How to Remove a Steering Wheel Airbag

Changing your own oil is one thing, but removing a steering wheel airbag is a step up in the world of DIY car repair. Whether you’re swapping in a cool aftermarket steering wheel or need to replace a faulty clock spring, the airbag has to come out first. While it’s a manageable process for a careful DIYer, it’s one where you absolutely cannot cut corners on safety. Let’s walk through the exact, safety-critical steps how to remove steering wheel airbag?

Steering Wheel Airbag

The definition

To know how to remove airbag from steering wheel, acknowledging the definition of the airbag is essential. The airbag is an empty bag installed inside the steering wheel that protects drivers when an accident. With the combination of a cylinder filled with gas, an airbag pack, and steel housing, along with the vinyl airbag cover, we made a driver’s airbag. 

With this system, when the airbag module receives a signal, the igniter switch starts a chemical reaction immediately. This reaction triggers the airbag in fractions of a second. This airbag will cover the driver and stay between the driver and the front car components, protecting them from any direct contact. 

Different types of airbags

You might have noticed that there are various types of steering wheel airbags. However, there are four most common types: single-stage, dual-stage, 4-spoke, and 3-spoke. 

While the single-stage airbag has a connector, also called a single plug, the dual-stage airbag possesses two plugs along with four wires, which leads to a single connector. Along with that, we cannot forget about the two side airbags: four-spoke and three-spoke.  

The importance of airbags

With technology nowadays, all new cars have airbags, and they are amazingly useful. According to the BBC, passenger airbags reduce deaths by nearly 11 percent, while driver’s airbags reduce driver deaths by 14 percent. Along with safety belts, airbags are essential for car owners. They work together as a safety system and boost each other effectively. 

Purpose of the Airbag in Steering Wheel

These airbags, like soft cushions in the steering wheel are a part of the car’s airbag control system, which activates and inflates along with other airbags in the vehicle during its collision. Thus, it protects the driver from any major injury. However, sometimes the removal of the airbag is essential even before it is used because of its malfunctioning and sudden activation. Otherwise, it can cause blindness while driving, and this can be even more dangerous.

Tools Required

To remove a Steering Wheel Airbag, it is better to consult a trained mechanic but in case you are in the middle of nowhere, then always have these tools handy.

• Torx Screwdriver Kit
• Multi-meter
• Needle Nose Pliers

Steps to Remove a Steering Wheel Airbag

1. Cut out battery power

Firstly, check for the negatively charged cable with the use of the multimeter. Then, disconnect the cable from the battery and wait for at least 10 minutes in order to check that all the power in the circuit has been completely exhausted. Otherwise, the bag would be released suddenly.

2. Removal of airbag mounting bolts

Now, after disconnecting the battery, switch on the ignition button to unlock the movement of the steering wheel for access to its mounting bolts.

Next, locate the bolts at the back of the steering wheel by turning it 90o and then, 180o to loosen them. In most cases nowadays, the bolts remain inside the wheel only and don’t come out. After this, gently remove the outer assembly of the wheel without damaging the wiring harness connector attached to its backside.

3. Disengage the wires

Next, two wire sets can be seen of different colors, out of which the horn is black in color, and the other set, belonging to the module, is green and yellow.

Now, with the help of the screwdriver, carefully remove the horn pad connector. After this, the wiring connector is removed, which has two-colored devices on each of the connectors. At this stage, the grey-colored device is pushed downward. Next, the orange device is pulled upward the release the safety clip.

When the primary clip is removed from the connector, it is now time to take out the connectors with the help of a small pick.

Tip: While the connector is removed, make sure that it doesn’t corrode or get damaged easily.

4. Finally, remove the airbag

Now, remove the steering wheel airbag and don’t keep it near any electrical source, or else, it may inflate the airbag accidentally.

Finally, now you can reinstall the new airbag and reconnect the wires to start driving your car again. So next time, whenever you face any such problem, these maintenance tips would surely help you in this regard.

Knowing how to replace the airbag unit in the steering wheel system:

Final Thoughts 

Congratulations, you’ve completed the most intimidating part of the job. As you’ve seen, the secret isn’t about being a master mechanic; it’s about being patient and following the safety steps to the letter, especially disconnecting the battery. When it’s time to put everything back together, just reverse the process with the same level of care. Handle that airbag module like the important safety device it is, and you’ll have this job done safely.