Dodge Dakota (ND). Manual - part 464

INSTALLATION

WARNING: To avoid personal injury or death, on vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the supplemental
restraint system before attempting any steering wheel, steering column, airbag, occupant classification sys-
tem, seat belt tensioner, impact sensor, or instrument panel component diagnosis or service. Disconnect
and isolate the battery negative (ground) cable, then wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge
before performing further diagnosis or service. This is the only sure way to disable the supplemental
restraint system. Failure to take the proper precautions could result in accidental airbag deployment.

NOTE: A passenger airbag on/off switch is used only on club cab models. Quad cab models have a cubby
bin installed in the instrument panel center bezel in place of the on/off switch.

1. Position the passenger airbag on/off switch and

bezel unit (2) to the back of the instrument panel
center bezel (1).

2. Install and tighten the three screws (3) that secure

the passenger airbag on/off switch bezel to the
back of the center bezel. Tighten the screws to 2
N·m (17 in. lbs.).

3. Reinstall the center bezel onto the instrument

panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/
INSTRUMENT PANEL CENTER BEZEL - INSTAL-
LATION).

4. Do not reconnect the battery negative cable at this

time. The supplemental restraint system verification
test procedure should be performed following ser-
vice of any supplemental restraint system compo-
nent. (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS -
STANDARD

PROCEDURE

VERIFICATION

TEST).

PASSENGER AIRBAG ON/OFF INDICATOR

DESCRIPTION

All vehicles equipped with the Occupant Classification
System (OCS) include a passenger airbag on/off indi-
cator (3), which is located between the two heater and
air conditioner air outlets near the top of the instru-
ment panel center bezel. The passenger airbag on/off
indicator consists of a molded plastic housing with an
integral connector receptacle (1) at the back, an inte-
gral latch tab (2) at the top and bottom, and a rectan-
gular dark translucent outer lens.

The opaque text “PASS AIRBAG” is imprinted in white
and always visible on the outer face of the lens, while
the opaque text “OFF” and an opaque International
Control and Display Symbol icon for “Passenger Air-
bag Off or Not Available” are imprinted on the back of
the lens within the indicator. The dark outer lens pre-
vents the “OFF” text and icon from being clearly visi-
ble when it is not illuminated. An amber Light Emitting
Diode (LED) behind the lens causes the “OFF” text
and icon to appear silhouetted against an amber field

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RESTRAINTS - SERVICE INFORMATION

through the translucent lens when the indicator is illuminated from behind by the LED.

The passenger airbag on/off indicator cannot be repaired or adjusted and, if faulty or damaged, the indicator unit
must be replaced.

OPERATION

In the Occupant Classification System (OCS), the passenger airbag on/off indicator gives an indication when the
passenger airbag and seat belt tensioner deployment circuits are disabled by the Occupant Restraint Controller
(ORC). This indicator is controlled by a transistor within the ORC through a hard wired output based upon ORC
programming, electronic occupant classification messages received by the ORC over the Controller Area Network
(CAN) data bus from the Occupant Classification Module (OCM) and, on club cab models only, a hard wired mul-
tiplexed input from the passenger airbag on/off switch.

The passenger airbag on/off indicator Light Emitting Diode (LED) is completely controlled by the ORC. The LED
receives a battery current input on the fused ignition switch output (run-start) circuit. Therefore, the LED will always
be off when the ignition switch is in any position except On or Start. The LED only illuminates when it is provided
a path to ground by the ORC transistor. The ORC will turn on the passenger airbag on/off indicator for the following
reasons:

•

Bulb Test - Each time the ignition switch is turned to the On position the passenger airbag on/off indicator is
illuminated for about six seconds.

•

Child Seat Detected (or Load Less Than Minimum Weight Threshold) Occupant Classification Message
- Each time the ORC receives a message from the OCM indicating a child seat has been detected in the
passenger side front seat (or that the seat load is less than a minimum weight threshold) the passenger airbag
and seat belt tensioner deployment circuits are deactivated and the passenger airbag on/off indicator will be
illuminated. The indicator remains illuminated until the ORC receives an occupant classification message indi-
cating that the passenger side front seat is empty, that the seat is occupied by a load equal to or greater than
a minimum weight threshold, or until the ignition switch is turned to the Off position, whichever occurs first.

