Airbag on Steering Wheel Removal

[Schnell Gelb]

2001 Boxster S, 3 spoke Steering Wheel.

I'm trying to remove the Airbag to fix a Horn  problem. To do the OBC mod you might also need to remove the wheel for some methods.So this issue may have a broader appeal?

The removal Procedure seems simple - Bentley Sect 69-10 has details

I slackened the two  T30 x m6, 10,5 ( # 99907318302  ) screws at the back of the Steering Wheel.They were very stiff to start with ,then became easier.I did not use a soldering iron to soften the Loctite on these two T30 screws.Despite many rotations, the screws are still firmly attached to the plate/Retaining Frame with no indication of "letting go".

According to Pelican and at least 1 video there is no need to totally remove either of the two screws - just slacken them. The 2 screws seem to be held captive in the Retaining Frame when they have disconnected from the Airbag assy.

  But both screws just spin endlessly and still seem firmly connected to the plate.  I assume they are cross threaded in the large plate behind the Steering Wheel(the one held by 4 bolts).

I have tried a wedge between the airbag and the Steering wheel while spinning  the screw with a cordless drill. No result.

The remaining option to extract the 2 screws is to  drill off the screw heads. This is very difficult because both are recessed and obstructed by the wheel and instrument binnacle !

Does anyone have a less brutal method of removing the airbag with 2 cross-threaded screws ?It is too late to try softening the Loctite now !

I checked lots of other Posts on the airbag/Steering Wheel removal subject but did not find any other examples of this problem. Some have stripped the internal flutes of the Torx head but no cross-threading that I found.

Thank you for any suggestions.

BTW, this was an interesting related link that I seldom see quoted- great photos:

file:///C:/Users/hp/AppData/Local/Temp/Temp1_obc_stalk.zip/obc_stalk.pdf

Edited July 4, 2017 by Schnell Gelb

[Mr.Flip]

I had a similar situation with my 01'S and 02 base. What I did was push the airbag in, in return that pushes the screws through the rubber hole and let's you unscrew they enough to get the airbag out. The problem is they push against the rubber hole and get jammed enough to not fully unscrew


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[Schnell Gelb]

Thanks ,I'll try that right now !

Unfortunately it did not work. What I should have mentioned is that not only can't the screws be removed but they  can not be tightened either. They just spin in both directions. So it must be the cross threading that is retaining them , not the rubber in the Steering Wheel.

This is also the problem with the proposal to drill the screw heads off. The screws will just spin when the drill bit starts to 'bite'.

I am reluctant to start excavating 2 large holes in the back of the Steering Wheel so that I can fit a small grinding wheel on a Dremel.

JB Weld a T30 bit to the screws and then attach a slide hammer?

Worse, I am unsure if removing the heads of the screws would free the airbag.

The screws would still be retained on the plate(aka Retaining Frame- # 99334708801  )  by whatever makes them 'captive'.

The temporary solution is to fit a separate horn+button .The power source would be a piggy-back "Add a Circuit on the Wiper fuse location t C6. The alternative is to use the original horn fuse B3 .

I hope someone comes up with a method of removing those 2 pesky screws.

The specific horn problem on my car has been discussed before. It works without the key in the ignition.It does not work with the engine running.Usually a broken wire behind the Airbag.

Meanwhile I rigged a temporary MOM push switch and substituted a Nautilus horn in the original location.Much better sound.

Edited September 24, 2017 by Schnell Gelb