2753578 - Introduction - FITTINGS

Observe the following instructions when working on the front or rear door assembly:

When working on the hinges, take care not to damage the paintwork.
if a door adjustment requires the hinges to be moved, remove the door and touch up the paintwork in the hinge area.
after removing a door, lean the door against a stable support and avoid damage to the paintwork;
if the weatherstrip is removed, even partially, it must always be replaced, even if it is intact, the adhesive film does not guarantee the seal once it is detached from the panel.

Observe the following instructions when working on the tailgate:

When working on the hinges, take care not to damage the paintwork.
if an adjustmemt requires the hinges to be moved, remove the tailgate and touch up the paintwork in the hinge area.
to remove, obtain the assistance of a second operator and rest the tailgate against a stable support to avoid damage to the paintwork.

Observe the following instructions when working on the bonnet lid:

When working on the hinges, take care not to damage the paintwork.
if an adjustment requires the hinges to be moved, remove the bonnet and touch up the paintwork in the hinge area;
to remove, obtain the assistance of a second operator and rest the bonnet against a stable support to avoid damage to the paintwork.

When replacing the lock barrel, it is not possible to order a single lock barrel or to order barrels using a single part code.Use care when working on trim components and use the specified tools correctly in order to avoid damage.Take care to avoid any damage to body paintwork.Use the special equipment required for glass removal operations and work with great care to avoid damage to the glass and body.For cutting the sealant, the operations describe the use of both harmonic wire and vibrating knife. Normally either one or other of the two tools can be used.Strictly observe the sealant manufacturer's instructions with regard to method of use and operation times.After having fitted the seat cover, adjust the cover carefully on the upholstery.

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS TO BE OBSERVED FOR INTERVENTIONS ON VEHICLES FITTED WITH AIR BAG SYSTEM

It is mandatory for the following instructions to be observed during any interventions on vehicles fitted with safety system with Air Bags.

PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTIONS

Remember that Air Bag modules/pretensioners must be handled with caution. The use, transport and storage of these components are governed by following procedures concerning their handling.

Before commencing bodywork repairs, welding jobs or tasks for which the Air Bag modules or control unit need to be removed, it is necessary to:

place the ignition key in the OFF position and extract it.
always disconnect the battery terminals and insulate them;
wait at least 10 minutes after disconnecting the battery, then disconnect the control unit electrical connection.

Place Air Bag modules/pretensioners which have been removed in a locked metal cupboard, with the cover facing upwards.This cupboard, allocated exclusively to this purpose, must not, under any circumstances, be used for storing other kinds of materials, especially if flammable. The cupboard must meet the requirements for housing pyrotechnic charges (impact-resistant metal cupboard with grille to allow natural internal ventilation), and must have the signs stipulated by current legal regulations (DANGER EXPLOSIVES - DO NOT USE NAKED FLAMES - NOT TO BE OPENED BY UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS).All the connectors used and wired on the Air Bag modules/pretensioners contain a short circuit clip. Unless the Air Bag modules are connected to a power source of suitable characteristics, there is no possibility of the units being activated accidentally.

It is forbidden to carry out continuity measurements on the system components unless the modules have been replaced with special simulation resistances first.

A component of the system which has not been activated in a crash should be considered still to be 'active'. Unexploded components components which have to be removed from the vehicle (because they are faulty, their expiry date has been reached or for other reasons) must be returned to the special centre by means of the following procedure.

Components of the safety system must be fitted and removed only by skilled and authorized technical staff. The failure to observe the instructions below could lead to the accidental activation of the system, personal injury or unnecessary repairs on the system. It is strictly forbidden to dismantle air bag modules/pretensioners into their component parts.

All the system's components have been designed specially for a specific make and model of car, so the Air Bags/pretensioners cannot be adapted, reused or installed on cars other than those for which they have been designed and manufactured.

Any attempt to reuse, adapt or install them on a different type of car could cause serious or fatal injury to the occupants of the car in the event of a crash.

