Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
Description And Operation: Description: Notes
Remote or satellite impact sensors are mounted in various strategic locations of the vehicle. These sensors are mounted remotely from the impact sensor that is internal to the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC). Sensors at the front of the vehicle provide an additional logic input for use by the ORC to control the front airbags, the seat belt pretensioners and, if equipped, the driver Knee AirBag (KAB). Sensors on each side of the vehicle provide an additional logic input for use by the ORC to control the side curtain airbags, seat airbags and the seat belt pretensioners. Two types of sensors are used in this vehicle. They are the acceleration-type and the pressure-type, which are described elsewhere within this service information.
Market-specific impact sensors:
Europe-Middle East-Africa (EMEA) versionÂ
- 4 impact sensors (2 accelerometer sensors, 2 pressure sensors)
- 1 front impact sensor ECS (Early Crash Sensor)
North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) versionÂ
- 4 impact sensors (2 accelerometer sensors, 2 pressure sensors)
- 2 front impact sensors ECS (Early Crash Sensor)
Front impact sensorÂ
The front impact sensors detect frontal impacts and support the driver/passenger airbags and pretensioners. The sensors contain accelerometers that measure the rate of vehicle deceleration in the event of an impact. The sensors are located inside the front crossmember.
In head-on collisions, the impact sensor in the ORC acts as the primary sensor and the front sensors provide confirmation of the event. In angled or offset front impacts, the front sensors act as the primary sensors and the ORC sensors provide confirmation of the event.
Side pressure and impact sensorsÂ
One pressure sensor is located in each of the front doors to protect front row passengers in the event of side crashes.
The pressure sensors can detect a sudden change in air pressure within the door which is consistent with a direct impact to the door. The sensor signal alone cannot command the explosion of the airbag. The ORC or a second sensor must detect a crash event simultaneously to deploy the side airbags.
B-pillar side impact sensorÂ
Two accelerometric impact sensors are used on each side of the vehicle to detect a side impact and support the side curtain airbags, the seat-mounted thorax airbags, and the seat belt pretensioners.
An accelerometer crash sensor for each side is located behind the cover at the bottom of the B-pillar. All sensors in the passive restraints system relay information to the ORC using the Peripheral Sensor Interface 5 (psi5) network architecture.
During side impacts, the first sensor detects the impact and the other sensors confirm the event.
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.