Correct safety procedure for 124 airbag removal?
 

I searched, but didn't find anything for the 124...I couldn't find it in my FSM either ??

So what is the correct removal procedure? I know how to take it off, but what are the safety procedures?

I got a Sportline/500E wheel from the junkyard today, but obviously it was safe to remove as no battery.

Anybody know exactly "what" wheel I got?

http://www.ps2cho.net/downloads/phot.../new_wheel.jpg

Thanks,
Robert

Looks like the wheel from my '95 E320.
The proceedure to remove the wheel on said '95-
Disconnect the battery, take up the floor mat and toe board on the right side then remove the red connector from it's socket.
Use a 4 mm hex key from the back of the wheel to unscrew the airbag securing screws.
The airbag connect pulls off.

Disconnect battery and *wait at least 20 minutes*. This is the first safety procedure listed for almost every make/model/year vehicle with an airbag.

It's not part of the proceedure in the Benz FSM.
The FSM for my other than Benz states to wait at least one minute after disconnecting the battery to procede.

Disconnect battery (both terminals) When Disconnected, turn ignition to run and start.
There are capacitors in the ignition and alternators of most cars, that carry enough current to fire an airbag. I had a drivers bag blow one time when I worked in a body shop, it was a faulty mechanism, and it blew out the front window! :eek:

I thought the screws were T-30 torx. Extend teh wheel all the way forward before disconnecting the battery. Minimize any time you are in front of the airbag, and do not lay it face down. ALso, do not reconnect the battery while the bag is out - at least on the W210 this gives an SRS light which can only be reset with an SDS or similar computer.

The Benz FSM describes a built in circuit that depletes the capacitors automatically.

The FSM claims the screws are Torx, but I have removed them a number of times with 4mm hex key. Good luck finding a Torx bit that will fit without modification on a car that has a non-adjustable steering wheel.
The SRS light on a '95 124 will self extinguish when the airbag(s) are reconnected.

I'll stay on the safe side, wait 30mins and turn the key just in case.

Thanks guys!

4mm hex key worked for me great as the T30 I had was not thin enough to fit.

The Benz FSM advises to leave the key in the 0 position.

Easy, just order Mercedes special tool 126 589 00 10 00

Torx and inhex are NOT interchangeable.

You just have to hope that it still works...

As much as airbags cost, I'd wait.

Working on cars always involves a measure of faith. Certainly waiting isn't a bad idea. Neither is following the FSM.

Following the FSM *is* a bad idea if it's telling you to do something that could possibly injure you, even if that possibility is remote. After all, if the airbag goes "bang", what is your recourse? None. "The book said so" isn't going to get you a replacement part or pay any medical bills.

2 weeks ago there was a nice, fresh 23 year old mechanic in the county morgue who was crushed when the jack he was using slipped off whatever he was working under.

Faith is for church, not the garage.

I've had the airbags out of my 124 a coupla times without waiting a second. If you want to wait feel free.
To bad about the young man; I've worked under cars for over 40 years without mishap. Got anymore strawmen to prove your case?
In any case I'm not intimidated by cars because I have faith in my abilities and equipment.

Good for you. However, that's your experience - and I'm willing to bet that the vast majority of people on here are not mechanics.

I've only worked on cars for 15 years, so I guess you've got me beat, and the only "strawmen" I know of got tossed out at halloween.

Of course, I've been burned, cut, scraped and pretty well banged up in those 15 years. You must be some sort of miracle man if you've never had a mishap - especially with your attitude on safety.

I'm glad you're not intimidated - after 40 years without a scratch, you shouldn't be; but do you really think it's a good idea to treat everyone else on here like they also have 40+ years experience, when most of them have probably done little else than fill their gas tank or check their oil?

Have I cranked over a starter by touching the contacts with my screwdriver? Yes. Would I recommend that practice to someone who's never even seen their starter before? No.

You have faith in your abilities and equipment - that's super. Most people here have neither, and yet you'd still try to instill the same faith in them.

