Section 01-20B: Restraints, Passive, Supplemental Air Bag System
1996 F-150, F-250, Bronco Workshop Manual
PARTS REPLACEMENT

Service of Air Bag Equipped Vehicles Involved in Collisions

If the accident involved an air bag deployment, check the sensors and wiring for damage when servicing a vehicle equipped with a driver side air bag module (043B13).

 WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REPLACE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG MODULE WITH ONE FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE, FOR ANY REASON. AIR BAG MODULES TAKEN FROM OTHER VEHICLES MAY HAVE DIFFERENT CALIBRATIONS OF THE AIR BAG MODULE AND INFLATOR AND MAY NOT OFFER ADEQUATE PROTECTION OR MAY CAUSE INJURY.

 

Sensors, Radiator Support, Right and Left Primary

 WARNING: VEHICLE SENSOR ORIENTATION IS CRITICAL FOR PROPER SYSTEM OPERATION. IF A VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH A SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG RESTRAINT SYSTEM HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE THE RADIATOR OR HOOD (16612) AREA HAS BEEN DAMAGED, INSPECT THE SENSOR MOUNTING BRACKETS FOR DEFORMATION. IF DAMAGED, THE SENSOR SHOULD BE REPLACED WHETHER OR NOT THE AIR BAG IS DEPLOYED. IN ADDITION, MAKE SURE THAT THE BODY STRUCTURE IN THE AREA OF THE SENSOR MOUNTING IS RESTORED TO ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION.

NOTE: Undamaged sensors will reset automatically after an accident and can be reused.

 

Damaged Wiring

 

Inspect the sensor wiring and the wiring harness for any damage that may have occurred as a result of the accident. Replace as required any damaged vehicle wiring harnesses including:

Wire or connector damage on a component pigtail cannot be repaired. Air bag system components are serviced by replacement only.

If splices are required in adjacent wiring, splices should be staggered 50mm (2 inches) apart from each other. Service as follows:

  1. NOTE: A durable splice is a 5-step process to be used for 16 gauge wire and smaller. For larger than 16 gauge wire, a jiffy splice must be used.

    Correctly strip the wires.

  1. NOTE: Durability of a wire splice is dependent on getting a joint that does not oxidize. Soldering is effective in keeping the air (oxide) out of the joint. Electronic circuits, and the very high current circuits, may fail because of oxidized joints. Oxidation cannot be seen with the naked eye.

    Twist and solder the wire (don't forget to install the shrink tubing first). Use rosin core, mildly activated (RMA) solder. (Do not use acid core.)

  1. Form (bend) the circuit into a shape for sealing, as illustrated.

  1. Reposition the shrink tubing over the splice.

  1. NOTE: When the hot sealant flows out of both ends of the tube, it has been heated long enough.

    Heat the entire length of the shrink tubing until the hot sealant comes out of both ends.

 

Steering Column and Air Bag Sliding Contact

If the collision involved air bag deployment, the steering column may have been loaded sufficiently to deform steering column instrument panel brackets (3676) or damage column wiring. An inspection should be made of the column structure and wiring to air bag sliding contact (14A664) to make sure any damaged components are replaced. Refer to Section 11-04.