How Replace Driver Airbag Module

[gtnovosel]

Hello All!

I kind of feel bad as the only time I show up here is when I have trouble with my car... which isn't often.

My 2003 Vibe GT just had the airbag light come on. I had the dealer run their diagnostics and they came back saying I needed a new Drivers Side Airbag Module for just shy of a grand.

It looks like I can get the parts online for ~$200.

How hard are these to change out and what kind of dangers are involved (e.g. likelihood of airbag going off in my face)?

For a little information on the side... I'm up to 256000 miles and still going strong. Toyota sure made a nice little engine that they put in these babies.

Thanks,

Gary

[gtv237]

Its not dangerous at all! Just use common sense and be careful (don't play catch with the thing). First things first, you'll need to disarm the airbag module. To do this just disconnect the negative battery cable and pull the air bag fuse. Pulling the fuse is VERY important because even with the battery disconnected the air bag module will still have power stored in its capacitors. Then on the back of the steering wheel there's usually two small screws holding it in. A lot of the time they're torx or security torx. The screws won't come all the way out but they will allow the air bag module to be removed. As you slowly pull it up make sure you don't pull on the wires or drop it. Just disconnect the connector and reverse the instructions to reinstall. And just make sure you don't cross thread the screws going back in, its easy to do!

[gtnovosel]

Its not dangerous at all! Just use common sense and be careful (don't play catch with the thing).

Okay. I was thinking that was all there was to it.

As a followup question.... what are the odds that I've a bad wiring harness to the module and not a bad module itself? I'm guessing the best way to find out is to pull the module off of the steering wheel and then do a visual inspection to check for more obvious damage.

Thanks,

Gary

[gtv237]

It it's not the airbag itself, 9/10 times it will be the clock spring. The clock spring is a coil of ribbon wire that allows the steering wheel to turn without twisting the wires to the airbag, cruise control, radio controls, horn etc. Over time the clock spring can wear out and the continuity can suffer. The air bag module can detect this and throw the light right away.

Here's what a clock spring looks like

[sideshowalan]

How would someone be able to tell if the airbag or the clockspring is bad?

If the warning light goes off and on depending on how you turn the wheel it's probably the clockspsring, this is how I knew to replace the one in my malibu. But with a solid light is there any way to tell?

[gtv237]

How would someone be able to tell if the airbag or the clockspring is bad?

If the warning light goes off and on depending on how you turn the wheel it's probably the clockspsring, this is how I knew to replace the one in my malibu. But with a solid light is there any way to tell?

Its tough. The air bag light is latching. So even if there was a split second malfunction it will stay on to alert you.

You can't really circuit test the clock spring because it may only malfunction at certain steering wheel positions. You could consider this a life or death decision so I would just replace both.

[bluneon]

before you go buying airbags, let us know what exact code your srs system is throwing.

do you have side impact airbags installed in the front seats?

based on your description, you said drivers side air bag module. make sure you don't need the one in the seat.
the one in the steering wheel is called the drivers air bag module.

to know fa sho we'll need to know the code.

for the estimate to be just shy of 1 grand, it sounds like it'll be the one in the seat. those aren't the easy ones to do, which would explain the cost of repair.