Hi guys, does anyone know how many bolts/nuts I will need to unscrew to pull the passenger side airbag out? My car was stolen and the dashboard was slashed up with a knife. Since then I've bought a new dashboard and will be doing a swap.

I thought that I could remove the dash without taking the airbag out but apparently, not so. (Yes, I know it's very dangerous so I am approaching everything with my utmost caution. The batter was disconnected 6 hours ago and the yellow plug was disconnected right after.) If anyone could help, I greatly appreciate it.

 

I removed my dash without taking out the airbag. All I had to do was unplug it.

 

oh man you need a manual or something to help you along... just got finished putting my dashboard back on after pulling it out yesterday to fix a water leak. The passenger side airbag stayed in the dashboard the whole time. Process goes like this:

Disconnect negative battery cable, then positive cable.

Remove both seats, center console, stereo, moonroof switch, glovebox, lower driver side trim panel, knee brace (metal piece behind that trim panel), and clock.

Unplug the 3 dashboard harness connectors from the underdash fuse box. I believe there is a blue connector, a green one, and a gray one.

On the steering wheel, remove the access panel on the bottom, unplug the airbag connector and install the red short connector. Do the same for the passenger side, disconnect the harness and install the red short connector into the airbag connector. This is very important that you install these short connectors whenever you disconnect the airbag harnesses. After you disconnect the passenger side airbag, remove the airbag bracket held on by 4 10mm nuts.

Now remove the plastic steering shaft cover, and then the 2 12mm bolts and 2 12mm nuts holding the steering column in place. Remove the bolts first in the middle of the shaft, then remove the nuts behind the steering wheel. Be careful as the steering wheel and shaft are quite heavy, and the u-joints will cause it to move around quite awkwardly. Lower the steering wheel down to the floor. You might need something like a phone book to set it on to prevent stretching the airbag or ignition switch harnesses. Cover the steering wheel assembly with a blanket or something so it doesn't get damaged.

Next, detach the air mix cable from the heater core, and remove the cable from the adjacent clip. Unplug the 2 climate control harnesses under where the radio was.

Now there are 6 bolts holding the dash on, one behind the clock, one at the very bottom center below where the radio was, one near the fusebox and glovebox, and one on each side in the door jamb, behind a little access panel. After all the bolts are out, slide the dash forward, making sure no harnesses or wires are getting caught. I had an alarm w/ wires attached to some of the dash harness wires, so I just clipped them and then reattached them when I put the dash back on. Also be careful that the moonroof switch connector isn't catching as you slide the dash forward.

Now it's best to have someone help you get the dashboard out as it's VERY heavy and clumsy. I actually took mine off and put it back in place several times to check some clearances as I was relocating a few things under the dash, and I did it by myself every time, and it was NOT fun. It will be much easier to handle if you have a helper, one person on each side of the car.

Hope that helps, and make sure you know what you're doing before you start unplugging stuff, especially explosive stuff like airbags.

Oh and obviously make sure you connect both airbag connectors BEFORE hooking up the battery when you're done.

 

Awesome. That's just what I was looking for!

Here is the lid.


Here is what it looks like under the lid. I see the four holes where the nuts would have to be unscrewed.


After I unscrew those (everything else is unscrewed) will the lid come off WITH the dashboard? I ask this because I will have to take it off and put it on my new dash.

Thanks for the help.

 

Well the airbag is attached to the dashboard itself. I don't know if the lid is a separate piece attached to the dashboard, or to the airbag itself, or what. You will have to take the airbag off your old dashboard and put it on the new one, as well as the lid.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PatrickGSR94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">oh man you need a manual or something to help you along... just got finished putting my dashboard back on after pulling it out yesterday to fix a water leak. The passenger side airbag stayed in the dashboard the whole time. Process goes like this:

Disconnect negative battery cable, then positive cable.

Remove both seats, center console, stereo, moonroof switch, glovebox, lower driver side trim panel, knee brace (metal piece behind that trim panel), and clock.

Unplug the 3 dashboard harness connectors from the underdash fuse box. I believe there is a blue connector, a green one, and a gray one.

On the steering wheel, remove the access panel on the bottom, unplug the airbag connector and install the red short connector. Do the same for the passenger side, disconnect the harness and install the red short connector into the airbag connector. This is very important that you install these short connectors whenever you disconnect the airbag harnesses. After you disconnect the passenger side airbag, remove the airbag bracket held on by 4 10mm nuts.

Now remove the plastic steering shaft cover, and then the 2 12mm bolts and 2 12mm nuts holding the steering column in place. Remove the bolts first in the middle of the shaft, then remove the nuts behind the steering wheel. Be careful as the steering wheel and shaft are quite heavy, and the u-joints will cause it to move around quite awkwardly. Lower the steering wheel down to the floor. You might need something like a phone book to set it on to prevent stretching the airbag or ignition switch harnesses. Cover the steering wheel assembly with a blanket or something so it doesn't get damaged.

Next, detach the air mix cable from the heater core, and remove the cable from the adjacent clip. Unplug the 2 climate control harnesses under where the radio was.

Now there are 6 bolts holding the dash on, one behind the clock, one at the very bottom center below where the radio was, one near the fusebox and glovebox, and one on each side in the door jamb, behind a little access panel. After all the bolts are out, slide the dash forward, making sure no harnesses or wires are getting caught. I had an alarm w/ wires attached to some of the dash harness wires, so I just clipped them and then reattached them when I put the dash back on. Also be careful that the moonroof switch connector isn't catching as you slide the dash forward.

Now it's best to have someone help you get the dashboard out as it's VERY heavy and clumsy. I actually took mine off and put it back in place several times to check some clearances as I was relocating a few things under the dash, and I did it by myself every time, and it was NOT fun. It will be much easier to handle if you have a helper, one person on each side of the car.

Hope that helps, and make sure you know what you're doing before you start unplugging stuff, especially explosive stuff like airbags.

Oh and obviously make sure you connect both airbag connectors BEFORE hooking up the battery when you're done.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Good info

 

i kno this is an old thread but i just bought a 94 rs and they person before me hit a deer and both air bags deployed for some reason. any way i replaced the steering wheel cover with a new one (without bag it wa gutted) i am putting on a momo steering wheel just need the hub, but i want to take the pass. airbag out with out taking my dash out is that possible i have been driving my car for about a week now( i would it 2 weeks ago and i just registered it but i want to replace the pass. airbag with either a cover (b/c i the airbag weight so damn much) or buy a coin tray to put there in place of it but i want to kno how and where the bolt are for it and how do i get it out ? do i have to take the whole dash out? i hope not could i just take out the glovebox and get to the bolt fromt there? idk i am new to teg i owned a 91 civic hatch before which i am trying to sell by the way THANKS IN ADVANCE anyone who reads this