Dodge Dakota (R1). Manual - part 350
(2) Route the horn switch ground pigtail wire
through the clearance notch between the two upper
left hooks on the driver airbag housing. Install the
eyelet terminal over the upper left inflator stud and
engage the terminal under the anti-rotation tab
directly above the stud on the back of the driver air-
bag housing.
(3) Install and tighten the nut and washer that
secure the horn switch ground pigtail wire eyelet ter-
minal to the upper left inflator stud on the back of
the driver airbag housing. Tighten the nut to 7 N·m
(65 in. lbs.).
(4) Route the horn switch feed pigtail wire through
the clearance notch between the two upper right
hooks and between the upper right inflator stud and
the inflator on the back of the driver airbag housing.
(5) Using hand pressure, press the plastic wire
retainer onto the upper right inflator stud to capture
the horn switch feed pigtail wire between the stud
and the inflator on the back of the driver airbag
housing.
(6) Carefully position the driver airbag into the
receptacle on the back of the trim cover. Be certain
that the horn switch feed and ground pigtail wires
remain
properly
routed
through
the
clearance
notches at the top of the airbag housing and are not
pinched between the airbag housing and the walls of
the trim cover receptacle.
(7) Work around the perimeter of the unit engag-
ing each of the twelve hooks on the driver airbag
housing through the windows in the walls of the trim
cover receptacle.
(8) After each of the twelve hooks on the driver
airbag housing has been engaged in a window of the
trim cover receptacle, try pulling the trim cover and
the airbag housing away from each other. This action
will fully seat the edges of the windows into the cra-
dles of the hooks.
(9) After all of the windows in the walls of the
trim cover receptacle have been fully seated in the
cradles of the hooks on the airbag housing, push the
blocking tabs of the two windows on the right and
left side walls of the trim cover receptacle inward so
that they are oriented behind the airbag housing
hooks, as shown in (Fig. 15).
(10) Inspect the airbag housing hooks in the win-
dows of the upper and lower walls of the trim cover
receptacle to be certain they are fully engaged and
that the blocking tabs for these windows are oriented
over the tops of the hooks, as shown in (Fig. 16).
(11) Reinstall the driver airbag onto the steering
wheel (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS/
DRIVER AIRBAG - INSTALLATION).
INSTALLATION
The following procedure is for replacement of a
faulty or damaged driver airbag. If the driver airbag
has been deployed, the clockspring and the steering
column assembly must also be replaced. (Refer to 8 -
ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS/CLOCKSPRING
-
REMOVAL) and (Refer to 19 - STEERING/COLUMN
- REMOVAL).
WARNING:
DISABLE
THE
AIRBAG
SYSTEM
BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY STEERING WHEEL,
STEERING COLUMN, SEAT BELT TENSIONER, OR
INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPONENT DIAGNOSIS OR
SERVICE. DISCONNECT AND ISOLATE THE BAT-
TERY NEGATIVE (GROUND) CABLE, THEN WAIT
TWO MINUTES FOR THE AIRBAG SYSTEM CAPAC-
ITOR TO DISCHARGE BEFORE PERFORMING FUR-
THER DIAGNOSIS OR SERVICE. THIS IS THE ONLY
SURE WAY TO DISABLE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM.
FAILURE TO TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS
COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTAL AIRBAG DEPLOY-
MENT AND POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY.
Fig. 15 Driver Airbag Trim Cover Side Blocking Tabs
1 - BLOCKING TAB
2 - DRIVER AIRBAG TRIM COVER
3 - HORN SWITCH
4 - AIRBAG HOUSING HOOK
8O - 18
RESTRAINTS
AN
DRIVER AIRBAG (Continued)