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Disassembly and Assembly

DISASSEMBLY
The following procedures can be used to replace the driver airbag trim cover and horn switch unit. If the driver airbag is faulty or deployed, the entire driver airbag, trim cover, and horn switch must be replaced as a unit.

WARNING:
- ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIRBAGS, DISABLE THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY STEERING WHEEL, STEERING COLUMN, DRIVER AIRBAG, PASSENGER AIRBAG, SEAT BELT TENSIONER, SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG, 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 SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM. FAILURE TO TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTAL AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY.
- THE HORN SWITCH IS INTEGRAL TO THE DRIVER AIRBAG UNIT. SERVICE OF THIS UNIT SHOULD BE PERFORMED ONLY BY DAIMLERCHRYSLER-TRAINED AND AUTHORIZED DEALER SERVICE TECHNICIANS. FAILURE TO TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS OR TO FOLLOW THE PROPER PROCEDURES COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTAL, INCOMPLETE, OR IMPROPER AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLE OCCUPANT INJURIES.
- USE EXTREME CARE TO PREVENT ANY FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM ENTERING THE DRIVER AIRBAG, OR BECOMING ENTRAPPED BETWEEN THE DRIVER AIRBAG CUSHION AND THE DRIVER AIRBAG TRIM COVER. FAILURE TO OBSERVE THIS WARNING COULD RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURIES UPON AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.
- THE DRIVER AIRBAG TRIM COVER MUST NEVER BE PAINTED. REPLACEMENT TRIM COVERS ARE SERVICED IN THE ORIGINAL COLORS. PAINT MAY CHANGE THE WAY IN WHICH THE MATERIAL OF THE TRIM COVER RESPONDS TO AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. FAILURE TO OBSERVE THIS WARNING COULD RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURIES UPON AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.

1. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable. Wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before further service.
2. Remove the driver airbag from the steering wheel (Refer to RESTRAINTS/ DRIVER AIRBAG - REMOVAL).

Fig. 19 Driver Airbag Components:




3. Place the driver airbag on a suitable work surface with the trim cover facing down.
4. Disengage both horn switch pigtail wires from the routing slots in the upper locking block of the trim cover.
5. Remove the nut and washer that secures the horn switch ground pigtail wire eyelet terminal to the upper left inflator stud on the back of the driver airbag housing.
6. Remove the horn switch ground pigtail wire eyelet terminal from the upper left inflator stud on the back of the driver airbag housing.
7. Turn the driver airbag unit over on the work surface (trim cover side up) to prevent metal shavings from entering and becoming entrapped in the folded airbag cushion beneath the trim cover.

Fig. 20 Driver Airbag Blind Rivets Remove:




8. Use a number 7 (5.16 millimeter or 0.201 inch) drill bit to remove the flanged head from each of the three blind rivets that secure the trim cover to the airbag housing. Using the mandrel opening in the center of the flanged head of the rivet as a guide, operate the drill perpendicularly to the flanged rivet head only until the flanged head separates from the shank of each rivet.
9. Turn the driver airbag unit over on the work surface (trim cover side down) and disengage each of the three trim cover tabs from the shank of each blind rivet.

Fig. 21 Driver Airbag Locking Tabs Disengaged:




10. Push the metal airbag housing stamping down into the trim cover receptacle far enough to disengage the locking tabs on the housing from the slots in the upper and both lower trim cover locking blocks.

Fig. 22 Driver Airbag Hook Disengage:




11. Push one side of the metal airbag housing stamping down into the trim cover and pull outward on the trim cover rivet tab on the same side far enough to disengage the hook on the housing from the window in the vertical side wall of the trim cover receptacle.

Fig. 23 Driver Airbag Trim Cover Remove:




12. Secure the airbag cover to the work surface with one hand, then lift upward on the airbag housing mounting tab to rotate the airbag housing and cushion unit out of the trim cover receptacle.
13. Discard the removed trim cover and horn switch unit.

Fig. 4 Driver Airbag Rivet Remove:




14. Using a pair of side cutters, cut away the remaining aluminum shank of each blind rivet that protrudes from the outboard face of each of the three airbag housing rivet tabs.
15. Still using the side cutters, pull the expanded portion of each of the three aluminum blind rivets and their steel mandrels out through the inboard side of the three airbag housing rivet tabs. Be certain to account for each of the three rivets and their mandrels and then discard.

