Content .. 245 246 247 248 ..

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter / Dodge Sprinter. Manual - part 247

(8) Remove the seat belt turning loop height

adjuster from the inner B-pillar.

INSTALLATION

WARNING: To avoid personal injury or death, on
vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the supple-
mental

restraint

system

before

attempting

any

steering wheel, steering column, airbag, seat belt
tensioner, or instrument panel component diagno-
sis or service. Disconnect and isolate the battery
negative (ground) cable, then wait two minutes for
the system capacitor to discharge before perform-
ing further diagnosis or service. This is the only
sure way to disable the supplemental restraint sys-
tem. Failure to take the proper precautions could
result in accidental airbag deployment.

WARNING: To avoid personal injury or death, during
and

following

any

seat

belt

service,

carefully

inspect all seat belts, buckles, mounting hardware,
retractors, and anchors for proper installation, oper-
ation, or damage. Replace any belt that is cut,
frayed, or torn. Straighten any belt that is twisted.
Tighten any loose fasteners. Replace any belt that
has a damaged or inoperative buckle or retractor.
Replace any belt that has a bent or damaged latch
plate or anchor plate. Never attempt to repair a seat
belt component. Always replace damaged or faulty
seat belt components with the correct, new and
unused

replacement

parts

listed

the

DaimlerChrysler Mopar Parts Catalog.

(1) Position the seat belt turning loop height

adjuster onto the inner B-pillar (Fig. 42).

(2) Install and tighten the two screws that secure

the seat belt turning loop height adjuster to the
upper inner B-pillar. Tighten the screws to 35 N·m
(26 ft. lbs.).

(3) Position the front seat belt turning loop onto

the height adjuster on the upper B-pillar (Fig. 41).

(4) Install and tighten the nut that secures the

front seat belt turning loop to the height adjuster.
Tighten the nut to 35 N·m (26 ft. lbs.).

(5) Position the height adjuster trim to the upper

B-pillar so that the driver on the back of the trim
engages the lug of the height adjuster (Fig. 40).

(6) Reinstall the trim panel onto the inside of the

B-pillar. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INTERIOR/B-PILLAR
TRIM - INSTALLATION).

(7) Reconnect the battery negative cable.

SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG

DESCRIPTION

Optional side curtain airbags are available for this

model when it is also equipped with dual front air-
bags. These airbags are passive, inflatable, Supple-
mental Restraint System (SRS) components (Fig. 43).
This system is designed to reduce injuries to the
vehicle occupants in the event of a side impact colli-
sion.

Vehicles equipped with side curtain airbags have

two individually controlled curtain airbag units.
These airbag units are concealed and mounted above
the front door openings where they are each secured
to one of the roof side rails. Each folded airbag cush-
ion is contained within a channel in the molded plas-
tic garnish molding that extends along the roof rail
from the A-pillar at the front of the vehicle to just
behind the B-pillar. A tether extends down the A-pil-
lar from the front of the airbag cushion, where it is
secured to the base of the pillar near the belt line
with a screw.

The hybrid-type inflator for each airbag is con-

nected to the airbag cushion by a tubular manifold.
The inflator bracket and the airbag cushion channel
are located with a stamped metal lug to a bore in the
roof rail, then secured with screws at the A-pillar in
the front and the B-pillar in the rear. A two-wire pig-
tail wire is routed from the airbag inflator down the
B-pillar where it connects the unit to a take out of
the vehicle body wire harness with a keyed and
latched connector insulator.

The side curtain airbag unit cannot be adjusted or

repaired and must be replaced if deployed, faulty, or

Fig. 43 Side Curtain Airbag

1 - GRAB HANDLE
2 - B-PILLAR TRIM
3 - SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG

RESTRAINTS

8O - 35

in any way damaged. Once a side curtain airbag has
been deployed, the complete airbag unit and all other
visibly damaged components must be replaced.

OPERATION

Each side curtain airbag is deployed individually

by an electrical signal generated by the Airbag Con-
trol Module (ACM) to which it is connected through
left or right curtain airbag line 1 and line 2 (or
squib) circuits. The hybrid-type inflator assembly for
each airbag contains a small canister of highly com-
pressed inert gas. When the ACM sends the proper
electrical signal to the airbag inflator, the electrical
energy creates enough heat to ignite chemical pellets
within the inflator. Once ignited, these chemicals
burn rapidly and produce the pressure necessary to
rupture a containment disk in the inert gas canister.
The inflator and inert gas canister are sealed and
connected to a tubular manifold so that all of the
released gas is directed into the folded side curtain
airbag cushion, causing the cushion to inflate.

As the airbag cushion inflates it will split the gar-

nish molding at a predetermined breakout line and
drop down from the roof rail along the side glass and
body pillars to form a curtain-like cushion to protect
the vehicle occupants during a side impact collision.
The front tether keeps the front portion of the side
curtain bag taut, thus ensuring that the bag will
deploy in the proper position. Following the airbag
deployment, the airbag cushion quickly deflates by
venting the inert gas through the loose weave of the
cushion fabric, and the deflated cushion hangs down
loosely from the roof rail.

