Terminology used to define airbag technology

SRS stands for supplemental restraint system. Airbags are supplemental restraints because they help another system, or they are secondary to another system, in this case the seat belts. Airbags are not meant to be used without a seat belt; in fact they can be very dangerous or even deadly without using your seat belt.

Many new vehicles offer computer-operated dual deploy or dual-stage airbags. These smart airbags can deploy at two speeds, or not at all, depending on information sent to the computer from sensors located in the seatbelts and front seats.

In less severe accidents, airbags deploy at the lower first stage, usually about 70 percent of full force. In more severe accidents, both stages are deployed. Seat sensors in some systems also can detect the weight of passengers and deploy only if the occupant is above a certain weight - helping to prevent airbag-related injuries to a child or small adult. In some vehicle systems, if no one is sitting in the passenger seat, the airbag won't deploy. Systems offered in some luxury models help protect smaller drivers by only deploying the driver's front airbag at the lower stage. Smaller drivers are detected by the forward position of the seat on the seat track.

NHTSA will require these smart air bags in all vehicles by 2005.

DTC stands for Diagnostic Trouble Code. This is the codes provided by the manufacturer to identify which component of the safety restraint system is failiing.

OCM stands for Occupant Classification Message. This is the code provided by the manufacturer to identify the weight of the occupant. When the OCM is on it alerts the control module to deactivate the passenger airbag and seat belt tensioner.

PAD stands for Passenger Airbag Disabled. This is the code provided by the manufacturer to identify that the passenger is not activated. When the OCM is on it alerts the control module to deactivate the passenger airbag and seat belt tensioner.

The squib is the component within the air bag inflator that begins the deployment process. If the squib is generating a DTC error code you must replace the airbag in question.

The soft-code is a DTC code that is recorded to your airbag control module. Soft-codes occur for none deployment errors. For example, if you disconnect any one of the SRS system components (driver airbag, side airbag, etc..) without first disconnecting the car battery. The error will be recorded to the airbag control module and a flashing airbag warning light will display on your dash panel.

The scan-tool is a hand held computer that is used to read warning codes from your vehicles diagnostic computer. Any time your vehicle flashes a warning light the repair shop technician will connect his scan-tool to your vehicles DB2 connector. The scan-tool then relates the DTC code/s and it tells the technician where to troubleshoot and correct the problem.