Air Bag, Driver: Installation
To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) before attempting any steering wheel, steering column, airbags, airbag curtains, knee blocker, seat belt tensioner, impact sensor or instrument panel component diagnosis or service. Disconnect the Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS)/negative battery cable assembly from the negative battery post, then wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before performing further diagnosis or service. This is the only sure way to disable the SRS. Failure to take the proper precautions could result in accidental airbag deployment.
To avoid serious or fatal injury, use extreme care to prevent any foreign material from entering the Driver AirBag (DAB), or becoming entrapped between the DAB cushion and the DAB trim cover. Failure to observe this warning could result in occupant injuries upon airbag deployment.
To avoid serious or fatal injury, the driver airbag trim cover must never be painted. Replacement airbags are serviced with trim covers in the original colors. Paint may change the way in which the material of the trim cover responds to an airbag deployment. Failure to observe this warning could result in occupant injuries upon airbag deployment.
The following procedure is for replacement of an ineffective or damaged Driver AirBag (DAB). If the airbag is ineffective or damaged, but not deployed, review the recommended procedures for Handling Non-Deployed Supplemental Restraints. Refer to STANDARD PROCEDURE . If the DAB has been deployed, review the recommended procedures for Service After A Supplemental Restraint Deployment before removing the airbag from the vehicle. Refer to STANDARD PROCEDURE .
- Position the Driver AirBag (DAB) and floating horn switch unit (1) close enough to the steering wheel to access the clockspring pigtail wire connections to the horn switch (2) and the DAB inflator initiators (3).
- Connect the clockspring pigtail wire connectors to the airbag inflator initiator connector receptacles by pressing straight in on the connector insulator. Be certain to engage each keyed and color-coded connector to the matching connector receptacle. Be certain that each connector is fully engaged in its receptacle, then push the connector lock straight into the connector to lock it into place.
- Connect the clockspring pigtail wire connector to the floating horn switch connector on the back of the mounting/horn switch plate.
- Carefully position the DAB and floating horn switch unit into the steering wheel hub cavity while tugging lightly upward on the clockspring pigtail wires for the airbag and tucking the wires into the upper hub cavity of the steering wheel. Be certain that none of the steering wheel wiring is pinched between the airbag housing or the horn switch and the steering wheel armature.
- Using both hands, push firmly and evenly on both sides of the DAB trim cover until both ends of the spring retainer have snapped into place under the hooks within the hub cavity of the steering wheel.
- Do not connect the negative battery cable at this time. The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Verification Test procedure should be performed following service of any SRS component. Refer to STANDARD PROCEDURE .