OPERATIONS ON THE SYSTEM COMPONENTS

At the end of any intervention on the system, the system must be checked with the EXAMINER or other diagnostic instruments.MODULE LIFEThe system pyrotechnic components last different lengths of time.

They should therefore be replaced in accordance with the table below:

Airbag modules, maximum life, 14 years.
Clock spring, maximum life, 10 years.
Pretensioner, maximum life, 10 years.

REPLACEMENT OF AIR BAG MODULES/PRETENSIONERS (BECAUSE OF A FAULT OR EXPIRY OF THE GUARANTEE PERIOD)

If an Air Bag module is replaced because of a fault or expiry of the guarantee period, it is necessary to:

Detach the removable part of the adhesive label from the new module and put it in a specific file recording the vehicle details (model, registration data, chassis no.) and the serial no. of the old control unit. This file should be kept for future checks.
A new adhesive label is supplied with the module, to be stuck onto the label already present either on the driver's side (door or centre pillar) or in the oddments compartment on the passenger side. However, it should first be perforated to indicate the month and 14 years after the year when the module is fitted (e.g. 2003 will correspond to 2017).

Similarly, if a clock spring or a pretensioner is being replaced, remember that these components have a recommended life of 10 years.

REPLACING CONTROL UNIT

The electronic control unit MUST ALWAYS be replaced in the event of a crash which leads to the activation of the system.Even if the control unit is replaced, the removable part of the adhesive label should be detached and put in the file described above.

REPLACING 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.An internal safety device automatically locks the rotation of the two plates when the steering wheel is removed from the clock spring. This prevents the top plate, no longer attached to the steering wheel, from rotating freely and so winding or unwinding the clock spring which might then break. The new device is supplied with a safety key.

In the procedures and operations in which the clock spring has to be removed, the following must be observed:

always work with the wheels lined up straight;
secure the cable with a band before removing it from the steering wheel.

PAINTING OPERATIONS

There are no special safety provisions to be observed for paint jobs followed by oven drying, as the airbag modules/pretensioners in particular are designed not to suffer damage if the external surfaces of the vehicle are heated up by normal paint drying systems.Do not use naked flames near the modules.However, all the electronic control units (including the Air Bag control unit) should be removed if their temperature in certain environments could reach or exceed 85° C.

INTERVENTIONS AFTER A CRASH

If any component of the safety system is damaged following a crash, it must be replaced.Do not attempt to repair the control unit, clock spring, Air Bag modules or pretensioners.

CRASHES WITH OR WITHOUT ACTIVATION OF THE AIR BAGS

Some components of the system should be inspected both if the system has been activated and if it has NOT been activated. These components are the:

steering column;
steering column mountings;
attachment area for electronic control unit, modules and pretensioners;
clock spring;
dashboard (in the area of the passenger's Air Bag module).

Components must be replaced if they are twisted, broken or bent.

CRASHES WITH ACTIVATION OF THE AIR BAGS

Some of the system components should be replaced if the vehicle has sustained a crash involving the activation of the system. These components are the:

airbag modules/pretensioners;
electronic control unit.

The wiring and connectors should be inspected for signs of burning, melting of the outer insulation or damage caused by excessive heat.If there are any signs of damage on the clock spring or in the area of attachment of the electronic control unit and Air Bag modules, the damaged components must be replaced.

HEALTH RISKS

The precautions to be observed when handling activated Air Bag modules/pretensioners are as follows:

wear polyethylene protective gloves and safety goggles;
after touching primed Air Bags, wash your hands and exposed parts of your body with soap and water.

EFFECTS OF OVER-EXPOSURE

There is no potential risk of exposure to the propellents, as the system is fully sealed.The propellent mixture is in the solid state, so inhalation is impossible even if the gas generator cartridge breaks.If the gas leaks out, there is no risk to human health.Nevertheless avoid contact with the skin and do not swallow the propellent.

In case of:

Contact with the skin: wash immediately with soap and water;
contact with the eyes: rinse the eyes immediately in running water for at least 15 minutes.
inhalation: bring the victim out into the open air immediately;
swallowing: induce vomiting if the person is conscious.