Safety comes first. Always.

Your posting of the poor soul that got crushed is a classic strawman, and Halloween was a month ago.
I'm not suggesting anyone make unsafe choices. The FSM states the key should be in the 0 position. It also states the airbag circuit does not need a wait.
Given your paranoia, I can't believe you actually sit behind an airbag as you drive down the road. It could spontaneously initiate.

Sure you are. You're making the assumption for other people that their depletion circuitry still works, and telling them there's no need to wait.

I drive a euro - no bag. :P Anything else I drive (airbag equipped) says "wait 20 minutes before working on ABS system" in it's FSM's...

As far as this "strawman" (I had to look it up - wasn't familiar with the term in your context) business goes, I have no need to make up stories about people getting killed at work; it happens on a daily basis. It's just as true as you having 40+ years experience in the trade, which I do believe. After all, it is usually the older folks that don't consider safety a high priority.

Wrong. I have not advised anyone not to wait.

You sure you're not a lawyer? You've spent the last hour or so arguing for the practice of not waiting - exactly what message do you think that sends?

I'm a retired repair shop owner. You can take what you want out of the posts I've made, but I have not advised anyone not to wait.
You seem to think the circuits that control the airbag are going to screw up, and I don't. So far the evidence is on my side.

I've heard that airbags are extremely loud when they go off. Is that true?

Yeah, because nobody (professional techs included) has ever set off an airbag by accident...:rolleyes:

They are only supposed to go off in the event of an actual crash, right?

I have seen car airbags deploy in test steering wheels at TRW, and they're not as loud as some other airbags I know. ;)

Huh?

No need to buy the special Mercedes tool or mangle the Torx head with a hex driver---just get one of these.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=33895

Removing airbag
 

I have done this safely on my 560SL. I suspect the procedure is identical on your 124.

Removing the air bag
is DANGEROUS. If you must do this yourself, do the following steps.

1. Remove negative battery cable. Place or insulate it so it cannot contact the battery.

2. Wait 20 minutes

3. Locate and unplug the large red SRS connector. On my car it is under the passenger side foot rest (front of the floorboard). Remove carpet for access if yours is there too. After carpet is lifted, you will see a removable panel with an SRS warning label on it. Four hold downs.

4. Unscrew the two screws behind the center pad retaining the air bag. They are #30 Torx. They are tight but not too tight. Use a 1/4" socket on your Torx bit for leverage. You will need a long shaft Torx bit.

5. Carefully lift off air bag assembly and unplug the connectors. Place airbag in a safe location CENTER PAD UP.

6. Remove center bolt. It is a flat head 10mm hex. It will be very tight. Use air impact driver.

7. Steering wheel will lift easily off splines. You may want to mark straight ahead position before you do if it is not clearly marjked already.

Good Luck. It is still best left to the professionals.

That's it. Don't skip any steps if you want to be safe no matter what anyone says.

So much for the airbag. Now I guess you will have to fend for yourself with the Windbags.

Do you pull the steering wheel?
 

I have to pull the instrument panel on my W124 to repair or replace the odometer and replace some light bulbs. While pulling the panel out of a junker at the P & P, I thought that the working room was a bit less then on the W123, but I can manage that job on the W123. I was thinking that it might be worthwhile to pull the steering wheel on the W124 to replace or otherwise work on the instrument panel. Am I looking at that right?

If your steering wheel is not adjustable, I think removing the wheel is required to remove the instrument cluster. I changed the outside temperature display recently and had to remove the wheel. It's not a big deal if you follow directions.

The first time removing a steering wheel is a real PITA. you NEED an Impact.

You guys do realize it's impossible for the airbag to fire once you unplug the connector form the back? Contacts short the pins together for safety.

-Jason

I used a 1/2" drive 10mm hex and a 1/2" breaker bar.

