REMOVAL

WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the supplemental restraint system before attempting any steering wheel, steering column, airbag, occupant classification system, seat belt tensioner, impact sensor, or instrument panel component diagnosis or service. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative (ground) cable, then wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before performing further diagnosis or service. This is the only sure way to disable the supplemental restraint system. Failure to take the proper precautions could result in accidental airbag deployment.

WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury when removing a deployed airbag, rubber gloves, eye protection, and a long-sleeved shirt should be worn. There may be deposits on the airbag unit and other interior surfaces. In large doses, these deposits may cause irritation to the skin and eyes.

NOTE: The following procedure is for replacement of an ineffective or damaged passenger airbag. If the airbag is ineffective or damaged, but not deployed, review the recommended procedures for handling non-deployed supplemental restraints. (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS - STANDARD PROCEDURE - HANDLING NON-DEPLOYED SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINTS). If the passenger airbag has been deployed, review the recommended procedures for service after a supplemental restraint deployment before removing the airbag from the vehicle. (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS - STANDARD PROCEDURE - SERVICE AFTER A SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT DEPLOYMENT).




1. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable. Wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before further service.
2. Remove the trim plug (2) from the access hole in the top of the instrument panel (1) between the windshield and the forward edge of the passenger airbag door (3).
3. Working through the access hole, loosen the nut that secures the passenger airbag upper bracket and the instrument panel armature to the stud near the windshield fence line.


4. Remove the grab handle above the glove box door from the instrument panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/GRAB HANDLE - REMOVAL).
5. Remove the glove box from the instrument panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/GLOVE BOX - REMOVAL).
6. Reach up into the instrument panel glove box opening to access and remove the two nuts (3) that secure the passenger airbag lower studs to the instrument panel armature (2) on each side of the glove box latch striker (1).
7. Using a trim stick or another suitable wide flat-bladed tool, gently pry the edges of the passenger airbag door rearward far enough to disengage the snap features on the door from the receptacles in the instrument panel base trim.
8. Grasp the lower edge of the passenger airbag door and pull the door and airbag rearward far enough to access the two instrument panel wire harness connections to the airbag inflators at each side of the airbag housing.

CAUTION: Do not pull on the instrument panel wire harness take outs or pry on the connector insulators to disengage the connectors from the passenger airbag inflator connector receptacles. Improper removal of these take outs and their connector insulators can result in damage to the airbag circuits or the connector insulators.


9. Disconnect the instrument panel wire harness connectors from the airbag inflators. Firmly grasp and pull the lock straight out from the connector insulator, then pull the insulators straight out from the airbag inflator to disconnect them from the connector receptacles.
10. Remove the passenger airbag and airbag door from the instrument panel as a unit.