Tesla Model 3: General Precautions

The Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) includes airbags, pretensioners, and other safety-related components. The SRS contains components which could be potentially hazardous to the technician if not serviced and handled correctly.

Warning: Always follow these precautions and the relevant Service Manual procedures when servicing airbags and other SRS components. Only trained professionals should service the SRS.

Warning: An undeployed airbag module or pretensioner contains sodium azide, which is poisonous and extremely flammable. Contact with water, acid or heavy metals might produce harmful or explosive compounds. Do not dismantle, incinerate or bring into contact with electricity, before the unit has been deployed.

Warning: In the event of an airbag or seatbelt pretensioner deployment, certain airbag and seatbelt components must be replaced, and other components must be inspected for damage.

Warning: Do not expose an airbag module or seatbelt pretensioner to heat exceeding 85ºC.

These precautions are not restricted to operations performed when servicing the SRS; the same care must be exercised when working on other systems and components located near the SRS components:

• Steering system: Driver airbag and knee airbag.
• Dash: Passenger airbag and knee airbag.
• Interior trim: Restraint Control Module (RCM), LH and RH Body Control Modules (BCM), seatbelt pretensioners, and curtain air bags.
• Electrical system: Pyrotechnic fuse, SRS harnesses, link leads, and connectors.

Making the SRS System Safe

Before working on, or in the vicinity of, SRS components, perform the following procedures to disable the SRS system:

• Use Toolbox to check for any stored fault Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs).
• Perform the vehicle electrical isolation procedure. Refer to procedure 17010000, "Vehicle Electrical Isolation Procedure."
• Wait 1 minute for the energy reserve capacitors to discharge.

Installation

Carefully inspect SRS components before installation. Do not install an SRS component if it shows evidence of being dropped or improperly handled, such as dents, cracks, or deformation.

• Never install used SRS components from another vehicle, or attempt to repair an SRS component. Use only new, genuine Tesla replacement parts.

• Never use SRS components that lack clear identification labels.

• Never use a RCM that has been dropped.

• Never apply electrical power to an SRS component unless instructed to do so as part of an approved test procedure.

• Always use new fasteners when replacing SRS components. Make sure that the fasteners are tightened to the specified torque.

• Make sure that SRS components are not contaminated with oil, grease, detergent, or water.

• Make sure that the RCM is installed correctly. There must not be any gap between the RCM and the body. An incorrectly mounted RCM might cause the SRS system to malfunction.

• Do not supply power to the RCM until all other SRS components are connected.

Note: After seatbelt pretensioner deployment, the affected seatbelts will be locked and cannot be used as conventional seatbelts. They must be replaced.

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