•

Load Undetermined Occupant Classification Message - Each time the ORC receives a message from the
OCM indicating that a load cannot be determined in the passenger side front seat, the passenger airbag and
seat belt tensioner deployment circuits are deactivated and the passenger airbag on/off indicator will be illu-
minated. The indicator remains illuminated until the ORC receives an occupant classification message indicat-
ing that the passenger side front seat is empty, that the seat is occupied by a load equal to or greater than a
minimum weight threshold, or until the ignition switch is turned to the Off position, whichever occurs first.

•

Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch Off Input (Club Cab Only) - Each time the ORC receives an input from the
passenger airbag on/off switch indicating that the “Off” position of the switch has been selected, the passenger
airbag and seat belt tensioner deployment circuits are deactivated and the passenger airbag on/off indicator
will be illuminated. The indicator remains illuminated until the ORC receives an input from the on/off switch
indicating the “On” position has been selected in conjunction with occupant classification messages indicating
that the passenger side front seat is empty, that the seat is occupied by a load equal to or greater than a
minimum weight threshold, or until the ignition switch is turned to the Off position, whichever occurs first.

•

Communication Error - If the ORC receives invalid occupant classification messages or no messages from
the OCM, the passenger airbag on/off indicator is illuminated. The indicator remains illuminated until the ORC
receives a valid message from the OCM indicating that the passenger side front seat is empty, that the seat is
occupied by a load equal to or greater than a minimum weight threshold, or until the ignition switch is turned
to the Off position, whichever occurs first.

The ORC continually monitors the occupant classification messages from the OCM and, on club cab models only,
the multiplexed input from the passenger airbag on/off switch. The ORC uses these inputs to decide whether the
passenger airbag and seat belt tensioner deployment circuits should be activated or deactivated. Note that there
may be several seconds of delay between changes in the detected occupant status and passenger airbag on/off
indications. This is a programmed feature of the OCM used to prevent a flashing indicator condition resulting from
the normal shifting of occupant weight on the passenger seat cushion. The ORC then provides the proper control
output to turn the passenger airbag on/off indicator on or off.

The ORC will store a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) for any malfunction it detects. For proper diagnosis of the
OCM, the ORC, the CAN data bus, the passenger airbag on/off switch or the electronic message inputs to the ORC
that control the passenger airbag on/off indicator, a diagnostic scan tool is required. Refer to the appropriate diag-
nostic information.

RESTRAINTS - SERVICE INFORMATION

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REMOVAL

1. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable.

Wait two minutes for the system capacitor to dis-
charge before further service.

2. Remove the center bezel from the instrument

panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/
INSTRUMENT

PANEL

CENTER

BEZEL

REMOVAL).

3. From the back of the center bezel (1), depress the

two latches (2) on the top and bottom of the indi-
cator housing (3) and push the indicator out
through the face of the bezel.

INSTALLATION

1. Using hand pressure from the face of the instru-

ment panel center bezel, push the indicator firmly
and evenly into the mounting hole until the two
latches (2) on the top and bottom of the indicator
housing (3) are fully engaged on the back of the
bezel (1).

2. Reinstall the center bezel onto the instrument

panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/
INSTRUMENT PANEL CENTER BEZEL - INSTAL-
LATION).

3. Do not reconnect the battery negative cable at this

PROCEDURE

VERIFICATION

TEST).

4. Following successful completion of the supplemen-

tal restraint system verification test procedure, per-

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RESTRAINTS - SERVICE INFORMATION

form the Occupant Classification System Verification Test using a diagnostic scan tool. Refer to the appropriate
diagnostic procedures.

AIR BAG-PASSENGER

DESCRIPTION

The horizontal surface of the injection molded, thermo-
plastic 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 outboard edges of the airbag door are secured
with integral snap features (3) to the instrument panel
base trim. Located below the passenger airbag door
(2) within the instrument panel is the passenger airbag
unit. The passenger airbag housing fits into a molded
receptacle on the back of the airbag door, where
twelve 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 air-
bag door to the airbag housing. These airbag door
fasteners and mounting provisions are all concealed
beneath the instrument panel base trim. The passen-
ger airbag unit is secured by two screws through a
stamped mounting bracket (5) to the instrument panel
structural support.

The passenger airbag unit used in this model is a multistage, Next Generation-type that complies with revised fed-
eral airbag standards to deploy with less force than those used in some prior models. The passenger airbag unit
consists of a stamped and welded metal housing, the airbag cushion, the airbag inflator, and a stamped metal air-
bag cushion retainer plate that is secured to the airbag housing with four studs and nuts. The airbag housing con-
tains 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.

RESTRAINTS - SERVICE INFORMATION

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