Hi everyone, can someone walk me through replacing my airbag? Located a same year 940 in a salvage yard that has not deployed. Any help is appreciated.

I feel your pain. I have to do some work under the steering wheel. I ordered TP 32231/1 for 940s & 960s from 1993, and you should too. If I explained it in my own words I may miss something. The book has about 200 pages and you will learn things like:

The necessity of replacing the contact reel under the steering wheel.

When you think you are done, place the key in position II first, say a prayer, then connect the battery. If she blows, you won’t be in the car.

If you have a code 1-1-2, the sensor module under the seat is damaged and must be replaced. There is a special tool that allows you to check codes before replacing the airbag.

How to replace the pyrotechnic seat belts.

Good luck.

--
Tom F Three 940s. Lien holder on two more (the kid's). Rust in pieces, '78 245

Dear Dauda,

Good p.m. I second the suggestion to buy the Volvo SRS Manual and follow its instructions to the letter. I have not done this work.

I have, however, removed/replaced driver's seats from a couple of 940s. That requires knowledge of airbag precautions. The airbag sensor is under the driver's seat. Triggering the airbag by jostiling or thumping the sensor is not a good thing.

If you intend to remove the airbag from a car at a salvage yard, be advised that if the car has a battery in it, YOU MUST DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE (BLACK) BATTERY TERMINAL AND PUT IT IN A PLASTIC BAG, BEFORE WORKING ON THE AIRBAG OR THE SENSOR (LOCATED UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT).

An inadvertent airbag deployment, when you're close to it, could be very dangerous, even lethal.

If the airbag deployed, the seatbelt tensioner cartridge also will need to be replaced. I would also take the airbag sensor unit from the salvage car.

My guess is that if you have the Volvo SRS service manual, and follow its procedures carefully - do not get creative - you will be able to do this job.

Just be sure to remove and isolate in a plastic bag, the negative battery terminal.

Hope this helps.

Yours,

spook

Thanks, I am going to get the SRS service manual.

I have never seen or heard of one detonating when 12 volts was not available...
Nevertheless, use extreme caution, as they do go off with enough force to injure or kill somone. Especialy avoid placement of hard objects on or around the airbag. As long as you do not hold any tools, etc. between you face and the airbag, you should be OK. I have removed and deployed several, and was surprised to see that you can launch an alternato out through the windshield, 40 feet up, and another 40 feet over. 12 or more volts to the two connectors deploys the airbag, regardless of polarity. You should probably check with the dealer if the sensors are reusable, it would suck if it broke your windshield when you pluged in the battery. Instalation looks to me to be the reverse of removal.

my concern was not detonation while no voltage, my concern was proper operation once installed. i'm concerned that everything that needs to be replaced won't be. and once started, maybe just the light will come on, maybe not. too much risk for my advising over the net. and so it goes, chuck.

Dear Chuck,

Good p.m. I agree about the risk of "advising over the net" for this specific task. That's why I suggested use of the Volvo (Technical) Manual, and doing the work exactly as they specify.

I wish I had that manual, but have not so far needed it.

I presume the manual has warnings about pulling the negative terminal.

I repeated this warning because I thought Dauda might want to harvest a replacement airbag at a salvage yard. If the donor car still had a battery with a charge, he'd be at risk if he didn't disconnect the negative terminal.

Yours faithfully,

spook

At that price I would go without the air bag too. I have a CD manual which goes through the replacement procedure. It is full of precautions to prevent deployment of the bag and injury to the worker. I suggest you buy the Volvo green manual for the air bag servicing and look it over carefully. Then you can decide if you are able to do the job. It doesn't look like any special tools are needed other than Torx drivers.

Have you talked to an independent Volvo service shop? The dealers tend to be high priced.

not sure if a deployed bag can be just replaced without other components. and, my liability in describing the operation is not something i am comfortable with. get the dealer to do it. if you do it and the bag goes off, it could be at the wrong time. just my call, chuck.

When I checked with a volvo repair shop the price I was quoted was close to $2,500. If that is the case, I will continue to take the risk of driving it without an airbag. Thanks for your input.

well, there must be a reason for the price. i think more stuff has to be replaced. plus, their insurance is paid up. good call, chuck.