W124 airbag cracking

[gatorblue92]

The airbag cover in my 300E is cracking and I have never seen one do this before. Should I be worried about it going off or would you not worry about it?

[vstech]

go snag one from a car in the PNP... find one with a door sticker that shows a recent update... I got one with a 2010 replacement!

[jake12tech]

I'm going to scrap my 88 300E parts car after I cut the front-end off to rebuild my 87 300D. You're more than welcome to have it for free if it doesn't get used because I like to keep as many 124s on the road as possible.

[barry12345]

No the cosmetic defect of the air bag cover illustrated will not in anyway increase or decrease the chance of discharge. Someone out there should extract an old airbag itself from a wreck.

The older a Mercedes that has one the better. Unfold it to check that they do not age rot to death. Ultra violet will not get in there but depending on the type of plastic used there might be problems from long term cab heat. Manufactures did not expect them to be in service almost thirty years.

[Zulfiqar]

why not upgrade to the later shape steering too. It looks better than this one.

[Jeremy5848]

The air bag will no more go off by itself than it would if the plastic were not cracked. Mercedes originally spec'd these things as needing replacement every 10 years but that has been stretched out at least a couple of times.

It wouldn't hurt to get a newer airbag out of a later 124. While you're at it, get a leather-wrapped steering wheel. (You can tell by the stitching.) Make sure the airbag fits the new wheel -- there are different shapes as Z. tells us.

Jeremy

[tjts1]

I would be more worried about pieces of sharp plastic being blown into your face if you should ever need the airbag. I would replace it.

I have one of those airbags that came off my 87 which I swapped a 94 steering wheel onto. If you want to pay for shipping its yours.

[compu_85]

That crack is purely a cosmetic problem.

-J

[gatorblue92]

I have a replacement unit now. Any tips for removing the airbag to replace it?

[97 SL320]

Originally Posted by tjts1

I would be more worried about pieces of sharp plastic being blown into your face if you should ever need the airbag.

Not really, the crack is occurring in the cover tear line that allows the bag to escape. The cover is made from soft plastic so the cut hazard is minimal.

For the most part the tear is cosmetic. However if it progresses far enough and the flap rises above the surface, it may interfere with hand over hand steering.

Replacement is probably easier than making a plastic repair.

[lorainfurniture]

There is a red plug underneath the dash that disconnects the airbag. Disconnect the battery just to be extra safe.

There are 2 torx bits, I believe t25. They are located behind the wheel. You need either just a long bit, or a short screwdriver due to the awkwardness of accessing the screw.