How To Remove Airbag?

MikeInCtown · March 11, 2009

I posted a steering wheel button question in the "ask the tech" section but have since realized that a lot of you guys probably replace these things more often than I had thought.

Anyway, my 04 Sierra had the information/enter button sticking so I picked up a new switch. Following the advice posted in my switch post I carefully pried out the old switch. I found that the cable leading to the switch is not long enough to even plug back in (it came loose as I was pulling switch out) Anyway, I tried pulling the wires with pliers and wound up breaking off part of the plug. I need to pull the airbag off apparently so I can get to the wire harness for the wheel controls to eithe replace or get enough slack so I can somehow re-attach my plug pins to the appropriate connectors.

I have read that to get at the insides I need to:

1: disconnect battery cable for 15 minutes to let system power drain. I'm not sure if I should also hold the cables together to be sure or not?

2: remove ABS fuse from dash panel by door.

3: use a drill bit or awl to poke into the steering wheel holes to release airbag clips.

4 Disconnect airbag wires and place it facing up on a flat surface.

5: complete my task.

Should this be all I need to do? I'm assuming that other than waiting for the 15 minutes for the battery/power drain that this should be like a 10 minute repair. (then again I thought this switch would be...)

Oh, and that bad switch? Someone has spilled soda on the switch and gunked it up. a quick soak of the buttons in hot water and the switch operates like new again.

<<<UPDATE>>>

Well, I went out at munch time and fixed everything back up. Even though I cracked the connector apart the pins pushed in (barely was able to pull enough wire to even attempt to plug in) and the switch actually works.

The airbag procedures outlined worked great and the airbag module unplugs from the wheel effortlessly and snaps back into place even easier.