Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch: Operation

The passenger airbag on/off switch allows the customer to turn the passenger airbag function On or Off to accommodate certain uses of the right front seating position where airbag protection may not be desired. See the owner's manual in the vehicle glove box for specific recommendations on when to enable or disable the passenger airbag. The Off indicator of the switch will be illuminated whenever the switch is turned to the Off position and the ignition switch is in the On position.

The ignition key is the only key or object that should ever be inserted into the key cylinder actuator of the switch. The on/off switch requires only a partial key insertion to fully depress a spring-loaded locking plunger. The spring-loaded locking plunger prevents the user from leaving the key in the switch. The key will be automatically ejected when force is not applied. To actuate the passenger airbag on/off switch, insert the ignition key into the switch key actuator far enough to fully depress the plunger, then rotate the actuator to the desired switch position. When the switch key actuator is rotated to its clockwise stop (the key actuator slot will be aligned with the Off indicator), the Off indicator is illuminated and the passenger airbag is disabled. When the switch is rotated to its counterclockwise stop (the key actuator slot will be in a vertical position), the Off indicator will be extinguished and the passenger airbag is enabled.

The passenger airbag on/off switch connects one of two internal resistors in series between the passenger airbag mux switch sense and passenger airbag mux switch return circuits of the Airbag Control Module (ACM). The ACM continually monitors the resistance in these circuits to determine the switch position that has been selected. When the switch is in the Off position, the ACM provides a ground input to the switch through the passenger airbag indicator driver circuit, which energizes the Light-Emitting Diode (LED) that illuminates the Off indicator of the switch.

The ACM will also illuminate the Off indicator of the switch for about seven seconds each time the ignition switch is turned to the On position as a bulb test. The ACM will store a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) for any fault it detects in the passenger airbag on/off switch or Off indicator circuits and will illuminate the airbag indicator in the instrument cluster if a fault is detected. For proper diagnosis of the passenger airbag on/off switch or the ACM, a DRBIII® scan tool is required. Refer to the appropriate diagnostic information.