Rendezvous AWD V6-3.6L VIN 7 (2004)
Air Bag: Description and Operation
Dual Stage Inflator Modules
DUAL STAGE INFLATOR MODULES
Dual stage inflator modules consist of a housing, inflatable air bag, 2 initiating devices, a canister of gas generating material, and in some cases stored
compressed gas. The 2 initiators are part of the frontal deployment loop. The function of the frontal deployment loops are to supply current through the
steering wheel and instrument panel (I/P) inflator modules to deploy the air bags. The inflator modules have 2 stages of deployment, which varies the
amount of restraint to the occupant according to the collision severity. For moderate frontal collisions, the inflator modules deploy at less than full
deployment, or low deployment, which consists of stage 1 of the inflator module. For more severe frontal collisions, a full deployment is initiated which
consists of stage 1 and stage 2 of the inflator module. The current passing through the initiators ignite the material in the canister producing a rapid
generation of gas and in some cases, the release of compressed gas. The gas produced from this reaction rapidly inflates the air bag. Once the air bag is
inflated, it quickly deflates through the air bag vent holes and/or the bag fabric. Each dual stage inflator module is equipped with a shorting bar located in
the connectors of the module. The shorting bar shorts the inflator module deployment loop circuitry to prevent unwanted deployment of the air bag when
it is disconnected.
