MESSED UP AIR BAG BiG TIME Could use some help

[Rdsrds123]

Hello everyone, while changing a steering angle sensor, I forgot to orient the sensor to the steering wheel, so I have to go back in and take it completely apart again. Not a problem, BUT I cannot get the air bag off. Been trying so many times, I am afraid the air bag might go off. I have removed the air bag twice today, but this time I can't get it off.

The top two clips might be partially released, as the top of the air bag is pulled away a bit from the steering wheel. The bottom clip won't budge. I can stick an allen wrench in the hole( or a screw driver) and push up on the spring, but the bottom of the air bag will not release. And now, I am having troubling feeling the springs on the top two holes.

So, I'm stuck. I could hit the air bag and try to re seat it on the top two clips, but I am afraid the air bag might go off. The battery has been disconnected three hours, and I pulled the air bag fuse. What should I do besides wait until morning and try again?

[VStar650CL]

The bag isn't going to go off with the battery disconnected. When working around the back side (which you can't do right now) you should ground yourself against static (touch metal on the car before touching the bag). For now, nothing you can do to the front of the bag will set it off. You could attack it with a hammer and it would throw codes, but it wouldn't detonate. Chances are the lower part of the spring is just seated ka-ka, so pushing it back in and releasing the bottom first will probably get it loose.

That said, unless the wheel was installed off center by a spline or two, calibrating the SAS is a software operation. You're not supposed to be moving it mechanically.

[Rdsrds123]

Thanks! Just touch something metal to eliminate static charge, like the metal plate under the steering column? Can't avoid doing that in the process of removing the plastic shrouds.

I'm thinking the wire spring got lodged in the coil spring of the air bag clip.

I am going to try making a tool using a coat hanger to fix this. I will bend a coat hanger 90° and cut that bent end off making the bent part about a quarter of an inch long. It will be like a claw, and I will try clawing back on the spring that is caught in the coil spring.

I will let ya know if this works.

[Rdsrds123]

The sensor has two white tabs on a white ring. These are all one piece that can be rotated. I need to rotate it to align with the mark on the wheel and steering shaft, didn't do that. This, according to a YouTube video.

No codes, but I deleted any if there could be some I didn't see. I am getting the traction control light on on the dash. This light is different from the traction control on/off light. Both traction control lights can be on at the same time. Googling says this problem could be this mis-alignment.

[Rdsrds123]

I did a relearn for the new sensor. I turned the wheel far left for five seconds(engine running), then far right for five seconds. Then back to straight. Then I drove around the block.

[VStar650CL]

Thanks! Just touch something metal to eliminate static charge, like the metal plate under the steering column? Can't avoid doing that in the process of removing the plastic shrouds.

Correct. Anything metal connected to the chassis will bring you to the same potential as the car.

The sensor has two white tabs on a white ring. These are all one piece that can be rotated. I need to rotate it to align with the mark on the wheel and steering shaft, didn't do that. This, according to a YouTube video.

No codes, but I deleted any if there could be some I didn't see. I am getting the traction control light on on the dash. This light is different from the traction control on/off light. Both traction control lights can be on at the same time. Googling says this problem could be this mis-alignment.

So you basically had the wheel misaligned, if I'm understanding you. The SAS should only mate to the clockspring one way. Any codes would be in the ABS, and most cheap scanners only read the engine and transmission. Having both skid lamps lit pretty much means there have to be ABS codes.

I did a relearn for the new sensor. I turned the wheel far left for five seconds(engine running), then far right for five seconds. Then back to straight. Then I drove around the block.

If that worked, I don't know why. There's no "cheat" in the FSM for calibrating the SAS without a scanner.

[Rdsrds123]

I have a Thinkscan 672 scanner. Never used it other than plugging it in to look around. Has airbag reset. Not sure which function would be needed.

[Rdsrds123]

Ok, so the plan is to reinstall the airbag correctly, then hookup the scanner and go to ABS and see what is there for codes, then reset? Is there a calibration function to do?

[VStar650CL]

I have a Thinkscan 672 scanner. Never used it other than plugging it in to look around. Has airbag reset. Not sure which function would be needed.

