I kind of like the idea of keeping my car with an airbag equipped steering wheel for the safety factor. But, I am wondering if a later model airbag wheel would fit in my '92 Formula? I'd like to find a black wheel to replace my stock gray one. I did a quick search and didn't find an answer.

Thanks for any help.

 

black z28 would, 4thgen wheels will fit too i've heard. i have one out of my 92 with under 5,000 miles if anyone is looking they can have it for $300 shipped with airbag.

you should still be able to buy then new from gm i believe, the last one i bought cost me $350 without the airbag from gm for the leather z28 version. good luck.

 

i have heard it will bolt up but will not wire up safe uses a total diffrent SRS sytem.

 

agreed, stick to thirdgen to keep things correct.

 

I put the 4th gen wheel with airbag in my 1990 - had no major problems. There is a wiring issue - the 4th gen wheel uses a smaller electrical connector for the bag, so the connectors don't match each other - just get the connector from the donor car steering column and replace in your car or cut the connector from your old wheel and replace on the new wheel.

This is a simple wire splice job guys - most of you do way more wiring stuff than this - just because it's the airbag, doesn't change the job - just make sure you get a good connection, and test with an ohm meter. I can't even solder, and mines been in for 2 years and hasn't blew in my face yet.

 

That sounds pretty easy to me, camaronewbie. Do you happen to have a pic of the wheel installed in your car, or can you take one? Do the third and fourthgen bags use the same number and color of wires?

 

Wiring was easy - IIRC just 2 wires to get into the new connector - colored the same. The wheel looks nice, although I prefer the stock wheel - a 4th gen wheel has only 2 conecting arms, at like 4 and 8 oclock, where as the 3rd gen wheel has 4 "arms", 2, 4, 8, and 10 oclock - if that makes sense. However, with their age, the 3rd gen wheels are looking rough - the airbag starts to peel away from the wheel, and it's just not appealing. The 4th gen wheel also feels nice, as it's solid rubbery vinyl, rather than being "covered" and the covering wrinkles and slips on the wheel.

I'll see if I can get a pic tomorrow for ya. Many other cars in the 1990's had these wheels - they just don't say Camaro on them.

 

I just saw the following article on another forum I go to:

http://site.aol.com/autos/article/5.adp

After reading it, I am even more eager to either replace my stock wheel with a 4th gen airbag wheel, or eliminate the bag entirely. Give it a read and let me know what you think.

Camaronewbie, I'd love to see pics if you get a chance. Were there any other wiring issues to deal with? For the horn, for example? I see some of the 4th gen wheels have stereo controls in them...does yours? Do you think your 4th gen bag would deploy using the thirdgen sensors it is connected to, in the event of a crash?

Anyone else care to chime in?

 

I wouldn't be too concerned about the airbags just based on that article. That article sounds like a lot speculation. Airbags do go off unprovoked, but they don't mention it happening or how often. It does happen to new cars too.

Their main point is the manufacturers say 10-15 years. Airbags are older technology than the article implies, but still relatively new, and unknown in the long term. If it really becomes a problem like they say, you can remove the airbag or put in a older wheel.

Now for my own factless speculation: If airbag systems do fail in 10-15 years, they either won't work or they will trigger the warning light. Airbags are fired by 12 volts sent to the airbag module. I don't think corrosion is going to cause this to happen, if anything it will prevent the bags from firing in a crash.

When someone comes up with stats that older cars have a significantly greater chance of the airbag blowing when it shouldn't then I'll be concerned, though I never did think much of an explosive pointed at my head in the name of safety.

 

Well, I haven't run my Camaro into anything since the install, but it's been there 2 years and hasn't taken my head off yet. As far as it working - why wouldn't it - it's just 2 wires to the bag, regardless of the year model - wires are wires, juice is juice - I would think the deployment module buried in the dash would sent the voltage, and I assume GM engineers are lazy - why change the voltage sent? But you have a point - there's only one way to tell. I think I'll pass on findiong out for now! LOL Besides, in all reality, I'd just as soon it never deploy - I'm diehard old school, I spent my childhood rolling around in the back of a station wagon with NO car seat, and I'm still here. Besides, I always thought that if I hit something, but I'm still moving, how would I maintain control with that bubble in my face?

As far as the article - I was more concerned with my 3rdgen wheel's look, 'cause the vinyl around the bag was starting to curl, allowing the white undersides to show (the sun does this) - I couldn't see the bag itself, but I could see way more than I wanted to - and it just looked bad, so I hooked into a 4thgen wheel for $50 with airbag, and jumped on it.

I don't have the radio controls - those as I understand are Firebird wheels as the Bird's had radio controls in the wheels, even on 3rd gens Birds. Radio controls would be more wiring hassle, and would depend on the radio.

I don't remember the horn issue any - so it must have been of no consequence. I'll try to get pics on Wednesday.

 

i found this