Dodge Dakota (ND). Manual - part 458

REMOVAL

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 sys-
tem, 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 protec-
tion, 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 enter-
ing the side curtain airbag, or becoming entrapped between the side curtain airbag cushion and the head-
liner. Failure to observe this warning could result in occupant injuries upon airbag deployment.

NOTE: 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 8 - 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 8 - ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS - STANDARD PROCEDURE - SERVICE AFTER A
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT DEPLOYMENT).

1. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable. Wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before

further service.

2. Remove the headliner from the vehicle. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INTERIOR/HEADLINER - REMOVAL).

3. Disengage the metal clip (5) that secures the side curtain airbag rear tether to the cab roof rear header (4) above

the rear window opening.

4. Disengage the two plastic retainers (9), then the metal clip (10) that secure the side curtain airbag front tether to

the inner A-pillar (1).

5. Remove the six screws (6) that secure the side curtain airbag to the U-nuts (3) in the inner roof rail (8).

6. Disconnect the body wire harness connector (2) for the side curtain airbag from the connector receptacle at the

front of the inflator.

7. Disengage the two plastic retainers (7) from the inner roof rail.

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RESTRAINTS - SERVICE INFORMATION

8. Remove the side curtain airbag from the vehicle as a unit.

INSTALLATION

RESTRAINTS - SERVICE INFORMATION

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1. Check to be certain that the six U-nuts (2) are properly installed in the inner roof rail (1) and that they are in

good condition.

2. Position the side curtain airbag into the vehicle as a unit.

3. Align each of the two plastic push-in fasteners (7) on the airbag channel with their holes in the inner roof side rail

and push them straight in until they are fully seated.

4. Reconnect the body wire harness connector (2) for the side curtain airbag to the connector receptacle at the

front of the inflator.

5. Loosely install the six screws (6) that secure the side curtain airbag to the U-nuts (3) in the inner roof rail (8).

6. Working from front to back, tighten each of the six screws. Tighten the screws to 6 N·m (50 in. lbs.).

7. Engage the metal clip (5) that secures the side curtain airbag rear tether to the cab roof rear header (4) above

the rear window opening.

8. Engage the metal clip (10), then the two plastic retainers (9) that secure the side curtain airbag front tether to the

inner A-pillar (1).

9. Reinstall the headliner into the vehicle. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INTERIOR/HEADLINER - INSTALLATION).

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RESTRAINTS - SERVICE INFORMATION

10. Do not reconnect the battery negative cable at this time. The supplemental restraint system verification test

procedure should be performed following service of any supplemental restraint system component. (Refer to 8
- ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS - STANDARD PROCEDURE - VERIFICATION TEST).

AIR BAG-DRIVER

DESCRIPTION

The color-keyed, injection molded, thermoplastic driver
airbag protective trim cover (2) is the most visible part
of the driver airbag. The driver airbag is located in the
center of the steering wheel (1), where it is secured
with two screws to the armature of the four-spoke
steering wheel. All models have a chrome Dodge Ram
emblem in the center of the trim cover. Concealed
beneath the driver airbag trim cover are the horn
switch, the folded airbag cushion, the airbag cushion
retainer, the airbag housing, the airbag inflator, and
the retainers that secure the inflator to the airbag
housing.

The airbag cushion, housing (5), and inflator (3) are
secured within an integral receptacle molded into the
back of the trim cover (4). The four vertical walls of
this receptacle have a total of twelve small windows
with blocking tabs that are engaged by twelve hook
formations around the perimeter of the airbag housing.
Each hook is inserted through one of the windows and
the blocking tab in each window keeps the hook prop-
erly engaged with the trim cover, locking the trim
cover securely into place on the airbag housing.

The resistive membrane-type horn switch is secured
with heat stakes to the inside surface of the driver air-
bag trim cover, between the trim cover and the folded
airbag cushion. The horn switch ground pigtail wire (2)
has an eyelet terminal connector that is captured
beneath a flanged nut on the upper right inflator
mounting stud on the back of the housing. The horn
switch feed pigtail wire has a black, molded plastic
insulator (1) that is secured by an integral retainer in a
locator hole near the upper right corner of the airbag
housing and is connected to the vehicle electrical system through a dedicated take out and connector of the steer-
ing wheel wire harness. Both horn switch wires are routed through an integral notch in the center of the upper edge
of the airbag housing stamping.

The airbag used in this model is a multistage, Next Generation-type that complies with revised federal airbag stan-
dards to deploy with less force than those used in some prior models. A 71 centimeter (28 inch) diameter, radial
deploying fabric cushion with internal tethers is used. The airbag inflator is a dual-initiator, non-azide, pyrotechnic-

RESTRAINTS - SERVICE INFORMATION

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