether) similar.

Fig 2: Locating Air Bag Module Wire Loops

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

For air bag modules with multiple loops, twist together a wire from each loop then repeat for the remaining wires from each loop.
Make a jumper harness to deploy the air bag module.
- Obtain 2 wires (20 gauge minimum) at least 9.14 m (30 ft) long and strip both ends of each wire.
- At one end of the jumper harness, connect the wires together.
Using the end of the jumper harness where the wires are not connected together, attach each wire of the jumper harness to each wire of the air bag module or to the twisted-together wires if multiple loops. Use tape or other insulating material to make sure that the leads do not make contact with each other.

Fig 3: Connecting Jumper Wires To Squibs
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

Driver air bag modules

NOTE: Make sure the air bag connections are maintained.

Fig 4: Placing Driver Air Bag Modules Inside Tires For Deployment

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

For driver air bag modules, with the stack of tires upright and the wheel on the bottom, carefully place the driver air bag module, with the trim cover facing up, on the wheel.
Passenger, knee and seat side air bag modules

NOTE: Make sure the air bag connections are maintained.

Tip the stack of tires on its side and place the air bag module inside the center tire, making sure that there are 2 tires beneath the tire containing the air bag module and 2 tires (including the tire and wheel assembly) above the tire containing the air bag module.
Place the tire stack upright, with the wheel on top.

Fig 5: Placing Air Bag Module Inside Center Tire
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

All driver, passenger, knee and seat side air bag modules
Remain at least 9.14 m (30 ft) away from the air bag module.
From the end of the jumper harness that is not connected to the air bag module, disconnect the 2 wires of the jumper harness from each other.
Deploy the air bag module by touching the ends of the 2 wires of the jumper harness to the terminals of a 12-volt battery.
To allow for cooling, wait at least 10 minutes before approaching the deployed air bag module.
Dispose of the deployed air bag module in the same manner as any other part to be scrapped.