AcuraFanatic

Alright, so I think my next mod is going to be a new steering wheel. The leather on my original is beginning to show signs of wear, and frankly I want something more sporting.

Is there any options to incorporate an OEM airbag into an aftermarket wheel? :dunno:

FDragger

nope. its also illegal to remove the sterring wheel/airbag in california...i dunno about NH.

btw, i drive a car that didnt come with airbags and its a '92 :wtf: i dunno when the driver airbag thingy became mandatory :thinking: although sometimes i feel like ditching my car and getting one thats a lil bit safer with airbags :happysad:

George Knighton

First off, just about every person who buys a car with an airbag should leave it in. This means that you will not be able to safely switch steering wheels in almost all cases.

In some rare cases, you're able to locate an other-world steering wheel that is attractive to you and also incorporates an airbag. Such a case is the DC2 ITR, which owners sometimes replace their USDM steering wheels with JDM Momo SRS steering wheels.

However, the SRS in the JDM wheels incorporates a lower velocity deployment which was never tested for the USDM and, frankly, no one's seen an accident with one deployed to give any first hand evidence about its effectiveness.

If one has a hybrid track vehicle that he still drives to the track under its own power, then it could be logical that you remove the airbags, provided you are rated for BSR Seat Time or NASA Group 3/4, or the equivalent. The reason you'd want to remove the airbags in those cases is because it's possible to conceive of being in an incident which might deploy the SRS, but in which incident you'd still be able to maintain control of the car and steer around secondary incidents and safely stop the car if you were still able to steer and see.

It is for these same reasons that Honda Challenge and other racing series require that you remove the SRS from a car that will be driven compeititvely.

However, these are the only cases I can think of where the airbags should be removed.

As far as the law goes, there is federal legislation and there are also separate state laws that might or might not over ride the federal legislation. Stricter state legislation normally over rides federal legislation unless it involves the liberty of the subject (not sure airbags fall in that category).

As far as the federal regulations go, you are allowed to remove the airbags on your own, provided you have an over riding safety issue with the construction. This could be because of an unusual frailty in an individual's case, or it could be an over riding safety issue involved with your car being a lawfully deployed track vehicle.

Most mechanic's shops are not going to allow themselves to get involved in removing the SRS because of liability issues and their lack of ability to ascertain the appropriateness of the action without a letter from the Department of Transportation, which could take 8 months to obtain.

So, there's unlikely to be a way for you to find a replacement steering wheel that has an effective SRS, it's unwise for you to remove the USDM SRS, and it is probably unlawful for you to do so.

98CoupeV6

If you replace it with an SRS equipped wheel, remember to take the air bag out and stuff it with garbage bags and shit. Then sell the air bag on EBay :thumbup:

AcuraFanatic

Alright, I think I'm just going to get the rim of the steering wheel reupholstered and the cover re-dyed. Thanks anyway.

Black2KGSR

why? I wish my car didn't have any airbags...they scare the crap out of me.

FDragger

you say that now..but wait until you hit something and your face finds the steering wheel or even the front windshield :eek3:

id rather have airbag burns than look like this smiley --> wned:

Black2KGSR

I wear a seatbelt. And the little accident that I'm likely to get in is probably gonna be just enough to make the airbag go off, even though my head is nowhere near hitting anything, but I'll get all ****ed up from the stupid airbag.