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My airbag deployed while wheelin' last night

9

90Pioneer

NAXJA Forum User
Location
USA
I went on a night time trail run last night in some unfamiliar terrain. I have a '96 XJ with an RE5.5 LA lift, an ARB front bumper, winch, and lots of other goodies.

I have some steel plates welded to my bumper mounting brackets that go back to reinforce the steering box.

Anyway, I was doing about 10 or 15mph on some flat ground and then all the sudden my front end drops into a trench about 20 inches deep. My bumper smacked into the bank on the far side of the trench, which deployed my air bag.

I was wearing my seatbelt and was more shocked that my air bag had gone off than I was that we fell into the trench. The air bag definately was not needed. It happened so fast it was already deflated by the time I realized what was going on. I didn't know my head actually made contact with the bag until about 20 minutes later when I got hit with a big headache.

My passenger was not wearing her seatbelt and her head took a dive and kissed my glove box.

Cut the bag out and continued wheeling for a while. Right now there is no obvious damage to my bumper or jeep, besides the deployed airbag. No CE lights either.

Should I swap out my steering wheel now?
 
my airbag came out in an accident a couple years ago. i was going like 15 at impact. definitely didnt need it. i was pissed it came out. i cut the bag out and glued the panels back in place. the airbag light came on but i just ignored it. i would replace them if its your DD in case you need them on the road in a major accident.
 
the air bag on the 95-6 is a self contained unit that you can prob find at any junkyard. (try to tell them you need the steering wheel and see if you can make off with the combo for a good deal usually air bags are quite expensive.)
anyway to remove the airbag you have to loosen the arming screw it is on top of the steering wheel when in standard position and is covered by a little plastic cap. the screw needs to be backed out as far as it will go (bout and inch) for the air bag to come out. then on the back side of the wheel there are four nuts that hold the air bag into the wheel remove those and you should be able to pull the air bag out. good luck and when installing the new one be verry ginger with it and try not to get infront or behind it while installing it as it could kill you if it is set off in the wrong position (half in or while you carry it around)
 
I would be able to sell you the airbag and steering wheel out of my 98 if you have a hard time finding one....mine is trail only so I don't realy need it.

90Pioneer said:
I went on a night time trail run last night in some unfamiliar terrain. I have a '96 XJ with an RE5.5 LA lift, an ARB front bumper, winch, and lots of other goodies.

I have some steel plates welded to my bumper mounting brackets that go back to reinforce the steering box.

Anyway, I was doing about 10 or 15mph on some flat ground and then all the sudden my front end drops into a trench about 20 inches deep. My bumper smacked into the bank on the far side of the trench, which deployed my air bag.

I was wearing my seatbelt and was more shocked that my air bag had gone off than I was that we fell into the trench. The air bag definately was not needed. It happened so fast it was already deflated by the time I realized what was going on. I didn't know my head actually made contact with the bag until about 20 minutes later when I got hit with a big headache.

My passenger was not wearing her seatbelt and her head took a dive and kissed my glove box.

Cut the bag out and continued wheeling for a while. Right now there is no obvious damage to my bumper or jeep, besides the deployed airbag. No CE lights either.

Should I swap out my steering wheel now?
Click to expand...
 
BRIANHO13 said:
I would be able to sell you the airbag and steering wheel out of my 98 if you have a hard time finding one....mine is trail only so I don't realy need it.
Click to expand...
Won't work for him.... he's got the older system.
 
this happened on my 96 xj.
HORRIBLE SMELL EH?

i went to the local yard and pulled one off a 96 country. fairly easily relaced it. is there anything else i need to do with myne guys? does it work off the screw on the top by touching metal? i have it engaged"on". no probs so far. i hope it goes off again if im in a actuall wreck
 
Well with all of the modifications I have done to the jeep I didn't actually want the air bag in the first place. This jeep is my daily driver in harsh winter conditions, but 70% of the time it sits in my garage.

I also have a Borgeson (sp) heavy duty steering shaft. It only has a 1" crumple zone, compared to the 4 or 5 inches the stock shaft has. So If i'm involved in a high speed head on collision, not having an air bag is probably going to be the least of my worries when I have a steel rod that would be jammed into my stomach.

The airbag deployed with such force it cracked the plastic that surrounds where the bag pops out. So I would probably need to replace the wheel itself.
 
Lonestar said:
Why don't you pull the airbag fuse to disarm the system next time you go wheelin. Just a thought.
Click to expand...
Remember this is the older system. It's completely self contained, no external modules, sensors, electrical or fuses.
 
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