limitup

Does anyone know if it's possible to somehow reach up into the dash and pull out the airbag light, or do you have to take the whole @#$!@#! dash apart to get to it? I just switched to a Momo wheel and the light is driving me crazy.

SpiritR

Get a MS adapter and save yourself the time and effort.

limitup

Is it really that difficult to warranty paying $150+ for the MS adaptor?

Snook

iTrader: (12)

are you serious? I have an aftermarket wheel that I haven't installed yet because I want to keep the airbag but I did some research and saw that kit that keeps the light off. That's a joke for 150 dollars just to keep a light off it's not like it puts your car in limp mode.

You do have to take apart the dash and then just remove the lightbulb. Make sure to remember which order the airbag light is so you can pull out the correct bulb. It should take you about 2 hours total since it's your first time. I could probably do it in 30 minutes now...you know how that goes. Start by taking the side black piece out that the door hits when it closes has the plumbing for the drivers a/c vent, then the part under the steering wheel and the steering column cover, then you pull the gauge cluser and it should pop out. Maybe you can reach and feel the bulbs and take it out other wise you'll have to take the big connectors off and take the thing totally out to do it. The bad thing is that to start getting to the gauge cluster out you have to take the center section where your right arm rests and then the main one around the radio and a/c. Maybe you won't have to take that one out all the way but there are a couple screws there that hold the gauge cluster back I believe. Maybe since you are doing all this work you can look into having your panels painted at a body shop if they are scratched or peeling and also repair that one panel in the process. Here's a pic of mine I also did the door panel plastics the same with car paint and clearcoat it looks sharp.
http://plaza.ufl.edu/yanni25/DSCF0043.JPG

Actually, here you go for instructions and pics:
http://www.negative-camber.org/crispyrx7/dash.htm

good luck
-Snook

SpiritR

Personally I would rather pay the cash, since for insurance and ***** it says you have a drivers side airbag, at least you can put it back just as easy if need be.

maxpesce

One thing that makes removing the cluster ALOT easier is to drop the steering column (2 bolts undeneath the column, disconect the column harness connectors to get access to the bolts) and you don't have to remove any of the center console to get the guages cluster out. The FSM says to remove the steering wheel, But you don't have to, just remove the column bolts and let it drop down a couple inches.

limitup

Thanks guys, I was afraid of this. I stuck my head under there and you can see that damn bulb just 5-6 inches up there, but not enough room to stick my hand up there. It almost seems as if a little kid could fit his hand up there and just take out the bulb, no one has ever tried it? Or using something that you can stick up there to unhook the bulb somehow. Even a socket wrench or something ... it looks like you could get a socket over the plastic surrounding the bulb and maybe somehow turn it enough to make it fall out. Am I dreaming? hehe

ZeroBanger

limit...

Just FYI,I can take my instrument cluster completely out, take a lightbulb out and then put back in under 10 minutes. All you need to do is pull it out a few inches to remove the bulb, you can be done in 5 minutes, its not that bad.

limitup

Can you describe how you do it so fast? Your method seems to be much faster than anyone else's I've heard. Most people say it takes 1-2 hours??

ijneb

I can pull my whole cluster out and have it replaced in ~20 minutes, with a drink break.
Ive done it 3 times now.
It gets easier as time comes, it would be a TON easier if I didnt have the pillar mounted guages.
-Ben

ZeroBanger

Ok, you need a 4 way screw driver grab the screwdriver and lets go.

1) remove the 3 bolts under that hold the steering wheel protector/hub in place. note that 1 of them
is smaller. Place the bolts to the side.Pull out the ignition circle thingy, Grab the bottom and top of that hub and pull apart. Time: 1 minute (and thats generous)

2) Pull the vent cover back. This is the cover that is hidden when the door is closed. Remove the screw that is exposed. Time 30 seconds.
3) under the steeringwheel is another plastic dash piece. The two screws holding it on are on the left and right. removet hose. Time: 30 seconds.
4) Under that piece you will see 1 of 2 screws that hold the dash in place, the other is under the cig lighter. Remove both. Time 45 seconds.
5) place a rag over the exposed steering wheel. grab the dash from the top on the right and left and firmly pull forward. Time 1 minute

number 6 you will probably not need to do.
6) disconnect the 6 or 7 connectors-5 minutes. I give the extra time cause the first time they are tight.

7) you can pull the dash upward so it rests on the steering hub, that gives you a good 5-6 inches of play. from there you can look from underneath with a flash light and find the bulb and remove it.

If you cant get to it, do # 6, then you need to pull up so it rests on the hub and its kind of an art but you can manipulate it so it comes out without having to remove the steering wheel. That takes another minute or 2.

So in the end, its about a 10 minute job to completely remove and replace.

Any questions?

IRPerformance

iTrader: (41)

I got a tip from Dave at KDR to use a long screw driver and push the bulb out from underneath. Haven't gotten around to it yet.

ZeroBanger

Brilliant. And what happens if you accidently mess up the circuitry? is it worth it?

911GT2

Me too!


But WARNING. If you take the bulb out, it'll beep instead of blinking. Don't ask how I know that. Deal with the blinking, it's better than beeping.