Air Bag, Side Curtain: Description
Side curtain airbags (also known as Side AirBag Inflatable Curtains/SABIC) are standard factory-installed equipment for this vehicle. These airbags are passive, inflatable, Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) components. The side curtain airbag system is designed to reduce injuries to the vehicle occupants in the event of a side impact collision or a vehicle rollover incident. Each side curtain airbag cushion provides full coverage of the side glass on the same side of the vehicle as the monitored impact.
Each vehicle is equipped with two individually controlled side curtain airbag units. These side curtain airbag units are concealed and mounted above the headliner where they are each secured to one of the roof side rails. Each folded airbag cushion is contained within a fabric wrap and extruded plastic channels that extend along the roof rail from the A-pillar at the front of the vehicle to just behind the C-pillar at the rear of the vehicle.
A long tether extends down the A-pillar from the front of the side curtain airbag cushion, while a shorter tether extends back to over the D pillar. The end of each tether is secured to a slot in the sheet metal with a metal hook, while additional plastic push-pin fasteners secure the front tether to the inside surface of the A-pillar.
The hybrid-type inflator for each side curtain airbag is secured to the roof rail at the rear of the airbag unit between the C-pillar and the D-pillar, and is connected to the airbag cushion by a long tubular manifold. The inflator bracket and the extruded cushion channel are secured with both plastic push-pin fasteners and snap-in fasteners to the roof rail. The inflator is initially hung from slots in the roof rail by tabs that are integral to the inflator bracket.
The airbag inflator is connected to the vehicle electrical system through a dedicated take out and connector of the body wire harness near the top of the D-pillar. The body wire harness connects the side curtain airbag unit to the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC).
The side curtain airbag units cannot be adjusted or repaired and must be replaced if deployed, ineffective or in any way damaged. Once a side curtain airbag has been deployed, the complete side curtain airbag unit, the headliner, the upper A, B and C-pillar trim as well as all other visibly damaged components must be replaced.