Airbag swap in Roadster

[ElectricLove]

Anyone have experience replacing airbags?

I'm not sure what advanced precautions need to be taken besides disconnecting the 12V aux battery with consideration to the ESS? Am I gonna have a bag blow up in my face?

Thanks in advance!

 

[smorgasbord]

If you're talking driver's side, this thread has the details.

To be really really safe, you should open the doors and trunk, close the charging port door, disable APS via the VDS, remove any fuses that control the airbag (I don't know what those are), and let the car sit for 20 minutes before beginning work, and then don't close any door or the trunk or turn on the radio or the climate system or lights, etc. during the work.

For myself, I was content to disable APS with the doors and trunk open. The steering wheel unit is really easy - just two hex head bolts on either side of the steering column and then one easy connector. I don't know about the passenger side. But the driver's side is so easy I just can't see how you'd accidentally deploy the airbag. We're in front of those airbags so often, with packages, in the rain, charged with static electricity, etc., so it's mostly a mind set. Just be careful with the plug.

Note that many states have air bag fraud laws on their books, so if the replacement airbag doesn't deploy you may have some liability.

 

[ElectricLove]

If you're talking driver's side, this thread has the details.

To be really really safe, you should open the doors and trunk, close the charging port door, disable APS via the VDS, remove any fuses that control the airbag (I don't know what those are), and let the car sit for 20 minutes before beginning work, and then don't close any door or the trunk or turn on the radio or the climate system or lights, etc. during the work.

For myself, I was content to disable APS with the doors and trunk open. The steering wheel unit is really easy - just two hex head bolts on either side of the steering column and then one easy connector. I don't know about the passenger side. But the driver's side is so easy I just can't see how you'd accidentally deploy the airbar. We're in front of those airbags so often, with packages, in the rain, charged with static electricity, etc., so it's mostly a mind set. Just be careful with the plug.

Note that many states have air bag fraud laws on their books, so if the replacement airbag doesn't deploy you may have some liability.

Awesome, yeah the process of changing them isn't the part I was worried about. I had removed the driver's side bag already and know from Lotus forums how to change the passenger side. I just wanted to make sure the process was done safe from my getting punched in the face! Thank you so much! And your custom Roadster looks hot man!

 

[marco2228]

Have a look at this PDF:
http://www.beddysblog.com/lotusmanuals/Elise%20Exige%20S2%20files/Airbag%20System.pdf

Be careful!

P.s.: If you replace the Airbag ECU (which you will have to change if the airbags deployed) as well, it's necessary to have it activated from Tesla otherwise you'll get an airbag error.

 

[ElectricLove]

yeah, I have an Airbag ECU replacement, didn't know I'd have to get it activated from Tesla but thats fine, I'll do that when the time comes! Thank you!