Wierd airbag question...

[vegetaarmy]

I have a bit of a weird question. Is their anyway for me to open the driver's side airbag? I know how to remove remove the airbag from the steering wheel, but can I open it up? When I removed my Saturn emblem, some of the tabs broke off. If I get into an accident and it goes off, I could be bombarded by the pieces. I know I've made a big mistake by removing it, but can I open it up, remove the pieces, the put it back together? Hope someone can answer it for me.

-Jess

[01SuperCoupe]

I saw a crashed Astra at the jy the other day. The airbag cover opened at the bottom of the steering wheel, (with the wheels pointed in a straight line, I assume) and went upwards towards the windshield. So it would seem to me that if you were to deploy your airbag these pieces you refer to would be sent into the windshield, and not your face.

But I just gotta ask...Why did you try to remove the Saturn logo? Did you think you were going to find the Opel logo underneath it?

[Astra La Vista!]

Originally Posted by vegetaarmy

I have a bit of a weird question. Is their anyway for me to open the driver's side airbag? I know how to remove remove the airbag from the steering wheel, but can I open it up? When I removed my Saturn emblem, some of the tabs broke off. If I get into an accident and it goes off, I could be bombarded by the pieces. I know I've made a big mistake by removing it, but can I open it up, remove the pieces, the put it back together? Hope someone can answer it for me.

-Jess

Would you try and take apart a stick of dynamite and then put it back together, especially if you relied on it to still work when you needed it to?

[vegetaarmy]

Originally Posted by 01SuperCoupe

But I just gotta ask...Why did you try to remove the Saturn logo? Did you think you were going to find the Opel logo underneath it?

I didn't expect to find any logo underneath I did want to replace it with something else. I knew it wasn't held on with glue and it took about an hour to remove. But after I did, saw some of the legs on the emblem snapped off and are now stuck underneath. I have quite a nice emblem on their now. After the fact, I saw some other posts of a saturn/opel badge that would go over top that would make it flat. Then I could have had a badge go over top of that. If it was possible to open the front of the airbag so I could remove the pieces then close it, I would be a happy camper.

-Jess

[oilburner]

Well they should be modular components, and I doubt its really that dangerous to take a part. They have to be made in one factory trasnported across the world and then be assembly on a standard production line with lots of unprotected people. I have no idea but i would imagine its put together with something that snaps and would be difficult to get out without a specialized tool.

[Astra La Vista!]

Originally Posted by oilburner

Well they should be modular components, and I doubt its really that dangerous to take a part. They have to be made in one factory trasnported across the world and then be assembly on a standard production line with lots of unprotected people. I have no idea but i would imagine its put together with something that snaps and would be difficult to get out without a specialized tool.

Ok, maybe my original comparison was a little off. How about this: would you allow an unqualified person to pack your parachute?

There is a difference between swapping out an airbag unit for another one, and taking one apart and then trying to put it back together, while guaranteeing that it will deploy safely when it needs to. While automotive technicians are trained on how to safely remove/replace intact airbags, they certainly aren't trained on how to take them apart and put them back together. It is a non-serviceable component, and is even considered an explosive device in Germany and regulated accordingly.

PS: If you do a Google search for "airbag disassembly", you will find a handful of hits discussing "airbag removal" and a few from companies offering "airbag recycling" but that's it.

[Layoira]

wel the tabs on the back are sort of melted on, and thats why they crack when you remove the badge. I will take a pic later to show you.

The bag isnt attached to the cover per say, so Im sure its possible to remove the bag from the cover without actually damaging the bag, but I dont even know if I would want to mess around with that

Either way I will post up a pic later to show you what I mean so there might be a way for you to go about it maybe. Maybe.

[vegetaarmy]

Originally Posted by Layoira

wel the tabs on the back are sort of melted on, and thats why they crack when you remove the badge. I will take a pic later to show you.

The bag isnt attached to the cover per say, so Im sure its possible to remove the bag from the cover without actually damaging the bag, but I dont even know if I would want to mess around with that

Either way I will post up a pic later to show you what I mean so there might be a way for you to go about it maybe. Maybe.

All I want to do is open the cover, remove the pieces, then put the cover back on. I would not be messing with anything inside. Do you have a pic of the rear of the air bag?

-Jess

[Layoira]

Originally Posted by vegetaarmy

All I want to do is open the cover, remove the pieces, then put the cover back on. I would not be messing with anything inside. Do you have a pic of the rear of the air bag?

-Jess

Think i should have one yep something that will help at least. when i am home i will post it up and the one of the badge

[Layoira]

so sorry i havent posted yet. My net has been down at home for 3 days! and they were only out to fix it yesterday. Anyways I'll get a pic posted up later tonite for you!