ASSEMBLY
The following procedures can be used to replace the driver airbag trim cover and horn switch unit. If the driver airbag is faulty or deployed, the entire driver airbag, trim cover, and horn switch must be replaced as a unit.

WARNING:
- ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIRBAGS, DISABLE THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY STEERING WHEEL, STEERING COLUMN, DRIVER AIRBAG, PASSENGER AIRBAG, SEAT BELT TENSIONER, SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG, 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 SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM. FAILURE TO TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTAL AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY.
- THE HORN SWITCH IS INTEGRAL TO THE DRIVER AIRBAG UNIT. SERVICE OF THIS UNIT SHOULD BE PERFORMED ONLY BY DAIMLERCHRYSLER-TRAINED AND AUTHORIZED DEALER SERVICE TECHNICIANS. FAILURE TO TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS OR TO FOLLOW THE PROPER PROCEDURES COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTAL, INCOMPLETE, OR IMPROPER AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLE OCCUPANT INJURIES.
- USE EXTREME CARE TO PREVENT ANY FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM ENTERING THE DRIVER AIRBAG, OR BECOMING ENTRAPPED BETWEEN THE DRIVER AIRBAG CUSHION AND THE DRIVER AIRBAG TRIM COVER. FAILURE TO OBSERVE THIS WARNING COULD RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURIES UPON AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.
- THE DRIVER AIRBAG TRIM COVER MUST NEVER BE PAINTED. REPLACEMENT TRIM COVERS ARE SERVICED IN THE ORIGINAL COLORS. PAINT MAY CHANGE THE WAY IN WHICH THE MATERIAL OF THE TRIM COVER RESPONDS TO AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. FAILURE TO OBSERVE THIS WARNING COULD RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURIES UPON AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.

1. Obtain a new driver airbag trim cover and horn switch service replacement package. Three new blind rivets are included in the package. Always use the correct new blind rivets provided in the service package when installing the new trim cover and horn switch unit.
2. Place the new driver airbag trim cover on a suitable work surface with the airbag receptacle facing up. Be certain to take the proper precautions to prevent the trim cover from receiving cosmetic damage during the following procedures.

Fig. 25 Driver Airbag Hook Engaged:




3. Insert one side of the airbag housing and cushion unit into the trim cover receptacle far enough to engage the hook on that side of the housing through the window in the vertical side wall of the receptacle.
4. Pull outward on the trim cover rivet tab on the opposite side of the driver airbag trim cover and push that side of the airbag housing down into the trim cover far enough to engage the second hook on the housing through its window in the vertical side wall of the trim cover receptacle.
5. Be certain that the two horn switch pigtail wires are routed between the driver airbag housing and the trim cover outboard of their respective sides of the upper trim cover locking block.
6. Push the metal airbag housing stamping down into the trim cover receptacle far enough to engage the locking tabs on the upper and lower edges of the housing into the slots in the upper and both lower trim cover locking blocks.
7. Pull the metal airbag housing stamping upward within the trim cover receptacle far enough to align the holes in the three rivet tabs of the airbag housing with the holes in the rivet tabs of the trim cover. Inspect each of the locking tabs and hooks on the airbag housing to be certain they are still fully engaged in their respective slots and windows in the trim cover. If any are not engaged, go back to Step 6.
8. Install the three blind rivets included in the service replacement package through the holes in the trim cover and airbag housing rivet tabs using an appropriate blind rivet installation tool. The blind rivets must be installed with their flanged heads oriented toward the outboard side and flush with each trim cover rivet tab.
9. Position the horn switch ground pigtail wire eyelet terminal over the upper left inflator stud on the back of the driver airbag housing.
10. Install and tighten the nut and washer that secures the horn switch ground pigtail wire eyelet terminal to the upper left inflator stud on the back of the driver airbag housing. Tighten the nut to 8 Nm (70 in. lbs.).

Fig. 26 Horn Switch Wire Routing:




11. Engage both horn switch pigtail wires into the routing slots in the upper locking block of the trim cover.
12. Reinstall the driver airbag onto the steering wheel (Refer to RESTRAINTS/ DRIVER AIRBAG - INSTALLATION).
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