Shorting bars in air bag connectors are designed to do what when the connector is disconnected?

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Shorting bars are placed in air bag connectors to keep the system in a defined state during service when a connector is unplugged. If the connector is disconnected, the bar bridges the two conductors, effectively shorting the actuator circuit. This prevents the control module from seeing an open circuit and allows the system to diagnose the disconnected condition safely. In other words, the bar ensures a known, non-open condition rather than leaving the circuit floating, which helps avoid misinterpretation or unintended deployment during maintenance.