SL/R129: Passenger Airbag Removal
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Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 40
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From: Dallas, TX
2017 C300W4 2018 GLE350W4 2018 E400A
Passenger Airbag Removal
I discovered a year after buying my car that the SRS bulb in the dash was removed. I replaced the bulb and guess what, the light is on. After I had my defective SRS control repaired I had my mechanic pull the diagnostic codes. It turns out that my passenger airbag shows to be defective. I need to remove the bag to check and see if it has previously deployed, been removed or if there is a loose connection. I checked the R129 MB DVD and their instructions say to disconnect the negative battery strap and the SRS connector before unbolting the bag's retaining bolt. The question I have is what SRS connector are they talking about? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 40
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From: Dallas, TX
2017 C300W4 2018 GLE350W4 2018 E400A
I have run into another problem. Apparently the airbag design changed in 1996. The removal instructions on the MB R129 DVD are useless. Does anyone know what the proper procedure is to remove the passenger airbag from a 1996 or later R129?
Banned
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,982
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From: Atlanta, unfortunately
'09 S600, (2) R129 300SLs, '03 SL500, '03 SL55
It is a lot of effort to remove the airbag on a '96 and later car. You have to remove the panel under the airbag, the center air vents, the storage compartment above those vents, the left-side dash speaker, and the left-side dash vent. If you send me an email, I can reply with a diagram from the WIS.
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Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 40
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From: Dallas, TX
2017 C300W4 2018 GLE350W4 2018 E400A
I greatly appreciate the offer. However I went ahead and subscribed to Alldata yesterday and downloaded the instructions. You are absolutely correct about it being a lot of work. I took me over two hours in disassembly and assembly time.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,278
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From: San Jose area
'19 E63S sedan
I discovered a year after buying my car that the SRS bulb in the dash was removed. I replaced the bulb and guess what, the light is on. After I had my defective SRS control repaired I had my mechanic pull the diagnostic codes. It turns out that my passenger airbag shows to be defective.
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Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
From: Dallas, TX
2017 C300W4 2018 GLE350W4 2018 E400A
Nothing would make me happier to go after the guilty party. The question is who might that be. The car is now 11 years old. It has had at least one owner, been traded in, sold at auction, and finally purchased by me from a used import car lot in Houston. Any party down the line could have removed the bulb to avoid repairing the problem. It could have happened anytime during the last 11 years. I hired an independent inspector to check the car before I purchased it and he missed it.
Purposely disabling a warning light for a safety system on a car should be a crime.
Unfortunately from the research I have done it appears to be perfectly legal. This is something worth writing your Congressman about. If I am missing something please let me know.
Purposely disabling a warning light for a safety system on a car should be a crime.
Unfortunately from the research I have done it appears to be perfectly legal. This is something worth writing your Congressman about. If I am missing something please let me know.
