removing air bag, how do you turn off the light

**transampete** · 04-02-2009, 06:31 AM

OK OK I know you're not supposed to remove your air bags.I know all about the safety issues,but I can't stand for the look of that ugly steering wheel,
and I'm looking to remove some weight from my car also.
I'm not fond of an explosive device being that close to my face anyway.
So with that said, can any one tell me how to turn off the air bag light.
I would perfer a dummy resistor or something to keep the test lamp circuit working insted of cutting a bulb or a wire out.

**hoosierSS02** · 04-02-2009, 07:00 AM

its your life, your decision, so im not really knocking you here (plus i hate it when people get preachy on here)... but how much does an air bag weigh anyway? i guess there could be some weight to the delivery system. but, i wouldnt be taking anything that may save my ass out of a car that i sometimes drive in a manner that others may perceive as "unsafe".... are you getting another steering wheel entirely or what is your gameplan?

**timberman00** · 04-03-2009, 12:27 PM

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I've heard of airbags being deployed during launches at the strip. Can they be temporarily disabled for drag racing and made to work for the ride home?

**Firebirdjones** · 04-03-2009, 01:02 PM

I have ours disabled in both cars. We just don't care for them. Besides if they ever did deploy for something very minor, chances are insurance would total the car,,since they are getting older now. I prefer to avoid all that.

I had planned on removing them at some point as well. Just hasn't been high on the priority list at the moment.

I simply unplugged the big yellow wire that goes to the bags to disable them. It does leave the light on in the dash but I was never concerned with turning that off, it never bothered me.

Guess you could go in and just remove the bulb??? The cluster comes out easily enough. Or are these not simple replacement bulbs???

**mark21742** · 04-03-2009, 04:39 PM

i took my whole srs system out.....as firebird said, i don't like them, plus i have racing seats/harnesses and aftermarket steering wheel.
but i will warn you it may be hard to find a wheel that will bolt right up, i used the center of my old wheel for an adapter hub to bolt the new one to

**mark21742** · 04-03-2009, 04:39 PM

oh, pls i just poped the LED out of the gauge cluster

**Pony_Eater** · 04-03-2009, 04:49 PM

ya i wanna know if theres an easy way to shut this light off as well....the guy i bought the car from had to total the car because he got in a minor crash and the airbags deployed. ..

**transampete** · 04-03-2009, 06:04 PM

I was planning on getting a grant steering wheel and was hoping that an adapter for a'92 f-body would work. I was told that dash air bag light is an LED soldered to the circuit board.

**mark21742** · 04-03-2009, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by transampete

I was planning on getting a grant steering wheel and was hoping that an adapter for a'92 f-body would work. I was told that dash air bag light is an LED soldered to the circuit board.

I'm not sure about yours, but i know i looked through all the adapters at the perfromance shops around here and couldn't find any that fit my GTO, i don't know if it was because of the air bag, or because it was a GTO, but non I looked at fit. it took about five minutes for me to pull the cluster out, open it and pop out the LED

**transampete** · 04-04-2009, 02:36 PM

I'll have to remove the guage cluster and see if the LED can be pulled out without cutting it out.The steering column is very simular to older GM columns that I've seen. I was hoping that someone has done this before and tell me what to do.

**JoshieDoom** · 04-04-2009, 03:19 PM

Since I made airbags for over 2 years.. waiting to go back and do it again....they are very dangerous and can do more harm then good. Disabling ISNT a good idea. If you get into a wreck and they have to use the jaws of life it could set them off. Its best to take out the panel. Carefully undrill the rivets/bolts. and remove the inflator/ bag and put the dash/steering column back together and THEN remove the LED/Module etc.

Then you can dispose of the inflator the fun way.... with 20 foot of wire and a post hole digger makes a helleva mine

**mark21742** · 04-04-2009, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by JoshieDoom

Since I made airbags for over 2 years.. waiting to go back and do it again....they are very dangerous and can do more harm then good. Disabling ISNT a good idea. If you get into a wreck and they have to use the jaws of life it could set them off. Its best to take out the panel. Carefully undrill the rivets/bolts. and remove the inflator/ bag and put the dash/steering column back together and THEN remove the LED/Module etc.

Then you can dispose of the inflator the fun way.... with 20 foot of wire and a post hole digger makes a helleva mine

thats why my airbags for the goat are on the shelf in the garage

.....yup i used a motorcycle battery to set off my VW air bags out in the yard.....it was fun

**transampete** · 04-06-2009, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by JoshieDoom

Since I made airbags for over 2 years.. waiting to go back and do it again....they are very dangerous and can do more harm then good. Disabling ISNT a good idea. If you get into a wreck and they have to use the jaws of life it could set them off. Its best to take out the panel. Carefully undrill the rivets/bolts. and remove the inflator/ bag and put the dash/steering column back together and THEN remove the LED/Module etc.

Then you can dispose of the inflator the fun way.... with 20 foot of wire and a post hole digger makes a helleva mine

sounds like good fun

**FORD RECOVERY EXPERT** · 04-08-2009, 10:58 PM

Have a GT whell in the 93..... Chunked the bags, pop the led out, OR cover the inside of the "AIR BAG" light cavity w/ plain, black electrical tape.....

The 92 up adapt worked in mine, used the polished billet one.....

**Firebirdjones** · 04-09-2009, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by transampete

I'll have to remove the guage cluster and see if the LED can be pulled out without cutting it out.The steering column is very simular to older GM columns that I've seen. I was hoping that someone has done this before and tell me what to do.

I would assume the light would pull out,,,I mean it has to be changed somehow when they burn out,,,,right??? Thats my thought on it. GM has done some dumb things though.

I'll get to mine sometime and pull it all out one way or another.

**transampete** · 04-09-2009, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

I would assume the light would pull out,,,I mean it has to be changed somehow when they burn out,,,,right??? Thats my thought on it. GM has done some dumb things though.

I'll get to mine sometime and pull it all out one way or another.

Someone told me onetime that it was an LED soldered to the circuit board in the cluster

**Firebirdjones** · 04-09-2009, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by transampete

Someone told me onetime that it was an LED soldered to the circuit board in the cluster

Now that would suck. Doesn't make R&R of a burnt bulb that easy does it. I haven't had mine apart yet to see but it sure wouldn't surprise me.

The more little quirks like this I run into on these 4th gens the more I really love my classic cars.