Hi, Guest
06-14-2005, 04:39 PM
I finally removed my passenger side airbag. Holy crap. I haven't been this scared in a while, playing around trying to pry open this airbag hoping it wont blow up in my face and such. On an 2002 I don't recomend trying to do this unless you know exactly what you are facing. I read up on it, asked around on the jet for about 2 weeks and it didn't prepare me for what I had to face.
BEFORE YOU DO THIS, I CLAIM NO RESPONSIBILITY IF MY STEPS DON'T WORK FOR YOU, I DID THIS SOMEWHAT EXPECTING TO HAVE TO REPLACE MY AIRBAG IF IT BLEW UP AND IF IT DOES IT'S YOUR OWN FAULT DON'T COME COMPLAINING TO ME. I BEAR NO RESPONSIBILITY IF YOU HURT YOURSELF OR OTHERS. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF THE AIRBAG BLOWS UP WHILE WORKING SO CLOSE TO IT. I ALSO BEAR NO RESPONSIBILITY IN THE RE-INSTALLATION OF THE AIRBAG EITHER AND/OR IT'S PROPER FUNCTIONING. These are the steps *I* took and I think they might be helpful to others. You try this you are on your own, don't even dare thinking of blaming me or saying I screwed up your car, if this is your attitude or plan of attack after yours blows up, stop now. I warned you. Now that this is clear, on with the show.
How To:
1. Disconnect your battery and go take a walk. Come back an hour later or longer depending on how paranoid you are about how long your car will hold a charge and your airbag might deploy in your face. (I only waited 15 min)
2. Contrary to popular belief, the air bag cover (the top part on your dash) is not help in by just simple clips alone. I cannot vouch for other years but in my 2002 zx3, the top cover is also held down by not just TWO bolts like I was previously advised, but THREE. So your first step is to GENTLY I mean GENTLY pry up the cover at the front most edge, this cover is VERY sensitive to bend marks so go slow the clips will be evident as you begin to pop them up. You screw up your cover or bend it, then you are SOL in my books. I told you/warned you, go slow. Use a screwdriver wraped in masking tape, it prevents any sharp edges or scratch marks.
![[Image: clips.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/sweetboyee/clips.jpg)
3. Now this is the hardest part, there are THREE bolts holding down the back of your cover, one of the bolts (The one I labeled #1, is visable very easily if you lift up the airbag cover a little bit on the lefthand side. It is a 10mm bolt which you can use if you have handy a gear wrench that is long enough. I did not have one so I used a regualar 10mm wrench taped to a really long screwdriver, takes a LOT of patience and a steady hand. With this bolt removed you want to tackle bolt #3. Stick a piece of wood to prop up the cover enough to fit a wrench inside, you will have to use one hand to hold the air bag down slightly as the airbag is somewhat covering this bolt. Takes even more patience than bolt #1. Now at this point I thought I was done cause I was told there were only two bolts holding down the cover. WRONG. There is a THIRD one, in the middle. use another piece of wood and prop up the cover on both sides and slide the wrench in and loosen the third bolt, you might have to push down on the air bag once again to fully access the bolt. With this done. Gently wiggle the cover loose from the the dash and it should FULLY seperate, no straps holding the cover down like in previous focus models. Place the cover aside in a safe place for later.
![[Image: clipsstep3.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/sweetboyee/clipsstep3.jpg)
4. Now we are looking at the bare airbag sitting inside your dash. Remove the black labeled bolts and now you should be able to wiggle the airbag free from the dash, but first you have to remove a black bar that is resting on the inside of the dash, facing the passenger, if you get to this step you'll see it or hear it and it will come out easily. (it is held down by the bottom two bolts)
![[Image: airbagtopdownstep4.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/sweetboyee/airbagtopdownstep4.jpg)
5. Wow we are almost home free. This is where I got scared. This is where you disconnect the airbag from the car itself. I was scared shiitless removing these, where the clip TOUCHES the air bag there are two tabs, one on each side that need to be pressed IN, and the plug will slide out of the airbag, do this to both sides. I removed the left one (green/yellow) then I removed the right one, (red/white).
