Hey guys,
I finally got the airbag in from Filipe yesterday (Oct. 29) after numerous e-mails (I payed for it on Sept. 26). It is in decent shape, but definitly NOT NEW-- it had a BB-sized dent in the top left area and the Lexus symbol has three small dings and some lite scratches. The ad as you can read says NEW, so make sure whom ever you purchase one from is telling you the whole truth, and accurately describing the product. I have not seen any other pics of airbags for sale, so maybe this is norm??? I hope this helps.....I will be attempting the retrofit soon and will let you all know if it is possible.

J

 

Make sure you disconnect the - battery terminal before you remove the airbag/install. I don't know how this's gonna work for you because the pre 01 airbag is single stage and the 01+ is dual stage. The air bag on the 01+ will deploy at 2 difference speeds depending on the impact, low speed impact= low speed air bag deploy.
The connector on the 98-00 is one connector and the 01+ has 2 connectors. You may have the airbag light come on and it may not work in case of accident. Good luck, and don't do it.

 

Guess what!!
The air bag can be disassembled, the metal cages can be switched with only small modifications. THis allows you to take out the 98-00 "airbag" and leave it in the old or put it in the new metal cage and then fit that back in the 02 airbag "cover." If you use the 98-00 cage, a few holes on the side of the cover must be widened. IN SHORT it all fit beautifully back together, that is until I tried to put it in the car.....The damn cover itself is ever-so-slightly a different shape and this pushes it too far superior so that it sticks up off the steering wheel at all three joints by a good .25", making it very unsightly. Using all the old --and I tried the new too-- parts (98-00 airbag, explosive and cage) and only the new 02 airbag cover allowed me to get only what I wanted--the cover. I hooked it all up and it worked--and why wouldn't it, the only thing I changed was the cover, so I am still thinking about trying to operate on the cover and make it work aestheticly as well as functionally-gotta get my $175 out of it somehow. I just have to figure out how when I have more time--maybe Psych rotation--I'll let ya'll know.

J

 

Can you send me a pic? How did you get the cover off?

WS4LIF@aol.com

 

Is it true, that only the 01" cover can be used for the 98-00GS's???

 

Jay, are you using the new airbag cover with a '98-'00 steering wheel?

 

I don't see why the 2001 GS 430 steering wheel would be any different than the 2002 GS430 steering wheel-Toyota made all their changes on the GS after 2000. Just call and check the part #s.

J

 

No, it looked stupid and it was getting late-- I had to get up at 3:30 the next morning--I will try to make it work though.
J

 

It was quite simple--but be very careful not to allow static electricity build up b/t you and the cover and "just don't touch the terminals." Just take an 8mm socket and unscrew the 4 nuts on the back- this allows you to remove the explosive canister from the cage and airbag and then you just bend the sides back gently, slide some thin cardboard in the sides and work your way around the outside of the cover and it will come right off.

I'll try to send you pictures if you still need them.

J

 

Uhhh... dredging up a four year old thread? These guys have probably sold out and bought Acura's by now...

 

just warning u before a mod does..i think this is def. a good one for the "buyer/seller feedback" or one of the tech forums man...not here..