3232972 - 5580C air bag system
The car may be fitted with an electronically-controlled safety system that sets off the front seat belt pretensioners and the driver's air bag, passenger air bag and sidebags in the case of frontal and/or side impact of a certain severity.The passenger Air Bag can be deactivated:
- manually, by means of a special switch,
- automatically by a sensor located in the seat (only up to 5/99).
The system consists of the following components:
- Electronic cotnrol unit
- driver Air Bag
- Passenger side air bag
- Left belt pretensioner
- Right belt pretensioner
- switch for disabling passenger Air Bag
- Sensor for automatically disabling passenger side Air Bag (only up to 5/99)
The system is connected with the:
- Diagnostic socket for checking the system with the Examiner or other diagnostic equipment
- Warning light in the instrument panel for signalling faults
- Warning light in the instrument panel for indicating passenger Air Bag disabled.
there are two possible configurations for the system.
- the standard configuration, fitted as standard, where there is a driver's Air Bag and two pretensioners.
- the complete configuration, which is optional and where there is also a passenger Air Bag and disabling devices.
|  | Warning: carefully observe the safety regulations when working on the Air Bag system. For further details see PROCEDURES 5580C | 
System components
Refer to the illustration
Electronic cotnrol unit
An electronic control unit manages the entire system by controlling all the components and activating the restraint systems (pretensioners and airbags) as necessary.Operation
Inside the control unit, there is an accelerometric sensor whose signal, suitably processed by a microprocessor, makes it possible to determine the severity of an impact and consequently to decide whether or not to activate the Air Bags.A second sensor with safety functions gives the enablement for activation of the Air Bags.The control unit has two different intervention levels:
- at the first level only the pretensioners are activated
- the second level operates both airbags and pretensioners.
|  | The control unit only detects frontal impacts. In the case of side impacts, collisions or the vehicle overturning, it does not activate the system. | 
Control unit specifications
- Energy accumulation: the control unit receives a 12 V supply with the ignition in the ON position, but it still operates for a further 220 msec approx after the supply is cut off.This is possible thanks to the presence of a buffer condenser which accumulates sufficient electrical energy to produce the Air Bag activating signal.The operation of the system is therefore guaranteed even if the impact causes a fall in the system voltage (e.g. battery damaged or broken, break in the supply cables, etc.).- Fixing check: the control logic also checks the electrical contact between the control unit casing and the bodywork, thus ensuring a rigid connection to the bodyshell.- Failure memory: whilst the vehicle is running, the electronic continuously carries out the system fault diagnosis, checking the continuity of the circuits and components.If a fault is detected it is memorized and the "Air Bag failure" warning light in the instrument panel comes on at the same time.The failure memory can be consulted by connecting the diagnostic equipment (Examiner or S.D.C.) to the diagnostic socket, as described below.- Crash memory: the control unit's microprocessor carries out complex calculation and check algorithms on the signal coming from the accelerometer sensor, and determines the severity of a crash. According to the severity and, with the go-ahead of the safety sensor, it sends a signal to activate the Air Bags.This activation order is stored in a special crash memory which contains information relating to the exceeding of the intervention thresholds and the go ahead for the safety sensor.- Wiring recognition: the control unit can recognize the type of system installed: complete system with 4 modules (2 Air Bags and 2 pretensioners) or reduced system without passenger Air Bag. This takes place via a specific recognition pin on the control unit: pin 30 earthed means passenger's Air Bag present, while pin 30 open means passenger's Air Bag absent.Control unit pin-out
Refer to the illustration
Driver Air Bag
The Air Bag is a passive safety device made up of a bag which, in the case of a frontal impact, automatically inflates placing itself between the bodies of the vehicle occupants and the structure of the front part of the passenger compartment.The driver's Air Bag module is located in the centre of the steering wheel; it is fitted on a tilting plate which enables the horn to be operated.The plate, fixed to the steering wheel by two bolts, houses the metal container with the folded bag and the gas generator device.

Clock spring
A clock spring device allows the Air Bag module connecting cables, fitted in the steering wheel, to follow the rotation of the latter without danger of breaking.This device is fitted on the steering column switch unit and consists of two plates, the lower one fixed to the steering column switch unit and the upper wheel fixed to the steering wheel.The module connecting cables and the horn buttons are wound around inside the two plates allowing them to follow the movement of the steering wheel.
|  | A safety device, consisting of two springs, automatically locks the rotation of the two plates when the steering wheel is removed from the clock spring. | 

Module flap
A padded flap which is integrated in the dashboard allows the bag to come out correctly when it inflates.It is connected to the actual dashboard by means of two hooks and two springs with a pre-set yield point. It is also fixed to the crossmember by a bracket and three retaining belts, which prevent the inflation of the bag detaching the flap from the dashboard.In the case of the intervention of the Air Bag, the flap opens upwards, breaking the two springs, thereby allowing the bag to come out completely and correctly.|  | The flap can only be removed from the dashboard by breaking the prings which must, in that case, be replaced. | 

Passenger air bag disablement
There are two methods for excluding the activation of the passenger Air Bag by the control unit:
- manual: using the key
- automatic: through a special sensor on the seat (present up to 5/99).


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