I was playing around with all the interior controls in my 91 GTA yesterday. After all, I need some bonding time with the new car, and I can't take it on the street because my insurance hasn't cleared yet.

I honestly believed the PO when he told me that there were no problems with the car (besides the ones we discussed), stupid me. The right horn switch didn't work. I peeled back that big rubber pad and saw that the switch looks cracked. Then I tried the left switch. It worked for 3 honks, then it stopped. I peeled back the rubber on that side, and the switch looked allright, but it's very likely it's cracked. I'll need to take off the big pad and check it out.

Anyone else have problems with their horn switches? From what I saw, they look CHEAP. It's amazing they lasted to 46,000 miles in my opinion. What are my options? I could call GM and hope they have the same crappy switches that I'll need to pay 20 bucks each for, and I'll end up replacing them again in another 46,000 miles. Has anyone swapped any different switches in their car?

I was also considering swapping the whole steering wheel (possibly with one from a Recaro Trans Am). The wheel in the 91-92 birds just doesn't look right. I'm assuming the center of the wheel is so bulky because an airbag was added, but I could be wrong. I kind of like the added safety, so maybe the swap isn't for me.

On to problem #2. The fog light switch works, but it doesn't light up with the rest of the dash when I turn the driving lights on. Additionally, the led (is it an led?) that indicates if the switch is on or off doesn't light up either. If both indicators on the switch (what appears to be the led, and the light up fog light symbol) are actually on the same bulb, then I'm assuming that bulb could be blown. If they are seperate bulbs, then I assume either the wiring is faulty or both bulbs are blown. What do you guys think?

Thanks!
Bill

 

While you are playing around with that big pad be careful it doesn't blow up in your face. That is also the airbag.

 

Uh, no it's not, if it's the pad I'm thinking of, like on my car.. No airbag included... Here's a pic of mine, same as yours?

On an off note, mine doesn't work either.

 

Forgot the pic... Der..

 

Justin, if you will notice in his profile, he has a 91 firebird and you have a 82 camaro. There is 9 years difference there and airbags were put in the steering wheel pad in 1990.

 

Whoops.. That's what I get for not paying attention, hmm??
walks away shameful.....

<me

 

Yes it is an airbag. My factory service manual (the only good thing the PO gave me ) and my Haynes both state the same 5 (or 6? or 7?) step procedure for turning that SIR or SRI (or whatever system they were using instead of SRS) off. Do I really need to do all that, or can I just unplug the battery or pull the fuse?

It looks like I need to take off the pad with a torx bolt from the back. How hard is that to unscrew? Will I be better off taking off the whole wheel? If so, how do I get the freaking thing off with the airbag pad in the way?!?!?!

Also, is there anyway to tell if that airbag even works (besides the detonation procedure listed in the service manual.... oh that looks so fun ). I really doubt it is functional after 14 years, and I really hate that steering wheel. I'm only keeping it for safety.

And finally.... any suggestions on replacement horn switches?

Thanks again,
Bill

 

Blow up the airbag like my voc. school did, but don't kill yourself doing it.

 

doesn't it rip the steering wheel pad when that happens?

 

yes, it'll rip, but i want a new wheel all together. i'd be better off selling it tho.

bill

 

I ripped it a new one. HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

 

pwned

 

Will a steering wheel from an earlier 3rd gen bolt up in place of my airbag wheel?

Thanks,
Bill

 

You might want to check with your insurance carrier about removing it, plus in some states, it's against the law to remove a safety device such as airbags, it's like removing the seat belts from a street driven car. It's best to keep the bag to be safe, you never know when it might save your life in an accident.

The NHSTA fined West Coast Customs $16,000 for removing an airbag to put in a DVD screen.

Link

 

wtf... if I was ***, I would kill all those people who are causing fines for people...

those are special circumstances, and it should be up to the OWNER of the CAR if they want an airbag or not...

I've read reports that many people actually get hurt more from the bag going off when the driver was in a weird position...

for instance, I always drive with one hand at 12 o' clock. which means if the bag went off, it would slam into my face, and kill me.

or what if I had a friend in the back seat, and my chair was all the way forward? I'd die for sure.

 

Removing an airbag is illegal? WTF???? I could understand if they fined a dealer, or someone who sold the car for removing an airbag. But if I bought the car, it should be my right to take that crap out. What if I was 4'11 and only weighed 89 lbs? That airbag could kill me!

It's worse than the seat belt law. Dont get me wrong, seatbelts are important and they save lives. But we should have the CHOICE to use it or not. I wear mine every time I sit in the drivers seat. But I want the choice to take it off if I want to.

LIVE FREE OR DIE, that's what this country is supposed to be all about. But the bigger the gov't gets, the more of this crap we gotta deal with. (Repulbican party scpeil ending now, forgive the rant)

 

as for the replacement switches, I called up the dealer. one said a pair of switches was like 20-25 bucks. another dealer told me that GM only sells the wiring harness and the bottom half of the switch in the package. The plastic top to the switch was included with a new airbag package, priced at $700 (WTF?).

However, I read a post saying that the switch package from GM includes everything.

Which of these is correct? I think my wiring is good, its the physical plastic cover that cracked on both sides.

 

no one would ever know if your car came with it or not... without doing some research first.

 

If my car came with what? It has an airbag steering wheel, if that's what you mean.

Bill

 

if you were to change it to a non-airbag wheel, no one would ever know....

 

I had to take mine out.

1. Looked ugly
2. GTA, that I had, didn't have one so wouldn't been able to use the airbag.

I have to find fog light and rear defrost connector(the back part the switch plugs into.) At a dealership $40 each. Haven't found it at any junkyard because it has to be 91-92, maybe a 90 might work. The idiot who swapped everything kept the 1987 GTA connectors instead of the 91 and left it unhook cause they don't fit.

 

a 90 fog light switch is right above the hvac controls, it's grey and it rocks to the right to engage the fogs

pretty dumb, because if it were to rock to the left to engage the fogs, you could see the indicator light better... oh well.

plus, just because the harness doesn't fit, why don't you just cut the wires, solder and heatshrink-wrap them?

 

I'll probably have to do something like that. I was thinking of using small female spade connectors for each wire.

 

are you just going to find that plastic trim with the fog/trunk release buttons built into it? will it bolt up as a replacement panel on your car?

 

I have the switches just don't have the connector, what plugs into the switch. It's $40 at a dealership, but I'll probably have to make my own.

 

yeah I wouldn't dish out that much cash for a switch

 

HELL YEAH! I'M THE SH*T!

I found the back connectors at a different junkyard. They said they didn't have it. I laughed at them and say "oh ok." Looked around for an half hour, about to just give up and go to work and saw it. One sad tear came from my eye. I saw a white 1991 Firebird that use to have a V6 in it, vin #. It was really crunched up. Looked and found it had rear defrost, fog lights, and rear hatch, which I didn't have. Took the whole trim, switchs, and connectors with me. I PAID $10! Well, each switch and connector is $40 each. So I saved $230!

 

good stuff.

 

So when I order horn switches from the dealer, do I get the black mechanical button, or just the wiring half of the switch?

Bill