RAM 3500 Truck 4WD L6-6.7L DSL Turbo (2008)
Air Bag: Description and Operation
Passenger Airbag
Description
DESCRIPTION
The horizontal surface of the injection molded, thermoplastic passenger airbag door (1) is the most visible part of the passenger airbag. The passenger
airbag door is located above the glove box opening on the top of the instrument panel (2) in front of the front seat passenger seating position.
The forward and outboard edges of the airbag door are secured with integral snap features (3) to the instrument panel base trim, while the rearward edge
has several interlocking tabs that engage slots in the base trim. Located below the passenger airbag door (2) within the instrument panel is the passenger
airbag unit. The passenger airbag unit is secured by two screws through a stamped mounting bracket (5) to a support bracket welded onto the instrument
panel structural support.
The passenger airbag housing fits into a molded receptacle on the back of the airbag door, where several stamped hook formations on the forward and
rearward edges of the airbag housing are engaged in mating small window openings on the forward and rearward flanges of the receptacle to secure the
airbag door to the airbag housing. These airbag door fasteners and mounting provisions are all concealed beneath the instrument panel base trim.
The passenger airbag unit used in this vehicle is a multistage, Next Generation-type that complies with revised federal airbag standards to deploy with
less force than those used in some prior vehicles. The passenger airbag unit consists of a stamped and welded metal housing, the airbag cushion, the
airbag inflator, and a stamped metal airbag cushion retainer plate that is secured to the airbag housing with four studs and nuts. The airbag housing
contains the airbag inflator and the folded airbag cushion. An approximately 80 centimeter (31.5 inch) wide by 90 centimeter (35.5 inch) high
rectangular fabric cushion is used.
The airbag inflator (4) is a non-azide, pyrotechnic-type unit that is secured to and sealed within the airbag housing. A short four-wire pigtail harness with
a keyed, yellow connector insulator (1) connects the two inflator initiators to the vehicle electrical system through a dedicated take out and connector of
the instrument panel wire harness.
