shotgun_banjo

Just got my letter from MB Canada saying parts are available for both driver and passenger air bag replacement. I thought the day won't come. To those who got theirs fixed how exactly did they fixed the passenger airbag? Did they remove the dash board?

Adi-Benz

I think they have to. Took about 3 hours I think. No squeaks or anything.

imncrxtc

I'm in Toronto, and i just received the letter as well.

MB Marko

I got the first letter what feels like a year ago, I'm still waiting for the call to come in. I bet it takes another year lol.

Glock_19_9mm

I don't believe they do. I believe they go in thru the glovebox and that gives them access. My 10.25 screen was not touched, but the soft opening function for the glovebox was not hooked back up :-(

Mine did take 1.5 days to complete however... so I got a loaner..

Glock

Shimee

The recall is only for the inflator which can be accessed through the glovebox. I don't believe they replace the actual airbag. For the steering wheel they replace everything - casing and all, except for the steering wheel buttons - because it's easier and cheaper that way.




Somewhat off topic but the dealer will not do the recall if the steering wheel was changed and is not original. Either driver or passenger. Even if it's another MB wheel.

I changed my wheel to a "super sport" wheel - basically a C63 wheel with imitation leather and an aluminum trim piece on the bottom spoke - and the dealer wouldn't do the recall. I have to swap my old wheel back then they'll do the recall.

What I'm planning on doing is to swap the steering wheel control unit back to my original wheel, put the old wheel back on, have the recall done, then swap the inflator and horn frame (which holds the control unit) to my super sport wheel.

The reason for the horn frame is because the inflator is permanently attached to it via grounding wire.

MB Marko

What if it's an oem c63 steering wheel? I got mine off a C63 owner who swapped for another oem one. I've been in there for 2 services no one said anything about the mods and I talk a lot to my service guy and all the parts people. I guess I'll wait and see what they say once I get the call.

Shimee

I'm pretty sure they order parts for the recall based on your VIN. So once the part comes in it'll obviously be different than what's on your car. Because they replace the entire unit casing and all. They won't be disassembling it and replacing just the inflator.

Every dealer is different so you may be able to convince them to get a different part. But this all goes through MB corporate so I don't know how far they can deviate from procedure.

If they won't do it then you should be able to do what I'm going to do. The inflator is the issue so you just need to swap that between wheels, but since it's permanently attached to the horn frame by a ground wire you'll have to swap that too. Fortunately the horn frame is the same across most MB wheels so it's an easy swap.

MB Marko

Thanks! It should be easy it's been done once. I'm scared I put a **** ton of lock tight on the bolt lmao! I guess we'll see what they say

Adi-Benz

Loctite on the steering wheel bolt? Do NOT do that

MB Marko

That's what MB does and it's torqued to 120 or some crazy number. It's not fun to take it off but it's super easy to switch over all the electronics.

Adi-Benz

Do you remember the thread about where the guy stripped the steering wheel bolt and couldn't get it out?

Yeaaaaaaaaaa

MB Marko

Lol ya ! I had a better system then him. I held down the socket and pushed hard on the bolt I got my dad to use a 5 foot pipe. It came off with no issues. Leverage is your best friend with that bolt.

On another note

Merry Christmas guys! Hope everyone is eating great food and enjoying time with there loved ones.

Adi-Benz

I just used a breaker bar, nothing more. First time was hardest but after that piece of cake!

shotgun_banjo

LOL! I did the exact same thing! I stripped the bolt and need to have 3 people to help me get it out. 2 was holding the steering wheel, 1 was pushing down the breaker bar, and I was the one yanking the breaker bar with a 4' pipe on it. Then after all the trouble I had with it my paddle shifter won't work as I need the car to be programmed to have it which in Canada no dealer can do (or don't want to do it) as it needs to access the online programming. I might ask again if they will be willing to do it now as the dealerships in Vancouver are not corporate owned any more. To those who have a worn out chrome star logo on the air bag this must be a god send recall . I am just wondering on the passenger replacement as I am afraid if they need to remove the dash it might create squeaks after. I did spend a ton of time removing squeaks on my dash by putting felt paper between plastic parts and even placed washers on the screws on located on the sides of the dashboard as the factory over tighten it and it went thru the plastic and was not holding the dashboard in place. The washer with some felt on those screws made my dashboard wiggle and squeak free. I think I will have to ask the foreman what exactly they will do. My car is scheduled for the replacement first week of January.