Please help

Basically my airbags both deployed and they need to be replaced

I need to know the cheapest way i can do this, I'm pretty sure for the driver side i can take a sterring wheel out of another ranger and make it work

if you know anything about this, or what it should cost me, please help me out

thanks

 

First off your gonna need a new air bag module (anyone from a 01-03 Ranger). I think once air bags have been deployed, new ones will deploy if you don't replace the module. Location is behind your cup holder under the dash. Should have an arrow stamped on it and says "front of vehicle"

You don't have to replace the steering wheel. Just the air bag. If you pop off the plastic circles on the sides of the steering wheel you will see two 8 mm bolts. Remove these and you can remove the air bag.

As for the drivers side if you drop your glove box, push in the sides to lower it down more, you can see 2 goldish looking 8 mm bolts that go up into the passenger side air bag. Remove those and just pull the passenger side.

Probably gonna cost 100-200 dollars, maybe more.

Did you get in a wreck? What about insurance?

 

the RCM, and if it doesnt have the integrated crash sensors youre gonna need to get new sensors...if you go and get all the airbags /related components from ford youre looking at btw 2-3000 dollars,,,idk about a junkyard though

 

Offroading accident...

But what about all the sensors and whatnot?

 

i've always heard just replace the module and bags. But that could just be for older models. I think the old style has the sensor built in to the module. Just an acceleration that measures G forces.

 

My 94 had them mounted on the front of the header panel.
I don't see them there on my 03.

 

I don't think the 01's had any sensor other than the restraints/air bag module. It only connects to the air bags and seat belt pretension. You may have to replace these as well.

 

I think 01 and up the sensors are in the airbag themselves.

 

Correction 1999 and up....I just checked each years air bag system diagrams.

 

So just replace the airbags..? and thats it?

 

The RCM may need to be replaced as it is the sensor.

You can stick in 2 ohm resistors from radio shack to get the light to go out and check to see if anything else is toast.

 

Yeah you need the RCM/Airbag module and the two bags. When you do replace the module make sure it has never been activated by a wreck and handle it with care. If it gets bumped hard at all it can cause the new bags to deploy.

 

What about replacing the clockspring? My driver's side airbag deployed but I had the passenger side off, replaced the airbag and the RCM but the light still came on

 

The clockspring is just wiring so there shouldn't be an issue with that.

 

The light will flash a code.

 

Never mind what I said I thought about it and your clockspring could be broken loosing connection to the air bag with will throw a light . Does your horn work?

 

Yeah the horn works fine, I don't think the code puller I have can read airbag codes because I already tried it

 

Try going to a place like O'reillys (I don't think there are O'reillys in the New England states) or Autozone. They usually have decent scanners that they can scan your car with for free.

 

I'll try that, I already know its not crash sensors because I looked it up on Alldata and it says the sensors are in the module and it won't trip a code unless the area that it mount is deformed. I didn't see any deforming of the area it mounts in when I replaced it

 

you shouldn't need a scanner to read the airbag codes. the air bag light will flash a two digit code when the key is turned on. IE, flash 2 times, short pause, flash 7 times, long pause, repeat. it should repeat it a few times then stay solid. so that would be a code 27.

did you replace the seat belt pretensioners? if not, they will have to be replaced as well.

 

No I didn't. I'll try that

 

When did Ford start using pretensioners?

 

98+ in the rangers.

 

what do i need to do to get my horn working again?

 

clock spring, relay, horn itself. any of those could be the culprit. i would start at the horns. unbolt them, clean the area around (they ground through the mounting bolt) them, supply power to see if they work. then work your way back towards the steering column.