Dodge Sprinter. Manual - part 73

access holes in the upper surface of the rotor (Fig.
15). The clockspring mounting screws should not be
tightened into the clockspring case until the clock-
spring has been installed on the steering column. If
the screws are tightened into or removed from the
case before the clockspring is installed on a steering
column, the clockspring centering procedure must be
performed.

WARNING: To avoid personal injury or death, on
vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the supple-
mental

restraint

system

before

attempting

any

steering wheel, steering column, airbag, seat belt
tensioner, impact sensor, or instrument panel com-
ponent 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 precau-
tions could result in accidental airbag deploy-
ment.

NOTE: Before starting this procedure, be certain to
turn the steering wheel until the front wheels are in
the straight-ahead position.

(1) Place the front wheels in the straight-ahead

position.

(2) Remove the clockspring from the steering col-

umn. (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS/
CLOCKSPRING - REMOVAL).

(3) Tighten the two clockspring mounting screws

all the way into the clockspring case.

(4) Rotate the clockspring rotor counterclockwise

to the end of its travel. Do not apply excessive
torque.

(5) From the end of the counterclockwise travel,

rotate the rotor about three to three and one-half
turns clockwise, until the clearance holes in the
clockspring rotor are aligned with the two mounting
screws in the clockspring case. The clockspring is
now centered.

(6) Loosen the two clockspring mounting screws

far enough so that they extend into the clearance
holes in the upper surface of the clockspring rotor,
preventing the rotor from changing position relative
to the clockspring case.

(7) The front wheels should still be in the straight-

ahead position. Reinstall the clockspring onto the
steering column. (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/RE-
STRAINTS/CLOCKSPRING - INSTALLATION).

REMOVAL

The clockspring cannot be repaired. It must be

replaced if faulty or damaged, or if the driver airbag
has been deployed.

WARNING: To avoid personal injury or death, on
vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the supple-
mental

restraint

system

before

attempting

any

NOTE: Before starting this procedure, be certain to
turn the steering wheel until the front wheels are in
the straight-ahead position.

(1) Place the front wheels in the straight ahead

position.

(2) Remove the driver airbag from the steering

wheel. (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS/
DRIVER AIRBAG - REMOVAL).

(3) Disconnect the clockspring upper pigtail wire

connectors from the terminals of the horn switch
located in the hub cavity of the steering wheel.

(4) Remove the steering wheel from the steering

column. (Refer to 19 - STEERING/COLUMN/STEER-
ING WHEEL - REMOVAL).

(5) Remove the steering column opening cover

from the instrument panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/IN-
STRUMENT PANEL/STEERING COLUMN OPEN-
ING COVER - REMOVAL).

Fig. 15 Clockspring Centering

1 - CLOCKSPRING ROTOR
2 - SCREW (2)
3 - HORN SWITCH CONNECTOR (2)
4 - AIRBAG CONNECTOR

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RESTRAINTS

(6) Disconnect the two clockspring lower pigtail

connectors from the vehicle wire harness connectors
located between the steering column and the back of
the fuse block underneath the steering column (Fig.
16).

(7) Loosen the two screws that secure the clock-

spring to the multi-function switch housing far
enough to engage the clearance holes in the clock-
spring rotor and to disengage the clockspring case
from the switch housing.

(8) Remove the clockspring from the multi-function

switch housing. The clockspring cannot be repaired.
It must be replaced if faulty or damaged, or if the
driver airbag has been deployed.

(9) If the removed clockspring is to be reused, be

certain that the clockspring rotor is secured to the
clockspring case to maintain clockspring centering
until it is reinstalled on the steering column. If clock-
spring centering is not maintained, the clockspring
must be centered again before it is reinstalled. (Refer
to 8 - ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS/CLOCKSPRING -
STANDARD PROCEDURE - CLOCKSPRING CEN-
TERING).

INSTALLATION

The clockspring cannot be repaired. It must be

replaced if faulty or damaged, or if the driver airbag
has been deployed.

If the clockspring is not properly centered in rela-

tion to the steering wheel, steering shaft and steer-
ing

gear,

may

damaged.

(Refer

ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS/CLOCKSPRING

STANDARD PROCEDURE - CLOCKSPRING CEN-
TERING).

Service

replacement

clocksprings

are

shipped pre-centered and with the mounting screws
backed out from the case far enough to engage the
access holes in the upper surface of the rotor. The

clockspring mounting screws should not be tightened
into the clockspring case until the clockspring has
been installed on the steering column. If the screws
are tightened into or removed from the case before
the clockspring is installed on a steering column, the
clockspring centering procedure must be performed.

