Driver and Passenger Side Curtain Airbags
Driver and Passenger Side Curtain Airbags
• Removal and installation is described for the right side of the vehicle. Removing and installing on the left side is identical.
Removing
Follow all Safety Precautions when working on an airbag. Refer to => [ Airbags Safety Precautions ] Airbags Safety Precautions.
- Disconnect the battery.
- Remove the front interior and reading lamps:
• Vehicles without Panorama sunroof
• Vehicles with Panorama sunroof
Vehicles with a Single Console
- Remove the console. Refer to => [ Console in Headliner ] Console in Headliner
Vehicles equipped with a Screen Separator
- Remove the bolt - 1 - (8 Nm) in each of the mounts - 2 -.
All Vehicles
- Remove roof end strip. Refer to => [ Roof End Strip ] Roof End Strip
- Remove the A-pillar upper trim. Refer to => [ A-Pillar Upper Trim ] A-Pillar Upper Trim
- Remove the B-pillar upper trim. Refer to => [ B-Pillar Upper Trim, Loosening from Mounts and Securing ] B-Pillar Upper Trim, Loosening from Mounts and Securing
- Remove roof grab handles. Refer to => [ Roof Grab Handles ] Service and Repair
- Remove the sun visors. Refer to => [ Sun Visors ] Sun Visors
- Fold rear seat backrests forward.
- Move the front seats to the all the way forward and fold the backrests forward.
- Remove the headliner. Refer to => [ Headliner ] Headliner
- Place a flat O-ring pliers in both clip openings - 1 - and carefully remove the clips out of the opening in the body.
- Remove the clips - 2 -, - 3 - and - 4 -, as described, out of the opening in the body.
If one of the four clips were damaged while removing, the side curtain airbag must be replaced!
- Carefully remove the clip - 1 - from the A-pillar bracket using release tool (T10236).
- At the bottom of the A-pillar, pull the band - 2 - from the side curtain airbag - 1 -, as far as possible and out of the opening in the body - arrow -.
- Guide the band - 1 - out using a feeler gauge and needle nose pliers.
- Pry the connector lock - 3 - using a small screwdriver - 1 - out of the connector - 2 -.
Electrostatic discharges can lead to an unintended deployment of the airbag. Therefore the technician must discharge static electricity from the body before separating the ignition and ground wiring. This is done, for example, by briefly touching the body or the door striker or pin.
- Disconnect wiring harness - 4 - from side curtain airbag.
- On vehicles equipped with a Panorama sunroof, remove the water drain hose from the gas generator bracket.
- Remove the roller - 7 - from the clamp - 6 -.
- Remove screws - 5 - and - 8 -.
- Remove the gas generator, including the retaining place, from the threaded bolt.
- Remove head-level airbag from vehicle via rear lid.
Installation
- Guide the side curtain airbag, through the rear lid, into the vehicle.
- Secure the gas generator including the retaining plate with the bolts - 5 - and - 8 - (9 Nm).
- On vehicles equipped with a Panorama sunroof, mount the water drain hose in the gas generator retaining plate.
- Slide the roller - 7 - into the clamp - 6 -.
- Connect the harness connector - 4 - to the side curtain airbag.
- Press the clamps into the openings in the body in the sequence - 4 -, - 3 -, - 2 - and - 1 -.
After clipping the side curtain airbag, make sure the four clamps on both sides are securely latched.
Clamps Latched On Both Sides
Clamps Latched On One Side
- Latch the clamps on both sides.
Clamp Not Latched
- Latch the clamps on both sides.
- Press the clip - 1 - into the mount on the A-pillar.
To prevent rattling, apply felt tape around the latch to secure the clip - 1 - if necessary.
- Slide the band - 1 - into the opening in the body.
- Further assembling is in reverse order of removal.
- Turn on the ignition.
Make sure that no persons are in the vehicle.
- Connect the battery.