Airbag Replacement: Cost & How-To Guide

Hi!

Since my hazard light switch on my 1995 Passat TDI is broken (no wonder the economy is going downhill -> something like that should last a lifetime), I now have to remove the steering wheel .

What should be considered when disassembling the airbag unit to prevent it from deploying unexpectedly? How should it be safely removed?

Thank you in advance!!!!!

Best regards, Christian.

Are you brave or not?

1. Disconnect the battery and wait for 10 minutes.
2. Remove the lower steering column cover.
3. Unscrew the airbag unit using the two Allen screws and place it on top of the steering wheel.
4. Unscrew the 24mm screw, being careful not to slip (airbag cable).
5. Disconnect the cable connection located beneath the steering column.
6. Reattach the airbag to its correct position (temporarily). Remove the steering wheel with the airbag.

In VW workshops, the airbags are disconnected from the steering wheel (by unplugging a connector on the back). I advise against doing this, as it happened twice at my former workshop that they ripped the cable off the airbag, resulting in a new airbag and cable being required, which is an expensive matter.

Do not twist the airbag ring if it is rotated using a locking mechanism, as it may break.

In VW workshops, the airbags are disconnected from the steering wheel (by unplugging a connector on the back). I advise against doing this, as it happened twice in my former workshop that they ripped the cable off the airbag, resulting in a new airbag and cable being required, which is an expensive matter.


Oder man nimmt einen Flachschraubendreher zur Hilfe und hebelt den Stecker ab. Very easy.


Do not twist the airbag ring; if it is twisted past a stop, it will break.

It's actually not possible because it's locked when the steering wheel is turned. And if it somehow happens (and you can't keep your fingers away from the locking button), you can always rewind the cable yourself. It might look messy, but it works. You just need to make sure it can rotate freely on both sides (I think it needs about 2.5 rotations in each direction). But it's better to be careful that the whole thing doesn't fall apart.

Jo das ging ja schnell!!!! Thank you very much!

First, I'll wash my pants, and then I'll get started!!

Best regards, Christian.

Varianti wrote:

Oder man nimmt einen Flachschraubendreher zur Hilfe und hebelt den Stecker ab. Very easy.

... and then there's a "pop" sound, and the tether connecting the seat to the airbag unit comes loose. That's exactly what the mechanic did, and he ended up scrapping two airbags.
Depending on the age of the airbag unit, the connector seems to become brittle.

Quote:

It's actually not possible, as it's locked when the steering wheel is removed.

Actually... but with gentle force, you can break the locking mechanism, which will also damage the ring... and that ring costs a lot of money!

Quote:

I'm going to wash my pants first, and then I'll get started!

It can't be *that* bad...

Actually... but with gentle force, you can break the locking mechanism, which will also damage the ring... and that ring costs a lot of money!



You are right. That part costs 109 euros .

Absolutely crazy compared to the version without airbags: 7.xx euros.

Bertil wrote:

Do not twist the airbag ring if it is rotated using a locking mechanism, as it may break. Hi Bertil! After these frosty days, I finally want to remove the steering wheel (it has to be done for the TÜV

). In my book (ETZOLD), it says that you should "rotate the return ring slightly so that the cable points downwards. The ring locks into this position and is secured against twisting. If this is not observed, uncontrolled twisting of the return ring during later operation can lead to over-twisting and destruction of the return spring of the return ring"!???

Now the question is, should we try to fix something, or should we just leave it as it is?

I'm absolutely furious right now!

Thank you in advance!!!!!

Best regards, Christian.

Hi Christian,

What's written in the Etzold book is correct. You shouldn't twist the ring in that particular configuration (although it's possible with some force). You can also secure the ring with tape to prevent it from twisting.

Hi Bertil!

Thank you again for the helpful tips!!!! My heart is still racing, but otherwise, everything went very smoothly!!! However, loosening and tightening the steering wheel bolt must be done with the utmost care (with a second person, male or female) .

However, you can still move the airbag ring slightly back and forth - about 2-3 mm until it reaches its limit. I tried it very gently, without applying any force.

It's quite remarkable that the steering wheel cable connection isn't operated with a sliding contact like the horn, but with a continuous cable->well, it seems to withstand some steering movements. In my old Passat, the sliding contact for the horn was once worn out->but it also had an infinite number of .

Best regards, Christian.

haehnlein wrote:

You can still move the airbag ring slightly back and forth -> 2-3 mm until it hits the stop... I tried it very carefully, without using any force at all.

That's normal. But with a little care and the necessary respect (and knowledge) of the subject, it's not a problem.

Quote:

It's quite remarkable that the steering wheel cable connection isn't operated with a sliding contact like the horn, but with a continuous cable->well, it seems to withstand some steering movements. In my old Passat, the sliding contact for the horn was once worn out->but it also had an infinite number of kilometers.

The slip ring is difficult to monitor using a resistance measurement, so a flexible cable is used instead.