To de-energize a vehicle airbag, you must:

• A. Ground the solenoid.
• B. Remove the cartridge.
• C. Disconnect the battery.
• D. Unscrew the primer.

Answer: (C)

Airbags are wired into the vehicle’s electrical system and rely on power from the battery to function. The safest way to de-energize the system is to disconnect the vehicle’s battery, which removes the primary power source and greatly reduces the risk of accidental deployment during maintenance or rescue work. After disconnecting the battery, it’s important to follow safety procedures about any stored charge in the system’s capacitors and to wait as recommended by guidelines before handling airbag components. Grounding a solenoid, removing a cartridge, or unscrewing a primer do not reliably deactivate the system and can still leave energy present or cause unintended deployment.