Disconnecting Air Bag

[91C2Targa]

I'm installing an after market steering wheel in a 1991 C2 911 Targa. Needless to say, I'm a little tentative about working around the air bag. Wouldn't want it engaging on me when removing the steering wheel. Any advice on how to do this safely?

[Nickshu]

Disconnect the battery for 60 minutes. Then you are free and clear. Do not reconnect until all components have been plugged back in and reinstalled.

The airbag computer has a capacitor which holds a charge for a period of time (usually about 20 minutes) so that the airbag can still deploy if the impact of a collision cuts battery power. While 20 minutes is probably ok, a 60 minute disconnect is just to be sure. Once the capacitor has powered down, it will not detect changes in the system which normally trip a fault code and cause the light to flash until you reset the unit.

Nick.

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Nick Shumaker
1982 911SC Coupe
nickshu@yahoo.com
PCA -- Rocky Mtn. Region

[Nickshu]

Disconnect the battery for 60 minutes. Then you are free and clear. Do not reconnect until all components have been plugged back in and reinstalled.

The airbag computer has a capacitor which holds a charge for a period of time (usually about 20 minutes) so that the airbag can still deploy if the impact of a collision cuts battery power. While 20 minutes is probably ok, a 60 minute disconnect is just to be sure. Once the capacitor has powered down, it will not detect changes in the system which normally trip a fault code and cause the light to flash until you reset the unit.

Nick.

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_ _ __ _ _
Nick Shumaker
1982 911SC Coupe
nickshu@yahoo.com
PCA -- Rocky Mtn. Region

[Nickshu]

Disconnect the battery for 60 minutes. Then you are free and clear. Do not reconnect until all components have been plugged back in and reinstalled.

The airbag computer has a capacitor which holds a charge for a period of time (usually about 20 minutes) so that the airbag can still deploy if the impact of a collision cuts battery power. While 20 minutes is probably ok, a 60 minute disconnect is just to be sure. Once the capacitor has powered down, it will not detect changes in the system which normally trip a fault code and cause the light to flash until you reset the unit.

Nick.

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_ _ __ _ _
Nick Shumaker
1982 911SC Coupe
nickshu@yahoo.com
PCA -- Rocky Mtn. Region

[orbmedia]

Stupid question:

What kind of accident would discharge the battery but then require the airbags to deploy 20 minutes later? I guess something involving falling off a *very* high cliff or something like that?

[Nickshu]

Lets say you get hit by something from the side (only forward "head on" will trip the sensor reels) in the left front corner and smash the battery/sever the cables. Then you spin around and slam into something head on...like say a tree or a car in oncoming traffic.

Thats what I have been told, at least.

Nick.

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Nick Shumaker
1982 911SC Coupe
nickshu@yahoo.com
PCA -- Rocky Mtn. Region

[makaio]

The reason they have capacitors wired to the air bags is, in some accidents the battery is destroyed or thrown from the car before the air bag is deployed.

Not to go against what Nick said, but I would talk to a shop and see how long they say the capacitor in your car will store it's charge. The last thing you want is that thing launching at you. And once you get the air bag off, store it in a secure area. I saw a video of an EOD guy like Leland setting one of them off, and it went through the roof (literally).

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Matt Chamblin
78 911 SC

[rstoll]

Not to mention it is probably a $1500 or so firecracker.

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Robert Stoll
83 SC
83 944