WARNING: To avoid personal injury or death, on
vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the supple-
mental

restraint

system

before

attempting

any

NOTE: Before starting this procedure, be certain
that the front wheels are still in the straight-ahead
position.

(1) Carefully slide the centered clockspring down

over the steering column upper shaft until the screws
in the clockspring case are aligned with the mount-
ing holes on the multi-function switch housing.

(2) Tighten the two screws that secure the clock-

spring to the multi-function switch mounting hous-
ing. Tighten the screws to 2 N·m (18 in. lbs.).

(3) Reconnect the two clockspring lower pigtail

connectors to the vehicle wire harness connectors
located between the steering column and the back of
the fuse block underneath the steering column (Fig.
16).

(4) Route

the

clockspring

lower

pigtail

wires

around the lug on the bottom of the multi-function
switch housing and behind the fuse block underneath
the steering column (Fig. 17).

Fig. 16 Clockspring Remove/Install

1 - CLOCKSPRING
2 - SHROUD
3 - LOWER PIGTAIL CONNECTOR (2)

RESTRAINTS

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(5) Reinstall the steering column opening cover

onto the instrument panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/IN-
STRUMENT PANEL/STEERING COLUMN OPEN-
ING COVER - INSTALLATION).

(6) Reinstall the steering wheel onto the steering

column. (Refer to 19 - STEERING/COLUMN/STEER-
ING WHEEL - INSTALLATION).

(7) Reconnect the clockspring upper pigtail wire

connectors to the terminals of the horn switch
located in the hub cavity of the steering wheel.

(8) Reinstall the driver airbag onto the steering

wheel. (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS/
DRIVER AIRBAG - INSTALLATION).

DRIVER AIRBAG

DESCRIPTION

The color-keyed, injection molded, thermoplastic

driver airbag protective trim cover is the most visible
part of the driver airbag (Fig. 18). The driver airbag
is located in the center of the steering wheel, where
it is secured with two screws to the armature of the
horn switch within the hub cavity of the four-spoke
steering wheel. Concealed beneath the driver airbag
trim cover are the folded airbag cushion, the airbag
cushion retainer, the airbag housing, the airbag infla-
tor, and the retainers that secure the inflator to the
airbag housing (Fig. 19). The airbag cushion, hous-
ing, and inflator are secured within an integral
receptacle molded into the back of the trim cover.

Fig. 17 Clockspring Pigtail Routing

1 - MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH
2 - FUSE BLOCK
3 - CLOCKSPRING LOWER PIGTAILS (2)

Fig. 18 Driver Airbag Trim Cover

1 - STEERING WHEEL
2 - TRIM COVER

8O - 16

RESTRAINTS

The airbag used in this model is a Next Genera-

tion-type that complies with revised federal airbag
standards to deploy with less force than those used
in some prior models. A radial deploying fabric cush-
ion with internal tethers is used. The airbag inflator
is a solid fuel, pyrotechnic-type unit with four studs
and is secured by four hex nuts to four studs on the
airbag cushion retainer ring to the back of the
stamped metal airbag housing. A keyed connector
receptacle on the driver airbag inflator connects the
inflator initiator to the vehicle electrical system
through a yellow-jacketed, two-wire pigtail harness of
the clockspring.

The driver airbag and trim cover unit cannot be

repaired, and must be replaced if deployed, faulty, or
in any way damaged.

OPERATION

The driver airbag is deployed by electrical signals

generated by the Airbag Control Module (ACM)
through the driver airbag squib circuit to the initia-
tor in the airbag inflator (Fig. 20). When the ACM
sends the proper electrical signal to the initiator the
electrical energy generates enough heat to initiate a
small pyrotechnic charge which, in turn, ignites
chemical pellets within the inflator. Once ignited,
these chemical pellets burn rapidly and produce a
large quantity of inert gas. The inflator is sealed to
the back of the airbag housing and a diffuser in the
inflator directs all of the inert gas into the airbag
cushion, causing the cushion to inflate. As the cush-
ion inflates, the driver airbag trim cover will split at
predetermined breakout lines, then fold back out of
the way. Following an airbag deployment, the airbag
cushion quickly deflates by venting the inert gas
towards the instrument panel through filtered vents
within the fabric used to construct the back (steering
wheel side) panel of the airbag cushion.

Some of the chemicals used to create the inert gas

may be considered hazardous while in their solid
state before they are burned, but they are securely

Fig. 19 Driver Airbag Housing

1 - HOUSING
2 - INFLATOR
3 - CONNECTOR RECEPTACLE
4 - TRIM COVER

Fig. 20 Driver Airbag Operation

1 - TRIM COVER
2 - INFLATOR
3 - INITIATOR
4 - CUSHION (FOLDED)
5 - STEERING WHEEL

RESTRAINTS

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