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, airbag, seat belt tensioner, impact sensor or instrument panel component diagnosis or service. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative (ground) cable, 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 DAB and floating horn switch unit (1) close enough to the steering wheel to access the clockspring pigtail wire harness connections to the horn switch (3) and the DAB inflator initiator (2).
- Connect the steering wheel wire harness connector to the horn switch connector on the back of the mounting and horn switch plate.
- Connect the pigtail wire connector to the airbag inflator initiator connector receptacle by pressing straight in on the connector insulator. You can be certain that the connector is fully engaged in its receptacle by listening carefully for a distinct, audible click as the connector latch snaps into place.
- Carefully position the DAB and floating horn switch unit into the steering wheel hub cavity while tugging lightly upward on the clockspring pigtail wire 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 all three locations of the spring retainer have snapped into place under the hooks within the hub cavity of the steering wheel.
- Install the shrouds onto the steering column. Refer to SHROUD, STEERING COLUMN, UPPER, INSTALLATION .
- 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 .