Air bag wiring circuits

[chevycrew]

This is a tough one for me.

I dont know enough about the air bag wiring circuits to get anything safely accomplished.

I do have a few questions that may help.

What is inside the sensor box?
What actually triggers the air bag deployment? 12v Positive?
If the wires to the air bag are cut with engine running, will it deploy?
If the air bag is unhooked, and the sensors senses and accident, will the air bag go off the instant its hooked up?


Here is the reason for the questions:

I want to have the air bags fully functional for on road use. But, I want to be able to disable for offroad use. If I take a hard hit offroad triggering the sensors, I want to make sure the air bags dont deploy when I reactivate the circuit.


Any good GM electrical guys on here?

[chevycrew]

Also, am I way over thinking this, and can I just remove a fuse?

If so, if the sensors sense a hard impact with the fuse removed, will the air bags go off when the fuse is reinstalled?

[fishsticks]

I think there is a fuse that handles most if not all of the functions. Bill will know.

FWIW no one has accidentally deployed their air bags yet... even with some hard hits.

[chevycrew]

Im just wanting to eliminate the risks of them deploying offroad.

But in my searching I found its the #18 underhood fuse for the air bags, and the accelerometers are on the back of the front crossmember Im going to be cutting out.

I guess it comes down to now, if they sense a hard enough hit, will they go off when the fuse is put back in?



At least Ive found it has been discussed in other places, but it doesnt seem like any solid answers exist.

[bartonmd]

The sensors are just accelerometers... The control module is what looks at the signals' amplitude, and what direction the impact is in, and decides whether or not to deploy the airbags... I have no direct experience with this particular vehicle, but if the module doesn't have power to see what the accelerometers are telling it (accelerometers are likely dead during this, as well), it won't know what forces have been seen.

Mike

[chevycrew]

The sensors are just accelerometers... The control module is what looks at the signals' amplitude, and what direction the impact is in, and decides whether or not to deploy the airbags... I have no direct experience with this particular vehicle, but if the module doesn't have power to see what the accelerometers are telling it (accelerometers are likely dead during this, as well), it won't know what forces have been seen.

Mike

That makes more sense, Thanks!