View Single Post
Old Nov 27th, 2013, 10:56   #1
rossoandy
New Member
 

Last Online: Dec 1st, 2013 20:26
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Ashford
Default V40 air bag removal

Having just struggled for several hours to remove the air bag from a 2004 V40 with a three spoke steering wheel Id like to share some knowledge.

I only wanted to re align the steering wheel after fitting a recon steering rack which incidentally can be removed without dropping the subframe, simply remove the exh manifold and the rack end joints and the rack can be simply lifted out from behind the engine, easy! Around four hrs to remove and refit on my driveway.

Anyway, the airbag has to come off to access the steering wheel nut. I looked to see how it was secured and trawled this site and others for info. There are either torq screw sunk into the back of the wheel on earlier cars or like mine a spring steel ring retains it by locating under four xmas tree shaped posts on the back of the air bag. Imagine a hole with a piece of thick wire running across it slightly off centre, the air bag has an inverted xmas tree shaped post (4) which when you locate the point of the 'tree' in the hole and push hard it slides into the hole and the spring ring locks under the 'branches' of the tree. Hope that makes sense!
To release the airbag you have to push hard on the wire clip via a small hole in the base of the wheel to 'distort' the wire clip so it comes out from under the cone shape. I found it would only release the bottom clips on mine so found it impossible to get the air bag out. Apparently its a common issue but could find little or no explanation on how it worked or how to overcome the issue.
I was afraid to break anything until I found there is a 'service kit' available which has the spring clip and other parts in it. ebay.
Knowing this I levered hard under the base of the bag and tilted it around 45degrees. I was than able to slide my other lever bar right next to the far post and managed to lever the post out of its retaining clip, surprisingly no damage occurred. Just be wary of damageing the horn termainal which is at the bottom of the wheels underside and of course the air bag connector.
There is only ONE release point for the spring clip at the base of the wheels underside, identified by only a little dimple on the vinyl cover if its never been off before. It is a struggle to remove if the clips do not release,but possible.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg IMG_5699.JPG (73.1 KB, 118 views)
rossoandy is offline   Reply With Quote