Airbag Installation Instructions?? I'm looking for information about what is truly necessary to install an Airbag. I'm tired of sifting through mechanics telling me its too hard and that I should pay!

270

Asked by Zachary Dec 06, 2011 at 12:48 PM about the 1998 Honda Passport 4 Dr EX 4WD SUV

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I have one airbag missing on a used car I just bought. 1998 Honda Passport.
I need to install just the driver's airbag.
I bought all three components to the system, module, pass-airbag, and drivers-
airbag.

Do I need to install all three?
Why would the module go bad?
I read a few instruction lists about general install, and it sounds easy, a couple
screws and a couple wire connections. Is that it?

Anyone who has any airbag install, please let me know what to expect, or what to
avoid! Please and thank you!

Obviously I'll be gentle handling the airbags, but do all the mechanics out there
have to act so almighty and high??? Always charging hundreds of dollars and
making these jobs out to be so difficult? Come on! Who wants to give me the
straight poop!???

-Zac

5 Answers

2,755

My advice respectfully,is to not attempt to do the re/install yourself!,in some cases which I am familiar with,the previous vehicle had been in an accident,the crash module had been tripped,and the blown air bags were removed.On replacing the air bags and hooking the system back up,the drivers steering wheel bag ignited,and pushed the eye glasses of the installer into his face and just missed lacerating the left eye.He indeed was very lucky.You cant replace an eyeball very easy,at least not yet anyway...........Please be very,very.........CAUTIOUS !

1 people found this helpful.
270

Thanks for the warning. So I'd like to say: I ordered the whole set, both bags and module, and by most descriptions, the module isn't hard to get to. If I hear what you're saying, reading between the lines: you're suggesting that I replace the module first, and then install the new airbags just to be on the cautious side? Because I would like to do the install myself. The steps seem so simple... beyond what you're saying about a fried, or stuck-on module code, which would be informing the system to deploy... if that's not there, it should be a simple process. Do you personally have experience here? or just sharing horror stories you've collected through the grape vine?? lol

1 people found this helpful.
2,755

First disconnect the battery,go ahead and change the module with the exact matching module.Then go ahead and replace whatever air bag is blown/bad make sure that every thing you took apart is pu back exactly as you took it off.Double check everything again,Turn your ignition key in the on position,Then go outside the vehicle..........and hook the POSITIVE TERMINAL up......again while you are outside the car,for safety,so you are not inside,if it were to accidentally..DEPLOY ! this should work.

1 people found this helpful.
270

I read a few instruction lists, and they all said similar: Disconnect battery, wait 15 minutes for computers to shut down. Install new matching components, etc. Thanks for the tips. Although, what do you think about this last thought: The car has the passenger airbag installed. If the control module was bad or faulty, wouldn't the passenger airbag deploy? Don't they always deploy together no matter what? This makes me think the module is fine. Any chance you know where the module is located on these Passports? The general instructions say its under the center console area (which seems simple enough, as I've disassembled these areas.) Are you familiar with this exact model? or Do you know where I can get that specific info? Thanks again!

2 people found this helpful.

Take off the battery terminals you don't want any juice going to anything in the car because it could deploy the airbags as you install them after you unplug the battery wait 3 minutes to do the installation

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