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Airbag System Components
The airbag system consists of the following:
•Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) Module
•Airbag Warning Light
•Driver Airbag
•Passenger Airbag
•Steering Wheel And Column
•Instrument Panel
•Crash Sensor
•Interconnecting Wiring
•Knee Impact Bolsters
How The Airbag System Works
•
The Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) Module de-
termines if a frontal collision is severe enough to
require the airbags to inflate.
•The ORC will not detect side, roll over, or rear impacts.
•The ORC also monitors the readiness of the electronic
parts of the system whenever the ignition switch is in
the START or ON position. These include all of the
items listed above except the knee bolster, the instru-
ment panel, and the steering wheel and column. If the
ignition key is in the OFF or ACC position, or not in
the ignition, the airbags are not on and will not inflate.
•Also, the ORC turns on the “Airbag Warning Light” in
the instrument panel for 6 to 8 seconds when the
ignition is first turned on, then turns the light off. If it
detects a malfunction in any part of the system, it turns
on the light either momentarily or continuously. If the
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If A Deployment Occurs
The airbag system is designed to deploy when the impact
sensors detect a moderate-to-severe frontal collision, to
help restrain the driver and front passenger, and then to
immediately deflate.
NOTE: A frontal collision that is not severe enough to
need airbag protection will not activate the system. This
does not mean something is wrong with the airbag
system.
If you do have a collision which deploys the airbags, any
or all of the following may occur:
•The nylon airbag material may sometimes cause abra-
sions and/or skin reddening to the driver and front
passenger as the airbags deploy and unfold.
The abrasions are similar to friction rope burns or
those you might get sliding along a carpet or gymna-
sium floor. They are not caused by contact with chemicals. They are not permanent and normally heal
quickly. However, if you haven’t healed significantly
within a few days, or if you have any blistering, see
your doctor immediately.
•As the airbags deflate you may see some smoke-like
particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the nontoxic gas used for airbag
inflation. These airborne particles may irritate the skin,
eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye irritation,
rinse the area with cool water. For nose or throat
irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation continues,
see your doctor.
If these particles settle on your clothing, follow the
garment manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning.
•It is not advisable to drive your vehicle after the
airbags have deployed. If you are involved in another
collision, the airbags will not be in place to protect you.
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NOTE:In some long, low speed traffic situations, the
displayed temperature readings will be higher than the
actual ambient temperature. This is considered normal.
Accurate readings will resume with vehicle speed and
sensor airflow.CAUTION!
To avoid damage to the mirror during cleaning,
never spray any cleaning solution directly onto the
mirror. Apply the solution onto a clean cloth and
wipe the mirror clean.
The compass/temperature display provides the outside
temperature and one of eight compass headings (N, NE,
E, SE, S, SW, W, NW).
Each time the center button is pressed and released
within 3 seconds, the display toggles through the follow-
ing three configurations:
•display compass/temperature (Fahrenheit),
•display compass/temperature (Celsius),
•and display off.Compass/Temperature Mirror
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