The airbag in my 90 GTA has to go! I can't have it blowing up in my face due to the force at which they come out. Has anyone done this? Any tips, caveats or ideas. I still want to retain the stock wheel and center piece so it looks like it is there.

 

I recently replaced the one in my 91' with a 3 spoke wheel. First remove the SRS fuse under the dash and disconnect the battery, wait a few minutes. There should be a few torx screws on the back of the wheel that hold the airbag into the wheel, remove them and then you should be able to safely remove the airbag and disconnect it. The tricky part will be putting the center piece back like the airbag is still there and dealing with the SRS light. I took the bulb out of mine. Could become an insurance liability though in case of an accident. They will see by the VIN that the car has SRS and may hold it against you if its not there. I actually notified my Insurance company that the airbag is nonfunctional, an no longer there.

 

I was wondering about insurance and the SRS light. Maybe there is a way to trick the light into thinking the airbag is still there. I would also want to replace it if I had to sell the car in the future (not planning on it). I'll go look for the SRS fuse right now - see what I can find.

 

The fuse may be labeled SIR on the fuse block. I can't recall if it was SRS or SIR, but its one of the two, just different names for the same system.

 

Unplug it & can't go off then you'll retain the looks for Inspection purposes. Will a pulled fuse set the SRS light on? I dunno.

 

Based on your reasoning ONLY, I need to ask, why you think the airbag will blow up in your face? They don't blow like you see in the movies. The inflate instantly and deflate almost as fast. The only way the bag will hit you in the face is if you are sitting too close to the wheel.

I took a driving class put on by GM years ago and they explained the proper seating position in the car. With your back flat against the seat, you fully extend your arm out over the steering wheel. The seat should be positioned away from the wheel so that your wrist touches the top of the wheel. This allows enough slack in your arm when you grip the wheel, but doesn't put you too close to the wheel.

I have seen so many women drivers with both hands on the wheel, at 10 and 2, and their elbow is just about touching the bottom of the steering wheel. These people will get smacked in the face when the airbag goes. They might also lose their kneecaps into the bottom of the dash and crack most of their ribs when they hit the steering wheel!

 

Thanks for the input - this is helping. I found the SIR line going to the wheel. I didn't see a fuse but I'm thinking I will just unplug the line and keep everything as is. I'm doing the exhaust on the car right now so I can't test it until I button everything up.

I can't have the airbag because I have had too many previous concussions. I had an MRI done and my neurologist told me that the next hit in the head would be my last one. A friend of mine broke his nose from an airbag and he was sitting far back with one hand on the wheel. The airbag thrust his hand into his face and broke his nose. This was from a low speed accident that he would otherwise have been unhurt. I just can't afford to have that happen to me.

 

I'll admit airbags are scary, but so is knocking your front teeth out on the steering wheel.

 

I had an airbag blow on me once and I wouldn't have had any injuries in the accident if it weren't for the airbag. The seat belt held me back since I sit at arms length from the steering wheel, so my body and face was never in any danger, but my wrists got "rug burned" from the airbag. Other than that, I never touched or even came close to contacting the airbag on that deployment.

I'm not sure if an airbag would protect me or not. That impact was at 50mph and I T-boned someone that ran a red light. I think my seat belt protected me more than the airbag would. I could be wrong, but that is my experience. Oh, and I was driving a Dodge Daytona ES.

 

I replaced mine because I simply hate the airbag wheel, I'm sort of used to my 86' with the 3 spoke wheel, so I went to a pull-a-part and grabbed a Firebird 3 spoke steering wheel and swapped it in to my 91'. For me its simply styling, but lets be honest, how effective can a 22 year-old airbag be? I''ll take my chances with the 3 spoke.

 

Did you have any issues with the SRS light?

 

I used to work for a towing company that did alot of police accident and impounds. Every car that I picked up where the air bag deployed, there was blood on the airbag. Really nice to see after eating. One looked like a murder scene.
Mine is coming out next month.

 

I took mine out because at the time my air bag wheel horn buttons were broke and I just hate the look and feel of that wheel. The only thing I don't like is the srs light on. Its kind of an eye sore but I'll take care of that soon.

 

Yeah, just pop the bulb out, thats what I did. Is there any "better" way to get the SRS light to not show?

 

I don't have an airbag in my 87 which is good because if I did I would have to remove it too. It looks so huge and ugly!! My reason for responding to this post however was to ask if the light could be tuned out in the computer?

Thanks

 

Good question - anyone...

 

Wouldn't be worth the hassle or burning another chip just for that if it can even be done. I know egr can be deleted via chip along with timing and fuel curves if you changed cams and?or went with higher duration roller rockers.