I have been wanting to replace my steering wheel on my car for sometime now, when I got it, it was a little worse for wear. I have recently got a new one (96 TA steering wheel) and am going to put it on. I was needing to know how to take off the airbag off my steering wheel (get the other one off). Is there a trick to it, or do I just pull the front cover off. I do not want to damage the airbag/have it go off etc... Thanks for the help

 

at a minimum-minimum-meaning there is some other service procedures that must be done correctly also, but before you start diggin around in there, disconnect the battery negative cable for 10 minutes or so and leave it off while working. the derm retains power for a while because the engineers were asking themselves what if you crash up and sever a cable just nanoseconds before yer cranium starts that inertia fired rush to the windshield what would fire off the airbag and save your precious upper brain housing group? keep ya out of the droolers club? the answer is retained power in the derm. so ya gotta let that stored electricity drain off prior to workin on it. derm=gmspeak for diagnostic energy reserve module. go figger.

 

Capacitors store the charge in the SRSCM... Grumpy is right. Hey grumpy, it's good to hear tech talk on this board. Welcome!

 

hullo-many noggins better at solving problems than 1. aint nobody ever seen every problem a car can throw at you. i used to piddle about at 3rd gen.org but then i got my hands on this 96 so now your stuck with me for a while. much tighter chassis wise and build wise than my 85 ever was. plus my head dont rub against the headliner in the 96.

 

To get the airbag off of a Camaro steering wheel remove the 4 screws on the back side of the steering wheel. The airbag comes right off.

 

Yes, and make sure that the battery has been disconnected for at least 10 minutes.

 

there is an actual disarm and rearm procedure for the airbag system. I posted it here when i swapped my wheel. let me see if i can find it again.

 

lots of good that did...i guess the post is gone...forums must be pruned every once in a while or something...

 

yeah-the "procedure" has ya disconnecting the the bags from the harness under the wheel and yanking the glovebox (for the pass side)and doin the same there-much easier and less prone to error while digging around in the column or dash is to pull the battery connection. the factory "procedure" has a wee bit of a scan diagnostic at the end of it to verify connection integrity. shine all that. pull the negative.

 

thanks for the help guys, looks to be an interesting procedure, will be doing it this weekend hopefully. I think I need to get a steering wheel puller I was told and then go from there. Will be leaving it disconnected for 10 minutes, sure do not want to get wacked in the face and kill myself. Thanks for all the help.

 

Yes, you will need a puller.

 

if you decide to do it by just disconnecting the batt, pull both pos and neg and touch them together (of course when the batt is COMPLETLEY disconnected). this will completely discharge the risidual in the system. you can still let the car sit for 10 minutes if you want.
if you go find and decide to go through the dis-arm and re-arm process, when you power the car back up the AirBag light should flash 7 times to tell you that the system is correctly functioning.

i know that i would be a lot more comfortable going through the proper sequence of dis-arm and re-arm because it makes me feel a lot safer knowing that the PCM told me it is right and it will not malfunction in my face....

(you do not have to pull the glovebox...you can get to it from under the door, or even by just opening the glovebox beyond its normal stop. to do that, all you have to do is push the back of the box in and it will bend the box enough to pass the stop and drop the box open much farther. this will not hurt the box.)

 

FOR A 1996 PONTIAC TRANS AM
DISARMING THE SYSTEM

Turn the steering wheel so that the vehicle's wheels are pointing straight ahead.

Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position.

Remove the SIR or AIR BAG fuse from the fuse panel.

Remove the left side trim panel, then remove the Connector Position Assurance (CPA) device and disconnect the yellow two–way SIR harness connector at the base of the steering column.

On vehicles with passenger side air bags, remove the glove box door, then detach the yellow two–way connector located near the yellow 24–way DERM harness connector.

NOTE: With the fuse removed and the ignition switch ON, the air bag warning lamp will be on. This is normal and does not indicate a SIR system malfunction.

ARMING THE SYSTEM

Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position and remove the key.

On vehicles with a passenger side air bag, reconnect the yellow two–way connector assembly located near the yellow 24–way
DERM harness connector.

Install the glove box door assembly.

Connect the yellow two–way connector assembly at the base of the steering column.

NOTE: Always be sure to reinstall the Connector Position Assurance (CPA) device.

Install the left side trim panel and reinstall the fuse in the fuse block.

Turn the ignition key to the RUN position and verify that the warning lamp flashes seven to nine times and then turns OFF. If it does not operate as described, have the system repaired by a qualified technician

 

Does anyone have a pic of the Connector Position Assurance (CPA) device?

Great posting Deadcarny.

 

The CPA is just the little, captive, plastic pin that keeps the connector from coming off on it's own. You have to pull out the CPA to unplug the connector.

example