DrKrazy Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 Ok have done tons of searching and not coming up with much. I want to get my 96' OBW totally fixed and have bought another set of airbags/computer/clock spring for it. I have no experience with airbags what so ever, and will have my bro-in-law who used to be a body guy do it. Questions I have (which my bro-in-law doesn't have access to the answers)are: Does the computer need to be replaced or can we just reuse the old one? Is there any special prodcedures that need to happen before/during replacement? Anything to watch out for? Sure someone in our community has done this before or is a body guy with access to the answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 i have the same issue as well and would like to see some more info on it. the steering column bag is really simple, i've already done that. that one swaps out very easily, i think the passengers side is trickier. what is the "clock spring"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrKrazy Posted April 16, 2007 Author Share Posted April 16, 2007 Ummm the clock spring goes behind the steering wheel airbag to engage it???? I know it goes behind the steering wheel airbag, and my Bro-in-law said it may need to be replaced so I found a kit on ebay with it all. Told ya I didn't know anything about them, except they scare me a tad... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrKrazy Posted April 18, 2007 Author Share Posted April 18, 2007 Bump for some possible answers..anyone replaced the airbags in Legacy/OB? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahDL88 Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 If you popped the airbags, you're gonna need to replace the forward impact sensors, as those really shouldn't be used after an accident. I don't know subaru SRS but in the fords there is a sensor in the main computer, so i'd replace that one too. Unfortunately everything in the airbag system is pretty much a one time use item. And be sure to check for codes after you have everything hooked up to make sure that its kosher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtsmiths Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 According to Click & Clack who discussed exactly this issue last week (at least on our NPR provider) this is NOT a do-it-yourself item. It's apparently easy to set it off, and if you are in the wrong place if that happens it could be disasterous. to hear them tell it, they've both done it to customers cars with bad outcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 In addition the sensors have to be replaced. The sensors are NOT reusable, as they usually get damaged in a collision.... Which leads to the next question - What set them off the first time? nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 #1 get a personal ground strap. It's a thing that has a braclet on your wrist, and a phone-cord like wire that has an aligator clip on the end. You want this on your wrist and a solid ground point at all times. The static electricity you generate by moving around on the seat can be enough to set the airbag off if you stick your finger in the wrong spot at the wrong time. Oh yeah, take the terminals off the battery and leave it alone for a while. there is capicitors in the SRS computer that are meant to keep it alive for a while without battery hooked up. Replace all the sensors and the SRS computer. Don't worry about the clockspring, it'll be fine. I believe the passenger side airbag tears the dash, which would mean replacing the dash, but I'm not sure or not. Best thing to do would be to transfer all the stuf from an outback in the J/Y that didn't have blown airbags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrKrazy Posted April 20, 2007 Author Share Posted April 20, 2007 Okay, well since I was getting differing opionons from the board, dealership, and the local body shop...I said screw it, and instead of waiting for my Bro-in-law to do it. I headed down to the body shop down the street (know a couple of the guys somewhat). Brought a 12-pack with me and lo and behold 20 mins later I had the new airbags installed and working! So while watching here is what I figured out that may or may not help other people as the guy said it varies from year through the legacies/outbacks.: 1. Computer doesn't need to be replaced (on my car), he scanned it and reset it or something. 2. Because my actual sensor up front didn't get squashed he tested it and it was fine (Bonus!). From what he said some use one time use ones, others use a g-force sensor like my car that can be re-used. Before hooking up the airbags he left the scan thing hooked up and tapped on each of sensors hard to make sure they were fine and registering fine on the scan tool. 3. Clock spring, doesn't need to be replaced (unless the airbag damaged it, which it didn't in my case) 4. Ground straps are important! 5. It literally took this guy 15 mins to replace both airbags after all the testing. 6. a 12-pack and being friendly gets you airbags installed! Oh and what set off the airbags? I bought it that way and have been fixing it as my new daily driver: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=70916 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 I knew the puter would be ok, but now i will make a mental note on the sensors. Eventually i knew you were going to have to get the system scanned and reset by a professional. How did they replace the passneger side, did it just bolt in? nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrKrazy Posted April 20, 2007 Author Share Posted April 20, 2007 Driver's side was two T30 screws I think, Passenger side was 4 screw, 3 bolts....but looked kinda hard to get to. This guy has done tons before and had it out and back in no time. Probably something that would've taken me at least an hour. I could take a picture of my old passenger side airbag and mark the screws/bolts that had to be taken out if someone is interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry DeMoss Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 Dang that is sweet Keith! I had no idea it would be that simple for those guys to do the job.Good thing you took it somewhere and now you have the peace of mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 I could take a picture of my old passenger side airbag and mark the screws/bolts that had to be taken out if someone is interested. please do this, i've replaced the steering air bag but thought the p/s required removing the dash so i've avoided it for now. great information, thank you for taking the time to be observant and posting this. it's been very hard (as you know) to get much information on it. for now i'm going to replace the p/s air bag, check the up front sensors and then have a shop look over the system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrKrazy Posted April 23, 2007 Author Share Posted April 23, 2007 Ok Gary this is for you and any future people looking for help. For the passenger side airbag, you need to remove the glove box & liner and then looking up you will see this (take the 3 bolts out circled in red): Now on each side of the air bag up near the top of the dash there is 2 screws (each side) that need to be removed, very long phillps head screwdriver is needed. Disconnect the wire (down near the passenger kick panel on my OBW) and push the airbag up through the dash, will come right out. Drop new one in and reverse procedure. Hope that helps someone out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 thanks dr. krazy. awesome, that and the front sensors should be the last steps for me before i have a tech finish up the testing/computer stuff. anyone know where to look for the air bag sensors up front and how many there are? i want to get a look at mine and check them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrKrazy Posted April 24, 2007 Author Share Posted April 24, 2007 thanks dr. krazy. awesome, that and the front sensors should be the last steps for me before i have a tech finish up the testing/computer stuff. anyone know where to look for the air bag sensors up front and how many there are? i want to get a look at mine and check them out. Front sensors should be under each fender liner (splash shield) near the front bumper support beams, there is one on each side of my OBW. On my OBW you couldn't miss them considering everything dealing with the airbags is yellow! Should be similar to this (though fender is completely off in this pic): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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