Technical How to access the passenger airbag compartment?

[puballnight]

Hi, i have a fiat panda 2005/6 model and i love it! Only thing that really lets it down (and to that point i mean 'literally' let the entire car down) is an annoying rattle from inside the passenger airbag.
This is no longer just a rattle though, its getting worse and something in there is seriously not nailed down right at all and making a right old racket and it needs sorting fast.

The warranty expaired very recently (just before the problem started, conveniently) and im not prepared to pay a fiat dealer £76 quid just to have a look at it, so was hoping that somone on here may know a way to open/remove the passenger airbag door so i can investigate what the problem is?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[Cian]

Airbags are explosive devices, so I wouldn't even look at taking the cover off let alone poking about in there. You could cause yourself serious injury if it went off while you were 'examining' it.

Anyway, £76 seems rather dear just for a diag fee, did you check with the dealer to see if thats what they will charge? And if any other dealers are cheaper? €60 is all mine charged; and at this stage because I've bought a car off them and got 4 others serviced there they don't charge it at all...

 

[HP]

I'd ask Fiat as it's a known problem. They might repair it out of good will.

 

[b1g1an]

The mountings for the airbag are very flimsy and if not pulled back tight into the dash when bolted up it'll rattle.

If you take the glovebox out you can see the bolts that hold it, loosen them off, push the airbag back tight against the dash from the outside and tighten them back up again, easy peasy.

Good idea to disconnect the battery while you do this just in case.

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

disconnect the battery, yes, and then wait 10-15 min (according to manuals for other cars) as there's a capacitor that hold charge for a while longer. But, before going there, might also be worth checking for loose wiring runs -- on mine a bot of wiring loom dropped down up behind the upper part of the dash as the plastic clip had popped out of its mounting hole. (Lie on your back and look up from in the footwell.
P

 

[nigelr32]

Disconnect the battery for at least 20 minutes before you go anywhere near any airbag. The front is not removeable, it is part of the airbag assembly.

If you do decide to remove the airbag, the two pin plug that connects it to the car will more than likely fall apart when you remove it. Don't worry , it goes back together with ease.

Whats more likely to be giving you the rattle is the blue electronic "box" which is simply cable tied to the top of the dash support member.

If you go back to my thread "The project has begun" there are some pics on there of what all the wiring etc looks like behind the dash.

If you should need a new airbag unit, I have one going spare

 

[a1ant]

Hello,

Have had this rattle on my 100HP for a while now, knew instantly what it was but didnt have the time to fix it due to work. Did it this morning, took about 15 mins.... nothing to add really to what's been said above, accept some pictures which may be usefull to someone.

To avoid disconnecting the passenger airbag switch, you can simply pull it through the glove box so that its out of the way.

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Hope that helps,
Alan