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Need help with steering wheel install/ SRS air bag system

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DSMunknown

15+ Year Contributor
4,109
39
Sep 16, 2004
Worcester, Massachusetts
I have obviously read through Andy's write-up here about this installation. What I'm wondering is if I can/should attempt to hook up the air bag system as well. Could it be as simple as disconnecting the battery before hooking the wiring up? I have spoke with Andy and he is still unsure.
 
If you do it, be so careful.. My friend got hit with one last year and it broke his life (nose, teeth, bit his tongue) doing a steering wheel change.. I wasnt there, but i saw the aftermath.. It was far from pretty..
 
Disconnect the battery, wait like five minutes and hook up the air bag. Is it the stock eclipse air bag or and Evo air bag made for the steering wheel? By any means it should all be ok, but im not 100% on it. Maby hook it up but dont install it, re-connect the battery and see what happens.
 
If you do it, be so careful.. My friend got hit with one last year and it broke his life (nose, teeth, bit his tongue) doing a steering wheel change.. I wasnt there, but i saw the aftermath.. It was far from pretty..

That’s the exact reason I am scared to hook it up. I use my car primarily for race use so I have a 6 point harness and really don’t need an airbag. I left mine unplugged. Mitsumissle hooked his airbag up, however its un-tested.
 
I bought a NRG steering wheel & hub and I am now ready to install it but I have a few questions about the SRS. I stopped by my favorite auto parts store after two-a-days to ask about the air bag system and they said I would be fine as long as I removed the airbag fuse. So when I got home I looked at both of the fuse boxes and didn't see a air bag or SRS fuse. Then turning to my Haynes guide, I read through it and couldn't find any thing on it either, but I did find something about a SRS ECU computer thingy. If I disconected that would that do the trick? I'm just worried that if I was in a wreck the SRS would send a signal for the airbags to deploy and since there's no airbag to receive the signal, could it start a fire or short out the electrical system? But on the other hand if I unplug the SRS ECU the OBD port seems to be wired to the same thing, so wouldn't that render it useless? Sorry if I didn't make alot of sence, I really dont get it either.....WTF

Thanks for reading my long, worry-wort post!
 
Abolutly no help buddy.WTF There are NUMEROUS threads detailing screw by screw, plug by plug how to remove the air bags and srs system. SEARCH FOR IT!

Wth the number of posts you have made. you should already know how to search and that its EASY! as falling off a log!
 
Your best bet is to disconnect the battery and wait about three minutes and then take your airbag out. By taking one out should turn your srs light on. Then you can put your new steering wheel assembly on. While the battery is out disconnect your passenger side airbag(its kinda easy to do) and your srs ecu, then your ready. I seached for your problem and i didnt find any close to yours about the fuse location. Remember your srs light will be on.
 
I did the search and if you read my post carefully I described my worries which none of the other posts I looked at had any thing close to what I am talking about: The risk of fire or shorting out the electrical system. Not how to disable the system. Thank you for the posts dsmpat95.
 
i agree. Disconnect your battery and wait. Your airbag is actually IN your steering wheel, meaning once it is removed it should be okay. Im not sure if that will affect your passenger airbag although it should not. Just hope you dont wreck (=
 
iam going to step into this for everyone else that has the problem.

This is an easy task to complete.. the only thing to remember is to kill the power going to the system.. ie. disconnect the power from the battery and do not touch anything for at least 5-10mins allowing all circuits to be out of the power loop.

alot of people take on the task yet not knowing what the negative outcomes are. as long as you prep for the work youll be fine. ive completed this as well installing aftermarket wheels. its not hard.
 
Here is the problem with using an airbag designed for a different car. All airbags have programmed deployment timing. Controlled by the SRS computer, the explosive charge that deploys the bag, and the RESISTANCE in the wiring. Different gauge wiring or length can and will affect this timing, and obviously different charges will affect how rapidly the bag fills with gasses. The deployment timing is calculated on the position of the steering wheel in relation to the seat and the seatbelt assembely, as well as speed in some vehicles. Dont forget that the seatbelts also have charges set in them to make the belts sinch up tight during an accident in most if not all vehicles,which will affect the programming.
When the timing is off and it deploys too late then you end up hitting your face on a completely deployed airbag which is like hitting a concrete wall, or it is past full deployment and and deflating. You might as well not have a bag in the first place. If the bag timing is too soon then you will either have an airbag go off in your face after it hit the wheel, or it is under deployed but still expanding when it catches your head and flings your head back causing EXTREMELY bad whiplash. Or in extreme cases breaking your neck.
Im not an engineer or anything. I just ued to work for Toyota when they were recalling airbags on alot of their cars. They sent us to a class that showed us what improper airbag timing can do.


I would say if the airbag is not designed for your make model and year then DO NOT hook it up!!!!!!
 
My personal hatred for facebombs aside, I believe tenn-gsx has explained the situation very accurately.

I'd never transplant one from another car, particularly not one ten or fifteen years newer in engineering.
 
Yes there is a sensor in the front rear and sides. However for a front impact the srs on many vehicles also gets a reading of g forces which tells it how fast or slow to deploy as well as which bags to deploy. These systems are integrated into and designed for a specific year make and model. Mixing and matching components from one car or truck to another is a big nono. You are better off just leaving the bag disabled imo. I wish I could find the references used in the classes but it was 8 years ago now. Think of it like this. Would you use a ecu for an evo on a dsm without having something to adjust settings or having the rest of the evo components to go with it? No because an evo ecu wouldnt work properly in our cars. Even though you may be able to get it to work somewhat. Point being it is a matched system. If you change only one component in the system then your risking your life for it. Find a video of a late deploying airbag and then tell me if you want to risk it.
 
I got you. I agree that it can be useful and sucessful as well but only once you fully understand the wiring and programming involved. If you can crack that then you can design a harness or reprogram the srs computer to run everything properly. Just throwing a different airbag into the system is asking for trouble.
 
anyone figure this out yet????...I would love to have an evo steering wheel in my 2G...But it is a daily driver and I cannot chance NO airbag....that would be bad
 
When you disable one, like removing the steering wheel, the pass side is also disabled. To get the srs light to stay off unplug the srs ecu under the console.

What does the SRS ECU look like? Because it would be nice to turn off that SRS light:thumb:
And another note,does anyone's aftermarket wheel feel kind of loose?.. I just put on a grant wheel with a Boss adapter. Even though the main bolt holding it on is tight, it still has a "wiggle" to it?...:confused:
 
What does the SRS ECU look like? Because it would be nice to turn off that SRS light:thumb:
And another note,does anyone's aftermarket wheel feel kind of loose?.. I just put on a grant wheel with a Boss adapter. Even though the main bolt holding it on is tight, it still has a "wiggle" to it?...:confused:

The SRS computer is under the center console In between the seats. Its directly under the armrest. It's a small silver box with a YELLOW loomed wire harness going to it.

When you unplug ONE of the Airbags the entire system shuts down. Just take the bulb out of your dash cluster and you'll be fine. NO fires.
 
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