The best thing you can do if you decide to remove the steering wheel to access the cluster; is to, using a propane or smaller butane pencil torch heat the large Allen head bolt which secures the steering wheel to the steering shaft. This bolt has an angled tapered underside which interfaces with the wheel and it has a liberal coating of blue thread locker on its large threaded area. Those factors can make it a bear to break free especially the first time it's ever being done! If you heat it first you accomplish two things you expand the bolt ever so slightly which might not help much but it doesn't hurt at all, and once the blue thread lock gets heated to about 125 F it softens and that definitely helps! You only need to heat it enough so that you can’t keep your finger on it because it’s too hot for that, you don’t need to get it red or smoking or anything like that!

I use a 2-3 foot piece of oak flooring wrapped with a rag, laid on the flat between the spokes on the steering wheel and braced on or between my legs as a counter hold, then a good 1/2" 10 mm Allen socket driven by a breaker bar. Things come apart without much difficulty that way but you want a good tool in that Allen bolt so that it doesn't get the chance to round out and strip, it is a royal pain to get that bolt out of there if it does!

Thanks guys!
 

Getting good help for that job this morning. Now I am waiting for a warm day off or a nice weekend to get in there and get the job done. Could someone tell me why on my W124 the outside temperature read out is mostly covered in black. It gives the correct temperature as the front digit is legible, but you can only read the second digit if the light hits it just right. It almost looks like a fungus is growing across the inside of the glass. The car had been in inside storage in Ft Wayne, IN for 10 years before I bought it.

How cute--I thought it was only dummies that called TORX "Star!"

It's a better solution than allen, of course.

Sure the display has not leaked? Its very common.

I guess that might be possible
 

What liquid is in there?

Do I have a telescopic steering column
 

YES, I have one. Checked the owners manual and it showed where the switch button was located. I found it and it works very well. Now I won't have to pull the steering wheel.

Torx is patented, you can't make and sell a star bit as Torx unless you pay the royalties.

Ever heard of a "cross-recess" bit (Phillips) or Hex (Allen)?

The LCD (LIQUID Crystal Display) has gone bad, you need a new one. I have a couple in Michigan if you're not in a big hurry.

I have a question about Airbags. I went thru the Disarm procedure in Alldata. It'd been disarmed for a few days now. I need to hook up the batt for some troubleshooting and want the airbag to remain disarmed. Can I just leave the airbag connectors dc'd and hook the Batt up? Will that screw up anything that would need to be "reset".

On a W210 that gives you a SRS light that needs a handheld tester to reset.

It looks like my only option here is to hook up the airbag and do my electrical troubleshooting hoping I won't trigger the airbag? I need to run the tests on the cruise control amp, actuator, and switch. I doubt I will trigger the airbag. I don't want the SRS light on for sure. I've heard all kinds of horror stories about dealers wanting a lot to turn the light off.

It sounds like if I connect the batt with the airbag connector DC'd, I'll get a SRS light. Is that true?

I don't know on the 124, don't think so but I'm waiting to hear from the experts.

Sounds like my Options are:

1) Leave Airbag DC'd, hook up batt, get SRS light, go to dealer.

2) Hook up SRS connector, Hookup batt, take a chance I won't trigger airbag putzing around with the Cruise Control

Seems like anything much with the electrical system, you are told to disarm the airbags.

I left the red airbag connector dc'd and drove the car to make sure I had the sterring wheel correctly positioned. The airbag light was on while I was driving. After everything was OK I re-connected the the red connector and the airbag light went off, never to be seen again.

Heh, well that's even more confusing!

How so? It was all quite straightforward to me.

I've go some saying that if I do that, I will get a SRS light that will require a reset at the dealer.


I've been reading SRS reset threads today. Obviously if I could getaway with what you are describing that would be perfect. I am getting conflicting data however.

No one with an 124 is saying a trip to the dealer is needed.

I told you in the other thread...if you just unbolted the 2 hex screws on the back of the airbag and removed it you would have none of these problems. The amount of time you have spent researching could have had the airbag out and stored safety days ago.