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 8 - ELECTRICAL/
RESTRAINTS - STANDARD PROCEDURE - HAN-
DLING

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 PRO-
CEDURE - SERVICE AFTER A SUPPLEMENTAL
RESTRAINT DEPLOYMENT).

WARNING: To avoid personal injury or death, on
vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the supple-
mental

restraint

system

before

attempting

any

before performing further diagnosis or service. This
is the only sure way to disable the supplemental
restraint system. Failure to take the proper precau-
tions 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 depos-
its 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

roof

rail

garnish

molding.

Failure

observe this warning could result in occupant inju-
ries upon airbag deployment.

(1) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative

cable. Wait two minutes for the system capacitor to
discharge before further service.

(2) Remove the pinch welt from the front door

opening of the vehicle as needed to access the side
curtain airbag (Fig. 44).

(3) Remove the trim from the inside of the B-pillar.

(Refer to 23 - BODY/INTERIOR/B-PILLAR TRIM -
REMOVAL).

(4) Remove the grab handle from the headliner.

(Refer to 23 - BODY/INTERIOR/ASSIST HANDLE -
REMOVAL).

Fig. 44 Pinch Welt

1 - GRAB HANDLE
2 - B-PILLAR TRIM
3 - PINCH WELT

8O - 36

RESTRAINTS

(5) Carefully remove the trim from the A-pillar

that conceals the side curtain airbag front tether
(Fig. 45).

(6) Disconnect the pigtail wire connector for the

side curtain airbag from the vehicle wire harness
connector on the B-pillar (Fig. 46).

(7) Cut the tie wrap that secures the side curtain

airbag pigtail wire to the inside of the B-pillar.

(8) Remove the screw that secures the side curtain

airbag tether retainer to the base of the A-pillar near
the belt line (Fig. 47).

(9) Remove the screw that secures the front of the

side curtain airbag to the A-pillar (Fig. 48).

(10) Remove the screw that secures the rear of the

side curtain airbag to the B-pillar.

(11) Disengage the lug that secures the side cur-

tain airbag bracket from within the bore in the roof
side rail and remove the unit from the vehicle (Fig.
49).

Fig. 45 A-Pillar Front Tether

1 - A-PILLAR
2 - FRONT TETHER

Fig. 46 Side Curtain Airbag Connector

1 - TIE WRAP
2 - B-PILLAR
3 - CONNECTOR

Fig. 47 Tether Anchor Screw

1 - A-PILLAR
2 - TETHER
3 - SCREW

Fig. 48 Side Curtain Airbag Screws

1 - SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG
2 - REAR SCREW
3 - FRONT SCREW

RESTRAINTS

8O - 37

INSTALLATION

The following procedure is for replacement of a

NON-DEPLOYED

SUPPLEMENTAL

WARNING: To avoid personal injury or death, on
vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the supple-
mental

restraint

system

before

attempting

any

steering wheel, steering column, airbag, seat belt
tensioner, impact sensor, or instrument panel com-
ponent 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 precau-
tions could result in accidental airbag deployment.

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

roof

rail

garnish

molding.

Failure

observe this warning could result in occupant inju-
ries upon airbag deployment.

(1) Position the side curtain airbag into the vehicle

as a unit.

(2) Engage the lug that secures the side curtain

airbag bracket into the bore in the roof side rail (Fig.
50).

(3) Install and tighten the screw that secures the

rear of the side curtain airbag to the B-pillar (Fig.
48). Tighten the screw to 23 N·m (17 ft. lbs.).

(4) Install and tighten the screw that secures the

front of the side curtain airbag to the A-pillar.
Tighten the screw to 9 N·m (80 in. lbs.).

(5) Install and tighten the screw that secures the

side curtain airbag front tether retainer to the base
of the A-pillar near the belt line (Fig. 47). Tighten
the screw to 5 N·m (44 in. lbs.).

(6) Install a new tie wrap to secure the side cur-

tain airbag pigtail wire to the inside of the B-pillar
(Fig. 46).

(7) Reconnect the pigtail wire connector for the

side curtain airbag to the vehicle wire harness con-
nector on the B-pillar. Be certain the connector is
fully engaged and latched.

(8) Reinstall the trim onto the A-pillar that con-

ceals the side curtain airbag front tether (Fig. 45).

Fig. 49 Side Curtain Airbag Remove

1 - ROOF SIDE RAIL
2 - SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG

Fig. 50 Side Curtain Airbag Install

1 - ROOF SIDE RAIL
2 - BORE
3 - SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG BRACKET
4 - LUG

8O - 38

RESTRAINTS

Content .. 245 246 247 248 ..