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Cadillac Replacing the Airbag

Logan's Airbag Update -- 94 airbag on a 93 steering wheel

Bruce- I installed the airbag/wheel today. I am sending you 4 pictures on different emails.

As for the airbag..........The wheel is a direct fit. The 93 and 94 airbags have a different wire connection (see photo). The wire colors are the same for both (one green, one white).

After looking at both bags......the 93 bag has different mounting points and is also wider than the 94 bag so swapping the whole 93 bag assembly over to the 94 cover is not possible. One thing I started to try was to drill out the rivets for the inflator (see photo) and then transfer the inflator over to the 94 bag. This would be the safest way to go as it would retain the same electronics and wire connection. The problem I ran into is I could not find the proper replacement steel (important!!!!) rivets at 4 different stores.

After not finding the proper rivets I decided I would try the 94 bag on the car. I decided to splice the 94 bag wires onto the pigtail coming off the column. I decided not to solder the wires as this would allow some heat to transfer into the inflator thru the wire itself. I also felt safe in being the GM design also uses crimped on terminals. 

With the 94 bag installed I am not getting any codes (so I think the system is ok....but it is untested). I still need to paint the steering column and the shifter handle. I thought at first I would have to dye the bag and wheel to match the interior. As it turns out it is pretty close match as it is right now. I am much happier with the look of the bag and the feel of the thicker steering wheel.

Logan
www.ledfix.com

Bruce- I have some new airbag info. I found my lost Kent-Moore tool catalog. I was a bit concerned that the connectors on the airbags were different. I did find a pigtail in the Kent-Moore catalog for this. It adapts the load tool to the newer air bag connector. It is simply a 4-5 inch pigtail. It is tool J 38715-5. The 1993 and 1994 Cadillacs use the same SIR load tool J 38715-A. Finding this adapter certainly makes me more at ease about the swap. I also do not recommend this conversion on the 1992 single air bag system. I did not research the 1992 system but I believe the resistance value is different on the single bag systems.

Logan

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