Cloud9...68

Ugh... I think we have a misunderstanding. The only reason I removed the control unit was because someone on one of the other forums posted a "parts wanted" post looking for one. I had just removed my air bag module, so I figured I had no use for the control unit, so I might as well make a few bucks to help finance my track car project by pulling mine out and selling it to him. I was worried this might trigger the warning light, so I started this thread. I interpreted your post to imply that you had removed your control unit, but now I see that you didn't, so we're talking tangerines and oranges. OK, I'd better do a lot more research before I ship mine off to him. I'm sure there's a way to remove the control unit without messing up the car's electronics (racers pull their entire dashes all the time), but it might be more risk and trouble than it's worth...

Edit: I just thought of something - are we even talking about the same unit? I'm referring to the passenger side air bag control unit. Are you by chance referring to the drivers side? The connectors you're describing and picturing don't look familiar to me at all...

ernie9468

We sure are, control unit up in the passenger footwell behind the glove compartement.

mhr

I think that the picture is the crash sensor. For sure not the airbag control unit which is the orange box in ernie's picture. It is up behind the glove box held in with the tamper proof bolts. it is mounted on a plastic tray. Getting it out for me was a slow process with a small pair of vice grips and a little blood.

odurandina

just pull the light from the instrument cluster.

ernie9468

Lol once more you make it sound so simple,nothing to it pull the instrument cluster out & throw the buble in the garbage.

odurandina

what's the big deal. pull the wheel, airbag, and the front dash fascia. less than an hour.

ernie9468

Don't want to sound stuborn here,but I think my way of doing it is easier then your,just remove the glove boxe-unplug the six pins connector -install a jumper & your done in half an hour.Lol got you beat by 15 minutes with nothing scratch or broken on the front dash fascia.But to each it's own way I guess.

arthropraxis

It really isn't necessary to pull the glove box. I can get to mine by from the foot well. That should cut it down to 5 min.

Cloud9...68

We're starting to go in circles a little here and bringing the drivers side air bag into the discussion, etc. The box in Ernie's picture is the same one I pulled out of my car - the part numbers match. I realized soon after posting my latest response that Ernie was in fact talking about the passenger, and not the driver's side control unit, so I was mistaken in that assumption.

There may or may not be different ways to prevent the light from coming on. At the moment, this is the least of my concerns. My number 1 concern is whether it's safe to permanently remove and sell this control unit, or will doing so cause havoc with my car's electrical system? It's a VERY expensive unit (~$2200 list), with three complex-looking connectors going into it.

So here's my bottom line question - has anybody here ever permanently removed THIS SPECIFIC UNIT from their 968, and if so, what measures if any did you have to take to prevent problems with your car's electrical system? Thanks.

odb812

How did you remove the airbag module? Did yours have the child-proof nuts securing it?

ernie9468

I was just talking with __mhr_ about it,since he did have to remove his to replace it with a new one.And what he's telling me is that the airbag ligth migth not come on & I agree with him,but it migth trigger your ( ! ) (central warning ligth) to come & stay on.Now once more we are not sure at 100% ,hope someone here can give you a definite answer soon.

Cloud9...68

odb812-

Before I answer you question, I want to make sure we're on the same page terminology-wise. This is the air bag module:

Attachment 601588
This is the module that actually houses the passenger side air bad. This is a picture of the back side of it. The electrical tape is to protect the connectors, because I disconnected it several years ago. I pulled it out of my car a couple of weeks ago to save weight, as it weighs about 6 pounds, and I'm converting my car to a mostly-track car, so it will have a full harness. It wasn't held in place by any tamper-proof nuts, but removing the nuts was quite a chore, as some of them were pretty inaccessible.

And the picture below is of the air bag control unit:

Attachment 601589
This is the unit that somebody on another forum is interested in buying. Since the module is no longer in the car, I thought I might as well remove the control unit and sell it to make a little money. Two of the four nuts holding it in place were tamper-resistant. I removed one of them with a cold chisel, and I tapped a 1/2" socket onto the other one, and was able to generate enough bite to be able to turn it off. But since I've removed it, I've had several people tell me that there is risk of causing problems with the car's electrical system from having this very expensive and complex piece of electronic gear removed from the car, so I'm trying to find someone who has actually removed this unit from their 968, and whether it caused any problems.

Cloud9...68

OK, I finally got an answer to my question. Apparently, if you jumper the #11 and #12 pin on the leftmost (blue) connector going into the air bag control unit, you fool the car's electrical system into thinking the unit is still installed in the car. I got this from IMA Motorsports, who found this through the wiring diagram. So, I'm selling my ABCU to the guy who needs one (and saving one whole pound of dead weight! ), but I'm asking him to hold onto his so he can give it to me just in case the jumper trick doesn't work.

odb812

Thanks for the response Cloud. I meant the airbag control module and the info you provided was exactly what I was looking for. You can't go wrong if you listen to IMA. Ivan knows 968s.

ernie9468

Glad you found the solution to your problems.Sorry we couldn't help you more,but most guys here who deleted their 968s air bags still drive their cars on their street,race car are a different ball game.GL