![[Image: plugs.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/sweetboyee/plugs.jpg)
Voila after this the airbag is done. it is removed and you can replace it now with the european pocket or well I dunno what else, but your airbag is out.
BEFORE YOU DO THIS, I CLAIM NO RESPONSIBILITY IF MY STEPS DON'T WORK FOR YOU, I DID THIS SOMEWHAT EXPECTING TO HAVE TO REPLACE MY AIRBAG IF IT BLEW UP AND IF IT DOES IT'S YOUR OWN FAULT DON'T COME COMPLAINING TO ME. I BEAR NO RESPONSIBILITY IF YOU HURT YOURSELF OR OTHERS. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF THE AIRBAG BLOWS UP WHILE WORKING SO CLOSE TO IT. I ALSO BEAR NO RESPONSIBILITY IN THE RE-INSTALLATION OF THE AIRBAG EITHER AND/OR IT'S PROPER FUNCTIONING. These are the steps *I* took and I think they might be helpful to others. You try this you are on your own, don't even dare thinking of blaming me or saying I screwed up your car, if this is your attitude or plan of attack after yours blows up, stop now. I warned you. Now that this is clear, on with the show.
How To:
1. Disconnect your battery and go take a walk. Come back an hour later or longer depending on how paranoid you are about how long your car will hold a charge and your airbag might deploy in your face. (I only waited 15 min)
2. Contrary to popular belief, the air bag cover (the top part on your dash) is not help in by just simple clips alone. I cannot vouch for other years but in my 2002 zx3, the top cover is also held down by not just TWO bolts like I was previously advised, but THREE. So your first step is to GENTLY I mean GENTLY pry up the cover at the front most edge, this cover is VERY sensitive to bend marks so go slow the clips will be evident as you begin to pop them up. You screw up your cover or bend it, then you are SOL in my books. I told you/warned you, go slow. Use a screwdriver wraped in masking tape, it prevents any sharp edges or scratch marks.
3. Now this is the hardest part, there are THREE bolts holding down the back of your cover, one of the bolts (The one I labeled #1, is visable very easily if you lift up the airbag cover a little bit on the lefthand side. It is a 10mm bolt which you can use if you have handy a gear wrench that is long enough. I did not have one so I used a regualar 10mm wrench taped to a really long screwdriver, takes a LOT of patience and a steady hand. With this bolt removed you want to tackle bolt #3. Stick a piece of wood to prop up the cover enough to fit a wrench inside, you will have to use one hand to hold the air bag down slightly as the airbag is somewhat covering this bolt. Takes even more patience than bolt #1. Now at this point I thought I was done cause I was told there were only two bolts holding down the cover. WRONG. There is a THIRD one, in the middle. use another piece of wood and prop up the cover on both sides and slide the wrench in and loosen the third bolt, you might have to push down on the air bag once again to fully access the bolt. With this done. Gently wiggle the cover loose from the the dash and it should FULLY seperate, no straps holding the cover down like in previous focus models. Place the cover aside in a safe place for later.
4. Now we are looking at the bare airbag sitting inside your dash. Remove the black labeled bolts and now you should be able to wiggle the airbag free from the dash, but first you have to remove a black bar that is resting on the inside of the dash, facing the passenger, if you get to this step you'll see it or hear it and it will come out easily. (it is held down by the bottom two bolts)
5. Wow we are almost home free. This is where I got scared. This is where you disconnect the airbag from the car itself. I was scared shiitless removing these, where the clip TOUCHES the air bag there are two tabs, one on each side that need to be pressed IN, and the plug will slide out of the airbag, do this to both sides. I removed the left one (green/yellow) then I removed the right one, (red/white).
Voila after this the airbag is done. it is removed and you can replace it now with the european pocket or well I dunno what else, but your airbag is out.
Run your car, not your mouth