Airbag question

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Jgze99

Newbie
Joined
Nov 18, 2022
Messages
11
Reaction score
6
Location
Phoenix
I have a 97, originally had the dash with the passenger side airbag. It was extremely cracked so I replaced it with a 95 dash (no passenger side airbag) I plugged in the yellow plugs on the steering wheel airbag but obviously didn’t have anywhere to connect the passenger side airbag connectors in.

My question is: how do I go about closing the circuit and making sure that at least the steering wheel airbag goes off in case of an accident? Thanks in advance
 

someotherguy

even worse in person
Joined
Sep 28, 2013
Messages
12,406
Reaction score
22,179
Location
Houston TX
I have a 97, originally had the dash with the passenger side airbag. It was extremely cracked so I replaced it with a 95 dash (no passenger side airbag) I plugged in the yellow plugs on the steering wheel airbag but obviously didn’t have anywhere to connect the passenger side airbag connectors in.

My question is: how do I go about closing the circuit and making sure that at least the steering wheel airbag goes off in case of an accident? Thanks in advance
I'd suggest checking the factory service manual for your model year ("Engines" section of this forum has links to free downloads of manual scans) - review the schematics and I'd be willing to bet the two circuits are independent and not relying on any loop being closed for either airbag to be functional. Disclaimer - I could very easily be wrong, but it seems it would be dumb to have them share a circuit where a single point of failure could take both airbags out of commission.

Richard
 

WICruiser-97

I'm Awesome
Joined
Aug 23, 2023
Messages
166
Reaction score
154
Location
WI
I can not recall but if the 97 had a passenger air bag switch to turn it off but if it did that would be a clear location to disconnect the lead running to the passenger side air bag.
 

Erik the Awful

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2019
Messages
9,587
Reaction score
21,304
Location
Choctaw, OK
You will have to replace the SRS module with one from the correct truck.

Do not f*** around with trying to re-engineer your airbags. You are literally playing with explosives. When I was a Nissan tech, we were not allowed to repair airbag harnesses. It was strictly remove and replace for every part of the airbag system.
 

joeblow867

I'm Awesome
Joined
Mar 26, 2024
Messages
210
Reaction score
218
Location
USA
You will have to replace the SRS module with one from the correct truck.

Do not f*** around with trying to re-engineer your airbags. You are literally playing with explosives. When I was a Nissan tech, we were not allowed to repair airbag harnesses. It was strictly remove and replace for every part of the airbag system.
He removed it. Hes not trying to re-engineer it.


My question is: how do I go about closing the circuit and making sure that at least the steering wheel airbag goes off in case of an accident? Thanks in advance
Does the vehicle know the passenger air bag was removed? I dont see an airbag system being engineered to need all airbags fully functional in order to deploy. Also, does your truck even have a drivers air bag? My '00 k2500 didnt come with airbags.
 

Erik the Awful

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2019
Messages
9,587
Reaction score
21,304
Location
Choctaw, OK
I plugged in the yellow plugs on the steering wheel airbag but obviously didn’t have anywhere to connect the passenger side airbag connectors in.

My question is: how do I go about closing the circuit and making sure that at least the steering wheel airbag goes off in case of an accident? Thanks in advance
Understand that my airbag knowledge was with Nissan airbags and the GM system might work differently, but with the passenger airbag removed you will have an SRS code and you might have a light that won't go off. You can't get rid of it without replacing the SRS module with the correct module for a single airbag. "Closing the circuit" sounds to me like he's wanting to put some kind of jumper in there to trick the SRS computer. That's a hack job on an explosive system. Don't do it.
 

99xcss4

92g-94c frank'n (truburban) K-2500
Joined
Apr 22, 2020
Messages
5,846
Reaction score
9,566
Location
las cruces new mexico
The stock two bag setup on a 400(97-up) will fire both bags in an impact. This happened to our first '99 Burb.
IIRC the key switch to turn the passenger bag off if you don't have a passenger, is something that didn't come out till the NBS/GMT 800 trucks.
I knew some one that had a 99 K-1500 classic and it had the airbag off switch on the dash like the 800s have I think you are right though that is the only 400 that I remember seeing with one
 

evilunclegrimace

Does not always play well with others
Joined
Sep 18, 2017
Messages
2,691
Reaction score
3,153
Location
pennsylvaina
The stock two bag setup on a 400(97-up) will fire both bags in an impact. This happened to our first '99 Burb.
IIRC the key switch to turn the passenger bag off if you don't have a passenger, is something that didn't come out till the NBS/GMT 800 trucks.
I have a passenger side air bag switch out of a GMT 400 in my box of spare parts.
 
Top