FIRM stereing wheel swap compatibility

[briansvx]

Hi! there
I've searched and read.. but there does not seem to be any solid conclusion and affirmation towards what year and/or type of steering wheel with airbags from other Subie models preferably the Impreza Momos would fit and work with our SVX....

could anyone knows for sure shed a light? much appreciated!

[Green1995SVX]

If you want the airbag to work, the only ones that you can interchange are ones that have two buttons for the horn. Ones where the where the whole airbag acts as a horn do not work. They will fit, but are not compatible with our airbag system.

[briansvx]

THANKS!
so, you mean that we can throw on impreza steering wheels with A/B and the bag will work but the horn won't. Am I interpreting correctly? thanks once again!

[LetItSnow]

Originally Posted by briansvx

THANKS!
so, you mean that we can throw on impreza steering wheels with A/B and the bag will work but the horn won't. Am I interpreting correctly? thanks once again!

Dead backward, actually. I've got the Impreza MOMO wheel in my SVX, and the horn and cruise work fine, but I sure wouldn't trust the combination of the current Impreza bag and the old SVX firing system. It's not only a matter of how or how easily it's triggered - it's also the shape of the bag and how it fits the compartment and its occupants.

Asking me, swapping steering wheels (not stock-SVX-for-stock-SVX) is essentially an airbag delete mod.

[briansvx]

so, what year is your Momo wheel? is the bag left disconnected then?

I was wondering on the compatibility cuz I've seen other steering wheel with bag swap working just fine in other cars...

if the bag plug would fit with the stock bag computer end and without the warning light on, I'd assume that it's good... yes?!

[NeedForSpeed]

The connectors for the airbag are not compatible, so the late airbag can not be plugged in, is this correct?

Good points on the trigger sensitivity and shape, I had not thought of that. It would still be great if the bag could be made functional as far as triggering.

Originally Posted by LetItSnow

Dead backward, actually. I've got the Impreza MOMO wheel in my SVX, and the horn and cruise work fine, but I sure wouldn't trust the combination of the current Impreza bag and the old SVX firing system. It's not only a matter of how or how easily it's triggered - it's also the shape of the bag and how it fits the compartment and its occupants.

Asking me, swapping steering wheels (not stock-SVX-for-stock-SVX) is essentially an airbag delete mod.

[BoxerFanatic]

I wouldn't mind putting a three-spoke momo style wheel from my Legacy, or an STI in the SVX... (if the SVX was modified to have a charcoal black interior to match, or some other gray three spoke steering wheel...)

If the airbag system could be wholly de-activated, or at least changed to not flash lights and such about an airbag fault. a complete airbag de-activate mod, essentially.

[briansvx]

what if the swap includes thesteering wheel, bag & bag ECU unit? would that work as a complete set up?

[BoxerFanatic]

Originally Posted by briansvx

what if the swap includes thesteering wheel, bag & bag ECU unit? would that work as a complete set up?

In order to change the ECU, you probably would have to change the airbag sensors, and those may have design implications with the structure of the car...

Oh, and you would probably have to swap the engine, and possibly re-wire the car's wiring harness, too.

That is kind of a lot for a steering wheel and airbag.

[NiftySVX]

I highly doubt the control unit would need to be changed. All it does is supply battery voltage to the squib circuit which inflates the bag. The only problem would be if the new airbag had different connectors or the squib had a different resistance value as this could cause the computer to detect an open or short. However, I highly reccomend that no one attempt to test the resistance value of the squib as a ohm meter runs voltage through the device it is measuring and this could cause deployment.

Furthermore, an airbag deletion mod is actually quite simple, all you have to do is put a resistor in place of the squib circuit that has the same value and the computer won't know the difference. Such resistors exist, I have one in my toolbox that is used to test the system and rule out the squib when diagnosing the system. I am going to be putting one such resistor in my car for the passenger airbag fairly soon as I do not want a broken windshield and it is rare that anyone else is in the car.

[LetItSnow]

I'm interested in what the correct resistor is... IIRC, the resistance for practically every other Subaru is common knowledge on NASIOC, but it's not the same for the SVX.

[NiftySVX]

Originally Posted by LetItSnow

I'm interested in what the correct resistor is... IIRC, the resistance for practically every other Subaru is common knowledge on NASIOC, but it's not the same for the SVX.

Are you sure? I was under the impression that the squib was identical to those offered in the other subarus of that vintage. My 94 legacy had what appeared to be the identical unit only it was blue. I think I even remember shipping a tan legacy bag somewhere back in my salvage yard days that went into an SVX, I remember it was out of a legacy LSi and went into a 95 SVX

[NeedForSpeed]

Great thread,

someone, FINALLY, figure out the differences and the potential compatiblilty of WRX-style airbag installed in an SVX.

Originally Posted by NiftySVX

Are you sure? I was under the impression that the squib was identical to those offered in the other subarus of that vintage. My 94 legacy had what appeared to be the identical unit only it was blue. I think I even remember shipping a tan legacy bag somewhere back in my salvage yard days that went into an SVX, I remember it was out of a legacy LSi and went into a 95 SVX