1998 Corolla Ce Air Bag Removal - Toyota Corolla, Chevy Prizm (1998-2008)

Hi Guys, I bought this 1998 Corolla CE wih both driver/passenge air bags poped up. I would like to get them replaced. First I tried to remove the driver side air bag, it seems stuck. Followed the autozone 1997 removal guidelines but it doesnt seem to work. Any advice on removing/installing both driver and passenger side airbags? I would also like to know

1. What are the parts do I need?

2. If I understand correctly, I need passenger air bag module, driver air bag module and senser, is that correct?

3. People sell these modules in ebay, will they work? Any advice as to where to purchase and what to look for?

4. Does the GM 1998 S Platform Collection (Chevrolet Prizm Service Manual - 3 volumes ) will work for 1998 Corolla?

Thanks.

Mag

Add seat belt pretensioners to your shopping list.

I dont think it is a good idea to replace air bags yourself. I would rather drive without them.

Unless you have some experiance

It shouldn't be that bad, although the official stance is to always get new airbags - not salvage them.

But you do want to disconnect the battery and wait 90 seconds before starting work. After that, loosen two bolts, one on each side, and you should be able to lift the airbag off the wheel. I remember one instance where a coworker had the airbag stolen from her Corolla...

If the belt won't retract, your pretensioner is spent and needs replacement - could mean a new seat belt for you. Again not difficult - I had completely removed it to fix the damn retractor switch - and the fix didn't last.

I recommend that you replace all necessary airbags and pretensioners at once. You are going to disconnect the battery anyway, better do that once than more.

not only do you disconnect the battery but you need to unplug the harness to the airbag under the dash. I'd wait about 15 minutes to be sure the reserve capacitor is drained of power, 90 seconds is a bit short.

Thank you all for your reply. I have loosened both the trox bolts on the side also removed the horn retaining bolts, but still the air bag wouldnt want to come off of the wheel. I am following the steps found at http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?F...23d8016be6f.jsp Mag

the vehicle in that page is 2 generations older than yours, its a 6th gen corolla.

OK. I have managed to pull the driver side air bag. Actually the autozone instructions are correct, it wouldnt want to come because I didnt pull the trox screws in accordance with the "Use a Torx® bit to loosen the screws until the groove along the screws circumference is on the screw case"! Now I am on the passenger side, any idea how to remove it? You guys are right, the seat belts wont retract, now I have hunt for the seat bets too.

Mag

Passenger side airbag - have to pull the glove compartment and lower tromf off to get at the connector and nuts/bolts inside. Once you get the that lockign wire harness off - there should be two bolts and two nuts holding the airbag unit in place.

Also you should be on the look out for replacement airbag sensors (there are two), one is on the bumper and other behind the right headlamp assembly. Once you hit something hard enough to pop an airbag - those airbag sensors could have taken a pretty good shot. I wouldn't trust them again for use - could pop an airbag when you get bumped in the front bumper while parking or not come on at all if you need them. They recommend new units for these as well as for airbag components - but whatever wrks for you. If it were my car - I would run without airbags unless I could secure new parts from the dealership. Can't verify what happened with parts from a salvage yard - might look good, but I wouldn't want to find out the hard way.

Bikeman982

Was the car in a bad accident, or just enough to pop the airbags?

I would hate to fool with replacing airbags and have them inflate on me accidentally. It would be kind of scary and dangerous.

Thank you fishexpo101 for the advice. I have managed pull the passenger side air bag also. Can you guys suggest an online dealer where I can buy the parts from?

Bikeman982, yes this car was in an accident, my front drove it and rear ender another car. No rear end damage. The car starts and runs, but the front bumper, fender, hood, hooks, radiator, an engine mount and few other parts were broken. There is no chasis/wheel damage.

Bikeman982

I went to the junkyard today to get another steering wheel for my sons used car. I could not locate any screws to take it off. I tried taking off the airbag and didn't see screws for that either. I have not checked the manuals yet, but what is the method and where are the screws located? Do I need to pull off some dash parts or steering column covering?

Bikeman982,

I assume that this is about removing passenger side airbag.

1. Remove the glove compartment.

2. Remove two bolts that secures airbag to the frame (size 11mm)

3. Remove two bolts that connects the top of the airbag to the dash itself. This one is tricky, and hard to find its location. Size of this bolt is 10mm. You should use atleast 6" extention to reach the bolt, nor you can see it. I found this bolt when I tried to pull the airbag off after removing those two big bolts (step2). After step 2, you can push the airbag module upwards from the bottom, this would allow you to figure out where top two bolts are located.

4. Disconnect the electical connector ( yeah this is very short, hard to reach). Then you can pull it off of the dash.

Hope this helps.

Mag

Oh, to remove driver side air bag, follow the autozone instruction. Importantly http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/gif/med...23d8016be71.gif Look carefully that the screw's head must be pulled all the way out until its circumference is on the screw case. Also you should remove the pad retaining screws http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/gif/med...23d8016be70.gif . It will come off easily after that.

Mag

Bikeman982

Bikeman982,I assume that this is about removing passenger side airbag.

1. Remove the glove compartment.
2. Remove two bolts that secures airbag to the frame (size 11mm)
3. Remove two bolts that connects the top of the airbag to the dash itself. This one is tricky, and hard to find its location. Size of this bolt is 10mm. You should use atleast 6" extention to reach the bolt, nor you can see it. I found this bolt when I tried to pull the airbag off after removing those two big bolts (step2). After step 2, you can push the airbag module upwards from the bottom, this would allow you to figure out where top two bolts are located.
4. Disconnect the electical connector ( yeah this is very short, hard to reach). Then you can pull it off of the dash.
Hope this helps.
Mag
Oh, to remove driver side air bag, follow the autozone instruction. Importantly http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/gif/med...23d8016be71.gif Look carefully that the screw's head must be pulled all the way out until its circumference is on the screw case. Also you should remove the pad retaining screws http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/gif/med...23d8016be70.gif . It will come off easily after that.
Mag

Thanks for the help - I was so busy pulling the engine out of a junkyard car today that I didn't get to the steering wheel. That will have to be another day.