Anyone know the rules on having an airbag fitted for MOT.
Basically I've bought an Escort Cab and am replacing the calypso trim which has airbag tensioners on the front seats with a recaro trim which doesn't (and they can't be swapped over), so now the airbag light flashes on and off. If I take the airbag steering wheel off and replace it with an aftermarket wheel without airbag and take the airbag bulb out of the clocks will my car still pass it's Mot, i.e. if that year of car was suppose to have an airbag must it be there to pass?

Oh, and what's the procedure for taking the airbag off so it doesn't blow off in my face?

 

Not part of the test....if I was testing your vehicle then i'd advise on the air bag lamp being on just to cover my arse. Disconnect your battery and leave it for a 10min and you should be fine. tbh im often removing airbags at work for various reasons and dont bother disconnecting the battery, no one does. But it'll proberbly bite one of us one day

 

lol didnt notice you were taking the bulb out as well.....in that case ive got nothing to advise on. It'll be a straight pass mate

 

yay I broke the 1000 post marker in this thread

 

Thanks for that mate, you're a pal.

Just one more question, will a Mk5 Escort aftermarket steering wheel boss (which was obviously designed for a non-airbag car) fit a car which was fitted with an airbag, i.e. is the steering column the same?

 

yeah should be the same chap

 

Nice one. Thanks for that.

 

Can anyone give me any tips on how to get the airbag/horn section of the steering wheel off because I'm prising it up from underneath with a screwdriver but it doesn't seem to want to come? Do I just need to be more brutal or is there something I'm missing. As I'm prising it the bit of the steering wheel that blows out when the airbag goes off seems more pronounced.

 

There are 2 6mm (I think) allen bolts behind the steering wheel. Look @ the back and you will see 2 holes about the size of a 3/8" extension bar. The bolts you need are inside there.

 

I think the bolt heads are actually 5.5mm IIRC !!

 

I know, something stupid like that. I know it is a size that most people have not got. Ford for some reason used about 3 different sizes depending on airbag design.

 

Yes, I got a mirror on those holes and there is something, although it looked round in the mirror rather than an allen key size. I'll have another look. Thanks for that guys.

 

It'll be a torx head IIRC on the Mk5 escy!!

Andy

 

disconnect the battery
wait a while, go have a brew or soemthing
come back to themotor
there will be 2 screws/bolts behind the airbag cover and they will either be 5.5mm bolts or T25/30 torxs versions
you may have to spin the wheel to get to them but once they are out you can just yank the edge of the cover and the airbag should come off in one big lump, i think i've got one at home but i can't be too sure where it is
anyhow
once it's off you will find a little yellow plug on the back of it, almost like a phonoe jack, unplug this and thats it, job done
you can now undo the nut in the midle, but only a lillte, make sure there is still a few threads on the nut before you start twatting it from behind with the palms of your hands
it comes off, new one goes on, job done

just make sure that when you pull the original wheel off, the wheels are point in the straight ahead position and that any of the indicator canceling gubbins don't get lost in the wheel removal

 

Thanks for all the help guys. Yes, it just needed a 5.5 mm socket on them and now it's off. Much appreciated. This is what I love about this and the RSOC site, there's always lots of people that have done it before.
Thanks guys!