Deployment Procedures

You can only deploy the air bag inside of the vehicle.

Deployment Inside Vehicle - Vehicle Scrapping Procedure 

Deploy the air bags inside of the vehicle when destroying the vehicle or when salvaging the vehicle for parts. This includes, but is not limited to, the following situations:

• The vehicle has completed all useful life.
• Irreparable damage occurred to the vehicle in a non-deployment type accident.
• Irreparable damage occurred to the vehicle during a theft.
• The vehicle is being salvaged for parts to be used on a vehicle with a different VIN, as opposed to rebuilding as the same VIN.

1. Lower the driver and passenger windows.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position and remove the ignition key.
3. Check that all air bags which will be deployed are mounted securely.
4. Remove all loose objects from the front seats.
Fig 1: I/P Module Connector To Vehicle Harness Connector (LH Side I/P)
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY
WARNING:

A deployed dual stage inflator module will look the same whether one or both stages were used. Always assume a deployed dual stage inflator module has an active stage 2. Improper handling or servicing can activate the inflator module and cause personal injury.

5. Disconnect the steering wheel air bag yellow connector (1) from vehicle harness yellow connector (3).
Fig 2: Stripping SIR Wires
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY
NOTE:

If the vehicle is equipped with dual stage air bags the steering wheel air bag and instrument panel air bag will each have 4 wires. Refer to COMPONENT CONNECTOR END VIEWS - INDEX for determining high and low circuits.

6. Cut the yellow harness connector out of the vehicle, leaving at least 16 cm (6 in) of wire at the connector.
7. Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from each of the connector wire leads.
Fig 3: Fabricating 20 Ft. Deployment Harness
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY
8. Cut two 6.1 m (20 ft) deployment wires from a 0.8 mm (18 gauge) or thicker multi-strand wire. Use these wires to fabricate the driver deployment harness.
9. Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from both ends of the wires.
10. Twist together one end from each of the wires in order to short the wires. Deployment wires shall remain shorted, and not connected to a power source until you are ready to deploy the air bag.
Fig 4: Twisting Connector Wire Leads (High Circuits) To Deployment Harness Wire
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY
11. Twist together the 2 connector wire leads from the high circuits from both stages of the steering wheel air bag, to one set of deployment wires. Refer to COMPONENT CONNECTOR END VIEWS - INDEX in order to determine the correct circuits.
12. Inspect that the 3-wire connection is secure.
13. Secure and insulate the 3-wire connection to the deployment harness using electrical tape.
Fig 5: Twisting Connector Wire Leads (Low Circuits) To Deployment Harness Wire
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY
14. Twist together the 2 connector wire leads from the low circuits from both stages of the steering wheel air bag, to one set of deployment wires. Refer to COMPONENT CONNECTOR END VIEWS - INDEX in order to determine the correct circuits.
15. Inspect that the 3-wire connection is secure.
16. Secure and insulate the 3-wire connection to the deployment harness using electrical tape.
17. Connect the deployment harness to the connector on the steering wheel air bag.
18. Route the deployment harness out of the driver side of the vehicle.
19. Disconnect the yellow left roof rail harness connector from the vehicle harness connector.
20. Cut the harness connector out of the vehicle, leaving at least 16 cm (6 in) of wire at the connector.
21. Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from each of the connector wire leads.
22. Cut two 6.1 m (20 ft) deployment wires from a 0.8 mm (18 gauge) or thicker multi-strand wire. These wires will be used to fabricate the roof rail air bag deployment harness.
23. Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from both ends of the wires.
24. Twist together one end from each of the wires in order to short the wires.
25. Twist together one connector wire lead to one deployment wire.
26. Secure and insulate the connection using electrical tape.
27. Twist together and tape the remaining connector wire lead to the remaining deployment wire.
28. Connect the deployment harness to the yellow connector of the roof rail air bag.
29. Route the deployment harness out of the driver side of the vehicle.
Fig 6: Identifying I/P Module Connector To Vehicle Harness Connector
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY
30. Disconnect the instrument panel air bag yellow harness connector (1) from the vehicle harness connector (2).
NOTE:

If the vehicle is equipped with dual stage air bags the steering wheel air bag and instrument panel air bag will each have 4 wires. Refer to COMPONENT CONNECTOR END VIEWS - INDEX for determining high and low circuits.

31. Cut the yellow harness connector out of the vehicle, leaving at least 16 cm (6 in) of wire at the connector.
32. Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from each of the connector wire leads.
33. Cut two 6.1 m (20 ft) deployment wires from a 0.8 mm (18 gauge) or thicker multi-strand wire. These wires will be used to fabricate the passenger deployment harness.
34. Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from both ends of the wires.
35. Twist together one end from each of the wires in order to short the wires.
36. Twist together the 2 connector wire leads from the high circuits from both stages of the instrument panel air bag to one set of deployment wires. Refer to COMPONENT CONNECTOR END VIEWS - INDEX in order to determine the correct circuits.
37. Inspect that the 3-wire connection is secure.
38. Secure and insulate the 3-wire connection to the deployment harness using electrical tape.
39. Twist together the 2 connector wire leads from the low circuits from both stages of the instrument panel air bag to one set of deployment wires. Refer to COMPONENT CONNECTOR END VIEWS - INDEX in order to determine the correct circuits.
40. Inspect that the 3-wire connection is secure.
41. Secure and insulate the 3-wire connection to the deployment harness using electrical tape.
42. Connect the deployment harness to the instrument panel air bag in-line connector.
43. Route the deployment harness out of the passenger side of the vehicle.
44. Disconnect the yellow harness connector to the right roof rail air bag from the vehicle harness connector.
45. Cut the harness connector out of the vehicle, leaving at least 16 cm (6 in) of wire at the connector.
46. Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from each of the connector wire leads.
47. Cut two 6.1 m (20 ft) deployment wires from a 0.8 mm (18 gauge) or thicker multi-strand wire. These wires will be used to fabricate the roof rail air bag deployment harness.
48. Strip 13 mm (0.5 in) of insulation from both ends of the wires.
49. Twist together one end from each of the wires in order to short the wires.
50. Twist together one connector wire lead to one deployment wire.
51. Secure and insulate the connection using electrical tape.
52. Twist together and tape the remaining connector wire lead to the remaining deployment wire.
53. Connect the deployment harness to the roof rail air bag yellow connector.
54. Route the deployment harness out of the passenger side of the vehicle.
55. Completely cover the windshield and the front door window openings with a drop cloth.
56. Stretch to the full length all of the deployment harness wires on the right side of the vehicle.
57. Deploy each deployment loop one at a time.
58. Place a power source, 12 V minimum/2A minimum, such as a vehicle battery, near the shorted end of the harnesses.
59. Separate one set of wires and touch the wire ends to the power source in order to deploy the selected air bag.
60. Disconnect the deployment harness from the power source and twist the wire ends together.
61. Continue the same process with the remaining deployment harnesses.
62. Disconnect all harnesses from the vehicle.
63. Discard the harnesses.
64. Scrap the vehicle in the same manner as a non-SIR equipped vehicle.
65. If one or all of the air bags did not deploy, remove the undeployed air bags from the vehicle.