Always seek medical advice in all these conditions.

SAFETY REGULATIONS CONCERNING THE HANDLING OF AIR BAG MODULES/PRETENSIONERS

It is mandatory for staff who are carrying out interventions on a device fitted to a vehicle to observe the safety instructions listed below.

Staff intervening on the devices must be properly trained and must observe the following precautions:

during removal and replacement of open (exploded) Air Bags/pretensioners, handle only one module at a time and wear gloves and goggles during removal;
always rest the Air Bag module with the opening flap and pre-cut break groove facing upwards. Never put anything on top of the flap;
at the end of operations, wash your hands thoroughly in soap and water, and if the residual powders of the device come into contact with your eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of running water;
on all versions fitted with Air Bags, operators must not work from the front seats without first rendering the system inoperative by disconnecting the two battery leads and waiting 10 minutes;
the metal components of an Air Bag which has just exploded are very hot. Avoid touching these components for several minutes (about 20) after the activation of the Air Bag;
do not carry out repairs on Air Bag modules/pretensioners. Return all faulty modules to the supplier;
do not subject the Air Bag module/pretensioner to heat) for example during welding, hammering, drilling, machining, etc.);
never install in a vehicle Air Bags/pretensioners which have been dropped or which show signs of any kind of damage;
it is not permitted to store Air Bag modules/pretensioners together with flammable or combustible material;
gas generators must never come into contact with acids, greases or heavy metals. Contact with such substances could lead to the generation of poisonous and harmful gases or explosive compounds.

- If stored, replacement parts must be kept in their original packaging and their temporary storage must follow the same procedure as for a non-activated Air Bag module/pretensioner removed from the vehicle, i.e. a specifically-allocated locked metal cupboard must be used (metal impact-resistant cupboard with grille to allow natural internal ventilation). The cupboard must have specific warning signs (DANGER EXPLOSIVES - DO NOT USE NAKED FLAMES - NOT TO BE OPENED BY UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS).

SCRAPPING AIR BAG MODULES/PRETENSIONERS

The Air Bag modules/pretensioners fitted to the vehicle must not be demolished with the car, but should first be removed.The pretensioners cannot be scrapped unless they have already been activated.If, during an accident, the Air Bag module/pretensioner has not been activated, the device must still be considered to be primed.All unexploded material MUST NOT BE ACTIVATED, but must be sent to a specialized centre (for Italy, GECMA in Chivasso) with the following words on the goods delivery note: 'AIR BAG DEVICE CONTAINING PYROTECHNIC CHARGE TO BE DEACTIVATED'.For foreign markets, follow the laws in force locally.The devices must, without fail, be shipped in the same packaging in which the spare parts are received, and if this is not available, the packaging by itself may be obtained from PARTS.Obviously if Air Bags/pretensioners are replaced, the original packaging should be kept undamaged, ready for shipping the non-activated device.

If these procedures are not observed, the Air Bags/pretensioners may be activated accidentally and cause personal injury. Non-activated Air Bags/pretensioners must not be disposed of through the usual waste disposal channels. Non-activated Air Bags/pretensioners contain substances which are harmful to health and can cause personal injury if the sealed container containing them is damaged during disposal. Relevant current laws may be violated if Air Bags/pretensioners are not disposed of in accordance with this procedure.

ORDERING PROCEDURE

The devices should be ordered as and when required from the Volvera Parts-After Sales Department, but only for specific repairs as the Network must not keep these parts in stock. At all events, for internal handling purposes, an in-out register should be kept, recording the identification numbers of the modules and the vehicle details (chassis number, registration date, model, etc.). Before working on the electrical system (connectors, electrical components, wiring etc.), turn the ignition off (STOP position) and DISCONNECT THE BATTERY.If the seat belt has been subjected to great stress, e.g. following an accident, it must be replaced together with its anchorages and retaining bolts. Even if the seat belt does not show signs of visible defects, it may have lost its strength properties.The front seat belts have pyrotechnic pretensioners.When carrying out operations involving the pretensioner, take great care to observe the safety instructions for the airbag system.