Airbag will it blow....

if you are good at working with bombs, i wouldn't worry about it...otherwise, i would have someone who is well versed with air bags do this task .... imho of course.....

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

Been a long time since I worked with bombs...I was 13 IIRC :o)

Yes, it may come to that, seeking professional assistance...but even then I would be interested in knowing how the system works.

Car is a 945 -96 btw.

Jens

~^ beancounter ~^ skrev:

Playing around with the airbag system is like ... russian roulette ! It has no problem to send you to death !

Regards, Torsten

be careful....anyway, the other night on dirty jobs ... the "guys" were blowing 55 gal drum's aprox 25 feet into the air w/air bag "bombs".....it was pretty cool....

Torsten Beekhuis wrote:

There is a dummy airbag (test resistor) available from the dealer which you can plug into the airbag connector in the steering wheel in place of the airbag. This will enable you to test out the wiring without blowing the bag. There is a 15 year life to this component before replacement is deemed necessary.

All the best, Peter.

The only messing with the airbag I'd do is to remove it and install a steering wheel from a non-SRS equipped 940. Straightforward and no bomb waiting to break your nose.

An ohmmeter can blow up the airbag, but there's a shorting spring across the contacts that the connector moves aside when it's connected, so you would have been protected if you had tried to measure it. (Of course you would have got the wrong reading.) Airbag resistance is around 3 ohms.

Probably your problem is with the so called "contact reel", this is the device that takes airbag power from the stationary steering column to the rotating steering wheel.

I'm still here! ´Didn't feel like blowing myself to pieces today - that's why I asked here in the first place. :o) And yeah, I had a 945 with open airbags a couple years ago, and found out it was economically wise to find a regular steering wheel and live w/o the SRS.

Thanks for good answers, Peter & Mike! Like you said, the airbag wouldn't be measured because it is shorted by a spring when not installed. And, correct again, I checked the contact reel and it is intermittent. Took it to Volvo, and they said "those never go bad!" and then wanted €140 (US$180?) for a new one. And no luck at the junkyard, so now I am fiddling with this thing and wondering if it can be repaired.....? I can buy a near cpl car for parts for €500 so that's what I'll do rather than buy new parts. Drilling the rivets in the contact reel next...

thx guys, Jens

Mike F skrev:

Now I read that the contact reel can become "unwound" and have to figure out what that means. Also realized what that yellow strip with the little bolt on it is meant to do - take out the bolt and lock the contact reelso it won't become "unwound". Before I drill - can it be "rewound" somehow?

The contact reel is designed so that it will turn about 6 revolutions without stressing the "windings". So to reassemble you just carefully wind it to one extreme, then 3 turns the other way. Then center the steering, and install.

Well, this was a learning experience, so I think I should share. Thanks for those who shared their knowledge (Peter M. and esp. Mike F.). and thanks to the rest of you for worrying about my health :o)

I was reckless putting the steering wheel back on after changing it. So the contact reel had been shifted one or two turns clock-wise. Everything seemed ok, but after driving a little bit the SRS light came on and could not be cancelled - fault code 2-1-2 - break in wiring, steering wheel airbag. The contact reel has two long copper springs coiled up in many turns. Copper is soft and easily strained/broken so the contact reel must be in the proper position before installing the steering wheel. Turn it clock-wise without using force until it is tight, then turn it the other direction 3 turns. Carefully install the steering wheel. If the contact reel is strained, one or both springs will break. You can then drill out the rivets (I use a Dremel tool) and take it apart (carefully). Using a small soldering iron, you can unsolder the broken piece from the pin in the center. Then using a needlenose pliers you can shape the copper so it fits around the pin, and apply new solder. Reassemble, but check first that the springs on both sides are equally tightened. If done carefully it will work like new. If not, your SRS will come on again, sooner or later. Good Luck, Jens

Mike F skrev: