I didnt' replace the air bag on my '99. I did have to replace the clock spring as well as adding the switches and servo. after that it was plug n play. You do need to get the right switches, the wrong year will look right but will just not work. I believe servo and clock spring can be from any 97-01.
That would be correct. See the disclaimer in my parts list inre: the air bag cover...
The
ONLY 97-98 specific parts are the
CC switches. the PCM reads the
current that is drawn when the switches are depressed. It is a "multiplexed" circuit where by two wires perform multiple actions.
I have done this refit (well over a year ago...) on the 98 I currently have. This is when the switch resistance differences were discovered. The resistor issue is well documented here on
and a quick search will turn up the threads. The Donor Heep I raided, in the JY, was a
99 and the CC would not arm.
Traced the problem down to the
resistors located in the switches, found a set of
year correct switches and that problem was resolved. Next, the system would arm but would not activate. This was traced down to a wiring issue as the insulation on the wire running from the brake light switch to the servo was chafed causing a minor short.
Evidently, the PCM has built in over-current protection as the drive signal, from the PCM, would drop out only to show back up after an engine restart (read PCM restart). A new conductor bypassing the original wiring resolved the issue.
Every now and then, you can find the MOPAR CC retrofit kit on Ebay. Very pricey but, all of the components are new.
My recommendation on grabbing the Servo Connector is also based upon direct experience. I found my Servo connector to be corroded to the point of uselessness. It was just as bad as the Ambient Air Sensor connector used for the Overhead Console. Which is something else I refitted into this Heep.
None of this is either difficult nor terribly time consuming provided you acquire the correct parts at the outset.
Changes, some of them rather subtle happened throughout the 97-01 production runs. One can wonder why Chryco did this on a vehicle already slated to die but they just had to meddle in it. Some of the changes (head and pre-cats) were driven by emission requirements. Others, such as the air bag cover, were driven by good Engineering practices. Why have two part numbers when one will do and the blanking covers (CC swich replacements) are less expensive than the air bag cover to manufacture.
