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How can I replace my Airbag Steering Wheel?!

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 3:13 pm
by catgroom
I have a '95 Turbo Auto.Need to change my steering wheel as doing shedloads of miles.How do I remove an airbagged wheel?Hit a sensor with a hammer whilst standing back?!HEEEEELLLLLLP! :angry:

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 3:15 pm
by Bramdeman
Veeeery carefully ? :lol:

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 4:45 pm
by coyote1980
This is indeed a very delicate job, be 100% sure you know that what you're about to do is the correct job as keeping all your fingers attached is more valuable than the price for having the dealer do it. I am sorry I don't have any useful info for you, but just be very careful... :scared:

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 5:12 pm
by martinholmesuk
DEaler job. I think it's too risky! if you do it then please be careful :D

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 10:08 pm
by Ben Harris
I've extracted the relevant sections from the "unmentionable source" for you, and put them into a PDF.

Here you go: SRS Intructions

Ben.

Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 6:17 pm
by coyote1980
Ben Harris wrote:"unmentionable source"
Hey Ben, VADIS is not that unmentionable ;), it's just not allowed to trade the software on the forum :!: . Posting some pages to solve a problem someone else is having doesn't seem harmful.

Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 6:43 pm
by Ben Harris
I was only joking about it being unmentionable :D. It's in PDF format, hosted on some of my webspace at the moment. Possibly Gaz might want to host it in the download section, so it's saved with all the other useful documents.

Ben.

This is not as easy as removing the wheel eh?!

Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 8:16 pm
by catgroom
Ben,I will help you out (rather!) in any way I can if you could simply mail me instructions as I have a rather nice wheel to fit!A translation shortened if you like.............. :( :shock: :? :x :badmood: !oh and are you going to the 480 meet in May then?

Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 8:34 pm
by martinholmesuk
Hey Ben, VADIS is not that unmentionable , it's just not allowed to trade the software on the forum . Posting some pages to solve a problem someone else is having doesn't seem harmful.
But no one is meant to have it so how can you even post stuff when where not meant to have?

Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 10:20 pm
by bbf
maybe he owns a certified volvo garage, or knows someone from there? heh!

Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 10:50 pm
by Ben Harris
bbf wrote:maybe he owns a certified volvo garage, or knows someone from there? heh!
I don't own a garage, but I do know the guy from the Volvo spares department very well as he keeps persuading me to part with my money all the time! :D

catgroom:
You've got mail!

Ben.

Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 11:32 am
by dragon
Ben Harris wrote:I was only joking about it being unmentionable :D. It's in PDF format, hosted on some of my webspace at the moment. Possibly Gaz might want to host it in the download section, so it's saved with all the other useful documents.

Ben.
I certainly can. And have! ;)

http://volvo480.northernscum.org.uk/ then click on downloads :)

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 4:49 pm
by Big Brother
I managed to remove the steering wheel on my S by disconnecting the battery first and then carefully undoing the bolts at the back of the wheel, when the horn and bag part came loose I just disconnected the single wire that runs to the airbag. there you will find the bolt to remove the wheel. To replace the wheel I just did the reverse and reconnected the battery after I had fitted it back. Worked fine for me :D

Adam

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 8:27 pm
by coyote1980
I somewhere read a Brittish dealer charged 20 pounds for removing or deactivating the airbag/SRS-system.

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 8:33 pm
by Big Brother
With my uncle being in the automotive business he knows a lot of mechanics around the town I live in, one guy who he knows in one of the garages used to work for Volvo and worked on the 480, when I go around there with something wrong he’ll come and have a look straight away. He knows his stuff.

Adam

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2005 1:22 am
by MatBat
Well, we have got the wheel off and new wheel on again. :D
Had to swapt eh steering column from a non SRS 480 too because of the differance in shaft length. Just disonnected Batt and cut wires to SRS and then unbolted. Tried to blow it up before but it didn't seem to work. :(

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2005 1:04 pm
by chris1roll
go out in a field and run two long wires from it to a battery? :D

Good going, shall need to do this to amy's 460 eventually, seeing as how to service the SRS system at 10years old costs the best part of 2 grand :shock: , and if you don't it could randomly go off!!

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2005 1:50 pm
by Ben Harris
I can't remember where I read it, but Volvo have upped the replacement interval for the SRS airbag to 15 years. It should be 'checked' at 10 years (i.e. dashboard light comes on, and goes off again with the ignition, and there are no fault codes on the ECU), but doesn't have to be replaced until 15 years.

I may have originally read it in VADIS, but if you look at the newsgroup archives at Google Groups, there are lots of references to the 10 years becoming 15 to back this up:

e.g.
http://groups.google.co.uk/groups?hl=en ... utos.volvo

Also, when it comes to detonating the airbag, I also read something about it needing a resistance of at least a certain rating when you cross the wires (from a distance!). Otherwise, it won't detonate as a safety feature. - Not one I'd like to test though! That might be why it didn't work for Mat.

Ben.

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2005 2:26 pm
by rpruen
I'm not sure about how to set the airbag off, I guess giving it the right current would do the trick. I don't know about the resistor thing. It all depends on how smart the part in the SRS bag is.

I'm fairly sure that static can set them off.

I'd be tempted to put it on the ground with the front down, and connect it to 12V and see how high it will go. Note that it's not a good idea, and if you get a facefull of airbag unit then it's your own fault.

Richard

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2005 3:53 pm
by martinholmesuk
Now the airbag is off,

Does that mean catgrooms insurance company will need to know?

If he crashed then would his insurance cover him?