When must the air bag system be disarmed?

Prepare for the Automotive Service Technician Period 1 exam. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Disarming the air bag system before working on the steering column is essential because the driver's air bag module sits in the steering wheel/column and can deploy if the system is energized or if wiring is disturbed during service. By disconnecting the battery and following the vehicle’s procedure, you prevent accidental deployment that could injure you or bystanders. This is why the correct practice is to disarm any time the steering column is serviced. Merely doing maintenance elsewhere isn’t enough, since work on or around the column puts you at direct risk from the air bag system. Disarming is a safety measure taken before servicing; deploying is the function the system performs in a crash, and never is not an acceptable approach.