the 'cover' on my steering wheel has been loose for a while. i guess age has made the bond between the metal and vinyl deteriorate.

i am also wondering if the airbag will still deploy.

in any case, what are the options for a new steering wheel? can you still get an oem replacement? maybe just go a little wild and get a Momo steering wheel without an airbag.

all thoughts welcome!

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Ben
1987 190d 2.5Turbo

I'd assume it will deploy so be careful.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I think pre-92 (or thereabouts) Benzes had an airbag expiration date of 25 or 30 years. You may even have a sticker on the door jamb or somewhere. Post-92 they've been considered lifetime items. Whether this is due to actual engineering improvements, Inhave no idea.

There are plenty of options for replacement on eBay, OE or aftermarket, with or without airbags. Just be careful removing the stock wheel, and follow the FSM procedure to avoid any inadvertent airbag deployment.

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My 97 C280 and SL320 have an air bag sticker with an expiration date way less than 25 years. The drivers bag had been replaced during a recall at some point. I'd have to check the dates.

From what I've read, regardless of brand, the air bag inflator chemical absorbs moisture as it ages increasing inflation power. Early bags were high power to begin with, they needed to catch a 200 Lb _unbelted_ male making aging more of an issue. Later bags reduced power but will still age.

Some info from 1998 but it does not address aging
Chemistry Behind Airbags

Oops - got the interval wrong. It was actually 15 years. Doesn't really explain why your post-1992 vehicles have an expiration date sticker...

Service Information on Airbag Units .pdf

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Yes it will deploy.

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CENSORED due to not family friendly words

Pre-1992 vehicles were 10 years. They had a sticker in the glovebox. Attached photo is from my 1986 300SDL. I'm not losing sleep over it deploying or not. I don't intend to wreck my car and I'd frankly prefer it DIDN'T deploy.

Being a glasses wearer, I'd prefer them remain on my face or somewhere in the wreckage, not jammed through an eye socket from an explosive going off in my face.

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Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

The " up to Jan 1992 " time frame should read, " As of this printing , vehicles up to 1992. . . " otherwise info in a 20 year old manual would be a current spec.

Yeah, but that bulletin was printed in September 2002, more than 10 years after January 1992. It says that from that date, the service life no longer applies. But hey, both you and another poster have stickers that don't agree with that bulletin. So I don't know what to say about that.

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When dealing with computer based manuals, they sometimes will show the date they were released for use but that isn't the information generation date. Manuals are not continuously updated. The 2005 date may have been the CD release.

Old information + printed / formatted today = newer date.

My 97 SL320 has an airbag sticker that lists all 4 bags, there are silver add on stickers stating 2011-12 on all except the steering wheel, there is a white sticker over top a silver one that says 2014. ( the drivers bag was checked or replaced along the way due to a recall. )

LOL

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1998 E300 turbodiesel

America's Rights and Freedoms Are Not The Enemy!

Most people don't.

I've been closer than I'd like to a number of IEDs going off. I don't want a small one aimed at my face. One reason I'm still driving an '83 W123.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

Say what you will, but I'm pretty sure a lot of people on the road think their car is a bumper car. It's amazing how many accidents you can avoid by just paying attention, not to what you're doing, but to what the idiots around you are doing. One of the big reasons I don't drive at night - it's truly shocking how many drunks are weaving around on the road. No thanks!

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Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

The new guy at my job just started touching some wires together with 12v and deployed the airbag on a 87 300te, so I think it's very possible. Needless to say the new guy is the gone guy too.

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

You have the drunks weaving around on the road at night right. I recently heard a story from a friend who knows a cop. The cop told him that he has stopped more than a few drunks at 8:00 AM.

Besides drunks, we now have texting cell-phone-yakking distracted idiots behind the wheel.