Xantia Airbag Removal

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nick
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Xantia Airbag Removal

Post by nick »

Hi,
Currently trying to remove the airbag on my Xantia to replace the
indicator switch.
Problem is the ever helpful (!?) Haynes manual doesnt mention what
type of screws are used to hold the airbag in place. I suspect they
are probably torx screws, but they are recessed in the back of the
steering wheel so you can't actually see them until they are removed!
Ive tried various types of screwdrivers (flat, philips, torx) but
nothing seems to get any grip on them and I'm concerned that I'm
probably damaging the heads of the screws in the process.
Anyone done this job before ?
Any help much appreciated !
Regards,
Nick
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Post by Dave Burns »

Hello Nick, Torx head screws are used to hold the airbag in place, can't remember the exact size for sure about T40 or T30, disconnect the car battery and wait for 15 mins before touching the bag, stay well to the side of the wheel or well back when in front of it whilst working on it just incase, loosen but don't remove the wheel nut, give it a good slap with your palms at centre height to break the taper, if you take the nut off completely the wheel might fly off taking the wires with it and smashing the rotary connector and circuit board, the orange connector pulls directly away from the bag, don't twist or try sliding it, touch a good earth point to ground any static before grabing the airbag connector, on refitting align the arrows on the rotary connector and make sure the road wheel's are in the dead ahead position, don't forget to mark the steering wheel in relation to the shaft before removal.
Hope this helps
Dave
nick
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Post by nick »

Thanks Dave,
Removed it with no other problems, for future reference it was a T30 size screw !
I had been a bit concerned about static, so I touched the bodywork before removing the connector.
Thanks again,
Nick
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Re: Xantia Airbag Removal

Post by howardaskew »

I removed airbag/steering wheel on a 1997 Xantia 1.8i 16V and the screws are T25.

I find iPhone useful to take pictures of the screw heads to identify them in hard to reach places.
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Re: Xantia Airbag Removal

Post by spider »

I've always kept a mirror glass handy for such viewings, very useful thing to have slightly better sometimes than the traditional "dentist" type "mirror on a telescopic stick" affair as you can shine a small light onto the mirror to have it reflected on the object in question.
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Re: Xantia Airbag Removal

Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

Nick they are T30 torx screws and you can see them with a small makeup mirror from the misses handbag and a torch, but unfortunately you dont actually need to remove the steerring wheel to replace the switch arms.
I did both of mine in my 1998 S2 just by rotatating the steering wheel to create more room, I removed the top half iof the cowling around the steering wheel covering the arms, it is then possible to unplug the arms and remove them by using a flat screwdriver to prize up the plastic clips holding them to their connection blocks, it is a fair while since I did them so some of it is a bit loosley remembered but I did not need to remove the air bag & steering wheel first. the left one for the lights was £62 from Citroen and the right one wipers was £10 on a scrap yard.
regards Nigel,
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Re: Xantia Airbag Removal

Post by Xaccers »

Mk1 needs the wheel off to remove the top cowling.
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Re: Xantia Airbag Removal

Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

ARRRRGGGHHHH S*Ds Law That.

regards Nigel.
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Re: Xantia Airbag Removal

Post by Stewart(oily) »

I can confirm that S2 Xantias can have the upper and lower cowls removed without bothering the steering wheel.
BXs since 1993 built 1.9 TZD turbo, got a S2 Xantia estate, brilliant car! 2013, Xantia HDI LX 110 2000 new car with 122,000, l C2 HDI Rusty rocket, C3 Picasso HDI new to me.
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Re: Xantia Airbag Removal

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

So can I, as I have had to replace Gracies' wiper stalk, and all the dashboard bulbs.
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Re: Xantia Airbag Removal

Post by Xaccers »

falling-out-with-my-car wrote:ARRRRGGGHHHH S*Ds Law That.

regards Nigel.
Yup, it's a PITA.
There's a plastic square clip that often gets snapped off if you don't free it up through the wiper stalk hole with a flat screwdriver, and if it breaks off the cowl wobbles.
This is one area where the Mk1 is much better.
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Re: Xantia Airbag Removal

Post by Stewart(oily) »

superloopy wrote:
Stewart(oily) wrote:I can confirm that S2 Xantias can have the upper and lower cowls removed without bothering the steering wheel.
How?

Mines apart but will it go back again, no way Jose!

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It just comes apart then goes back, a bit fiddly but nothing special.
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Re: Xantia Airbag Removal

Post by RichardW »

To get the cowls back on my MK2 I had to bend down the tag on the steering column at the bottom of the bottom cowl to allow it to slide back on. I think I bent it back again when the cowl was back on.
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Re: Xantia Airbag Removal

Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

would just like to add that blue tack is a marvelous thing on the end of your screwdriver/torx bits when working upside down if you dont have a magnet handy to charge the tools with maganetism.
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Re: Xantia Airbag Removal

Post by danny13 »

Does anyone know how to disconnect the orange connector, it looks like its firmly attached to the metal plate at the back of the airbag and I've trying to avoid breaking it, should it split in the middle (with a bit of brute force)?
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