Write-Up: Disabling and Removing the Airbag Module & Steering Wheel

I'm pretty sure that I want to swap out my steering wheel and air bag assembly. The leather on my steering wheel has worn down enough to make me put a cover on it and my buttons are all worn out and poor looking. The buttons no longer work at all now since I have an aftermarket radio and I really have no desire to install the PAC.

So, I was planning and getting a good condition wheel to put in and get the air bag thats the same type but without the radio controls on it. (most likely from a Lesabre) Is there any reason why I wouldn't be able to do this?

Fuck the airbag, seriously!!! Buy a real nice racing wheel or whatever suits you. And a 4 point harness. It'll bolt into the stock seat belts and the two bolts in the back seat.

Then take the airbag wires and wire them up to a car charger or spliced wire and then plug it in and out real quick. you'll understand.... I'd say equal to about a 1/2 stick of dynomite.

97rivman wrote:

Fuck the airbag, seriously!!! Buy a real nice racing wheel or whatever suits you. And a 4 point harness. It'll bolt into the stock seat belts and the two bolts in the back seat.

Then take the airbag wires and wire them up to a car charger or spliced wire and then plug it in and out real quick. you'll understand.... I'd say equal to about a 1/2 stick of dynomite.

I like the idea of the racing wheel and the four point harness:rock: but if you disable the air bag the insurance company might refuse to pay:nervous: if you were in an accident...

Bert

Oddly, it doesn't bother me to drive around in my 68 w/o airbags, but I'd never even consider removing them from the Riv. I guess because I drive the 68 differently on the street than the way I drive the Riv.

A steering wheel can inflict significant injury in a collision.

If your Riv is street driven regularly, do not ditch the airbag. I don't know why Alex wants to post that suggestion everytime someone posts about not liking their steering wheel. You've got big time liability in an accident if you've tampered with the airbag so it doesn't work, or is missing. Or if you resell the car w/o putting it back in working order, or telling the buyer.

97rivman wrote:

Fuck the airbag, seriously!!! Buy a real nice racing wheel or whatever suits you. And a 4 point harness. It'll bolt into the stock seat belts and the two bolts in the back seat.

Then take the airbag wires and wire them up to a car charger or spliced wire and then plug it in and out real quick. you'll understand.... I'd say equal to about a 1/2 stick of dynomite.

If I was tubbing the riv, that would make sense, but I'm keeping the interior and I actually like the steering wheel - also the reason why I'm keeping the stock seats instead of getting ones that don't just let me fall sideways through mild turns lol.

In terms of safety, My airbag in my last car pretty much saved my life in a 75mph head on collision. I got out with a scratch. The guy who ran into me in a bagless F150 went to the ER. I'll keep mine.

turtleman wrote:

In terms of safety, My airbag in my last car pretty much saved my life in a 75mph head on collision. I got out with a scratch. The guy who ran into me in a bagless F150 went to the ER. I'll keep mine.

Don't rice it by sticking a race wheel in it. It's not a Honda. Never saw much point in ripping out the old steering wheel and sticking an aftermarket one in so you can lose your airbag. They make them standard on every car now for a reason...

I think a LeSabre wheel would look okay in there. Some of them had steering wheel controls too!

yupp my dad had a LeSabre.. they had the controls on the wheels...get that one

STS, Seville wheel, one from an eldo

watch out for the switch functions to be different on the different GM wheels that will otherwise fit.

Albertj

i like the dark brown wheel in my brothers Park Avenue , it offsets the interior pretty nice ,and its more upscale looking than the rivs. plus it has controls in the middle of the wheel rather than as an add on.

Buttons are gone!

Where did they go? Also, have you considered putting gagues in place of the side air vents?

turtleman wrote:

Buttons are gone!

you listened to me OMG the GED kid knows something

IBx1 wrote:

Where did they go? Also, have you considered putting gagues in place of the side air vents?

Doesn't he have enough guages?

not to be codith the racer he still needs a 17" Tach. damn right code

Does anyone know if this wheel can be adapted to work in a '97 rivi?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33704&viewitem=&item=350047742137&_trksid=p3907.m29

im sure that you can

What about the audio controls?

sqrivi wrote:

What about the audio controls?

go for it be the first

Can someone tell me how to remove a steering wheel on a 97 Riviera without blowing the airbag? My tilt wheel is falling apart. Also, I am having trouble with my AC/Heater fan not working all the time, could it be in the sterring wheel? I have read elsewhere in this forum about the "blower control module" but sence I have to get into steering wheel, is there any chance that could be my problem? Thanks Steve

First pull your airbag fuse.

The airbag comes off from the back. There are 4 clips you need to release with a screwdriver or something thin and flat. I find they are only accessible when the wheel is 90 degrees from center L or R. Once the spring clips are off the airbag just comes out. Disconnect the wires...

Then you need a regular old steering wheel puller for the rest. A couple of small C-clip pliery things and you are deep in there...

What is going on with your blower? That's a different issue I suspect. The only thing having to do with the steering wheel is the temp control steering wheel button, if so equipped.

Thanks, I guess I know what I'll be doing this weekend.

hey wait about an hour after you pull that air bag fuse. if not and you start messing with steering wheel the air bag will still deploy. its a safety feature. wait an hour after you pull the fuse.

i agree with deek on the ac/heater problem. what is it doing exactly? not blowing on any setting?

Thanks for the tip on waiting an hour, I have heard stories about acidental airbag inflation, and I am a little nervous about playing with it.

A few weeks ago ac blower started acting up, not blowing then all of a sudden start, might have been my imagination, but it seemed like sometime it would start when I would turn a corner or hit a slight bump in the road. I would beat on sterring wheel/ dash above switch and could never make it come on. Now as few days ago it quit blowing completely, won't come on at all. Not on any setting.