Well that's weird that you didn't see codes, because the 672 does do ABS. If you look in your "Hot Resets" there should be an SAS calibration utility. Drive the car straight to a stop on a level surface, then perform the cal.

[Rdsrds123]

My scanner can do maintenance. Here is what the manual shows it can do:
Air/fuel ratio
ABS bleeding
AdBlue reset
Adaptive front lighting
Air suspension matching
Airbag reset
Anti-theft key matching
Battery matching
Brake pad reset
Clutch matching
DPF registration
Electronic water pump starting
ECU reset
EGR adaptive
Electronic throttle adaption
FRM matching
Gateway module data calibration
Gear learning.

Not sure which function I need to use here?

[Rdsrds123]

I only plugged in a small hand held on scanner

[Rdsrds123]

Ok, I will get back later today. Thank you so much!

[VStar650CL]

You should have it in there someplace. This is from Thinkscan's website:

[Rdsrds123]

Ok, I think I know what happened. There is a rectangular slot for each of three air bag clips. The spring nearly bisects each slot, but not exactly. For the spring to work, the clip needs to be on a particular side of those slots. My clips are on the wrong side, and the spring won't work to release the air bag.

A YouTube video shows these slots and springs without five minutes of introduction. It is called "How to remove the driver's side air bag on a 2016 Nissan Versa"

I'm stuck. Destroy the steering wheel?

[Rdsrds123]

[Rdsrds123]

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[Rdsrds123]

Sorry, couldn't figure how to add a picture

[VStar650CL]

The only time I saw that happen was to the tech in the next bay on a D40 Frontier. The only way we got it loose was with a prybar, it wrecked both the bag and the wheel.

[Rdsrds123]

I taking this to Nissan to fix.

[Rdsrds123]

I can see where drilling a large hole from above could access the springs

[Rdsrds123]

Can I drive this with the air bag fuse removed?

[VStar650CL]

Yep. You'll just get a bag lamp, but it won't affect anything else.

[Rdsrds123]

Searching for a SRS specialist. Supplemental restraint system specalist

[VStar650CL]

That would be me, but only if you can bring it to central Arkansas.

[Rdsrds123]

Two different Nissan dealer service advisors did not return my calls.
Car is at a shop. Thep got the air bag in right, but cannot guarantee it won't go off unexpectedly.

Car has torque steer, that started all this. I suspect now it is the clock spring.

Been to 5 shops, even Pat Goss' shop.

Current shop is now looking into the torque steer issue.

Other shops replaced struts, changed them back. I changed motor mounts.

[VStar650CL]

If they got the airbag out and in without damage then there's zero reason it should deploy unexpectedly. The Bag Brain is smarter than that.
If they damaged it, they should tell you that.

There's nothing in the clockspring which can cause torque steer, but let's make sure we're talking apples and apples. Torque steer is when the car tends to try to pull one way when you're hard on the gas and the opposite way when you drop throttle. Some amount is unavoidable in a FWD platform because the axles are always unequal in length. Most Nissans compensate this by having a very stiff halfshaft on the passenger side which allows the axles to be the same length, but the Versa has a different arrangement. It uses a tubular axle on the long passenger side and a solid axle on the short driver's side. The tube is stiffer than the solid, so it more or less equalizes the amount of torsion "wind up" under load. However, "more or less" is the active term. The tube/solid solution is a lot less precise than the halfshaft, so Versas all exhibit more torque steer than other Nissan models and there's no fix for it. Is that what you're experiencing, or do we need to talk oranges?

[Rdsrds123]

Lots to go over here. Thanks! The torque steer I am experiencing in my Versa is exactly as you described.

I will ask about the air bag. Currently, they said they don't know. Why would they even say otherwise? I think they expect me to remove the air bag fuse permanently.

They are now looking for the torque steer issue. Said a tire going bad can do it.

Can you look at the end of the axle shaft to see if it is solid?

Time to start looking for unreasonable reasons why this problem continues.

[Rdsrds123]

This problem started suddenly, as opposed to a gradual increase from worn parts.

[Rdsrds123]

Is there a solid passenger axle available that would fit the passenger side, somehow, mysteriously now occupying a spot where a tubular axle should be there?

[Rdsrds123]

I would think tapping on the axle shaft would cause a different sould if it was hollow? One side hollow, one side solid.