Passenger Air Bag - Removal

REMOVAL

WARNING:
- To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) before attempting any steering wheel, steering column, airbag, seat belt tensioner, impact sensor or instrument panel component diagnosis or service. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative (ground) cable, then wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before performing further diagnosis or service. This is the only sure way to disable the SRS. Failure to take the proper precautions could result in accidental airbag deployment.
- To avoid serious or fatal injury when removing a deployed airbag, rubber gloves, eye protection, and a long-sleeved shirt should be worn. There may be deposits on the airbag unit and other interior surfaces. In large doses, these deposits may cause irritation to the skin and eyes.







NOTE: The following procedure is for replacement of an ineffective or damaged passenger airbag. If the airbag is ineffective or damaged, but not deployed, review the recommended procedures for Handling Non-Deployed Supplemental Restraints. If the passenger airbag has been deployed, review the recommended procedures for Service After A Supplemental Restraint Deployment before removing the airbag from the vehicle.

1. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable. Wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before further service.
2. Remove the glove box from the instrument panel.
3. Remove the upper storage bin/glove box from the instrument panel.
4. Reach through the upper storage bin/glove box opening of the instrument panel to access and remove the two screws (6) that secure the passenger airbag (2) lower bracket to the instrument panel structural support (5).
5. Remove all of the components and fasteners that secure the trim cover (3) to the instrument panel structural support.
6. Slowly and carefully lift the trim cover up from the instrument panel structural support far enough to access and disconnect the instrument panel wire harness connectors (7) from the passenger airbag inflator. To disconnect the connectors:
a. Pull the connector lock out of the connector insulator.
b. Pinch both latches firmly, then pull the insulators straight out from the airbag inflator to disconnect them from the connector receptacles.

7. Remove the instrument panel trim cover and passenger airbag from the vehicle as a unit and place it upside down on a suitable work surface. If the trim cover will be reused, be certain to take the proper precautions to protect the trim cover from cosmetic damage.
8. Disengage all of the hooks (4) on one side of the airbag housing from the windows in the forward or rearward vertical wall of the airbag chute/retainer (1) on the underside of the trim cover. To disengage the hooks, use hand pressure to push one edge of the airbag housing firmly and evenly downward into the retainer receptacle. Then, while pulling outward on the adjacent upper edge of the receptacle wall, roll the disengaged side out of the retainer and disengage the hooks on the opposite side from the retainer.
9. With all of the hooks disengaged, lift the housing, inflator, and cushion as a unit from the retainer receptacle on the underside of the instrument panel trim cover.