5 replies to this topic

[RallyKeith]

I have a friend with a 97 Mazda 626 that hit a curb and blew both front airbags. I have never seen the car and have not as of now seen it. From what I've seen in pictures the passangers side airbag is a seperate opening in the dash, meaning it doens't ruin the entire dash when it goes off. Is that true?

Also, what are the odds this is one of those cars that once the airbags go off the computer has to be replaced?

Thanks,
Keith

[grossgary]

The passenger air bag is a separate unit and wont' destroy the dash. In subaru's they aren't even that hard to remove, doesn't require removing the dash at all. a bit annoying cramming yourself in the passengers footwell or working through the glovebox, but relatively few things/bolts to remove.

Yards typically sell the bags and computer as a set, so just buy a complete set. They aren't that expensive.

Replace those three things and if the air bag light doesn't go off, replace the front sensors. Those are easy to get to as well.

Be sure to figure out how to remove the air bag connectors. the ones on Subaru are extremely difficult to remove when you first try. They don't make sense and it doesn't look obvious how to remove them...until you break them!

A friend of mine used to work in a body shop and his family (wife/3 kids) have never owned a car that wasn't previously wrecked that he bought and fixed. He's done all sorts of different models and said they're all very similar, nothing really special about the components from one to the next.

There's also a company that can reset the existing computer for $50, i don't recall the name. There's a link posted to it in my 2002 OBW H6 VDC rebuild thread from a couple months ago either here or on Subaruxt.com. I'm on dial up so I'm not looking it up.

Edited by grossgary, 10 March 2009 - 08:34 PM.

[RallyKeith]

The passenger air bag is a separate unit and wont' destroy the dash. In subaru's they aren't even that hard to remove, doesn't require removing the dash at all. a bit annoying cramming yourself in the passengers footwell or working through the glovebox, but relatively few things/bolts to remove.

Yards typically sell the bags and computer as a set, so just buy a complete set. They aren't that expensive.

Replace those three things and if the air bag light doesn't go off, replace the front sensors. Those are easy to get to as well.

Be sure to figure out how to remove the air bag connectors. the ones on Subaru are extremely difficult to remove when you first try. They don't make sense and it doesn't look obvious how to remove them...until you break them!

A friend of mine used to work in a body shop and his family (wife/3 kids) have never owned a car that wasn't previously wrecked that he bought and fixed. He's done all sorts of different models and said they're all very similar, nothing really special about the components from one to the next.

There's also a company that can reset the existing computer for $50, i don't recall the name. There's a link posted to it in my 2002 OBW H6 VDC rebuild thread from a couple months ago either here or on Subaruxt.com. I'm on dial up so I'm not looking it up.

Thanks for the help! I've installed several cruise control systems in subarus and removed the drivers air bag so I know what you mean about the connectors. I've found the bags and computer at a local junkyard for $40 each. I think my friend is getting an estimate from a garage to do all the work, but I think he'll be calling me pretty quickly once he sees how much they want!

[grossgary]

the two annoying parts are the connectors (you already know about) and the torx bits. some have torx bits, some don't and some have the security torx bits.

if you need to get the tools, get the security torx bits as they will work in torx and security torx bolts. torx only won't work in the security torx bolts.

does that make sense? the security torx are a torx bit with just a hole in the middle.

yeah the cost of doing this stuff was the reason i got a good deal on my 02 OBW VDC H6.

[RallyKeith]

One other question, where is the air bag computer in this car? Under the stereo like in a subaru?

[grossgary]

i have no idea on that one.