Considering something....curious if anyone knows exactly how the driver airbag deploys? As in where exactly does the airbag travel as it ejects and inflates?

Does the entire cover of the steering wheel hinge upwards and then detach for airbag to then go forward? A guy at the dealership once mentioned he thought it goes through the Z emblem in the middle of the steering wheel..that the "Z" pops off but that doesn't seem right (the "Z" would hit you in the face..)....he wasn't a tech and didn't seem 100% confident.

Anyone that knows I would really appreciate understanding the sequence and where parts go during deployment. (like the center cover that houses the "Z" emblem...that's what I'm most curious about).

Thanks guys,

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this is an altima, would imagine it would do something like this

 

what kind of ghetto mod are you trying to do now?

It deploys..rips through the leather and a big bag is in your face...dont put anything in the way else it will be branded on your burnt face.

 

You get in an accident and get a Harry potter tat on your face.

 

Here is a YouTube giving several views of how the steering wheel center cover splits open to allow the airbag to deploy.

 

 

Thanks sincerely to those with helpful posts....glad I asked as this is kinda not what I was envisioning, had no idea the surround literally cracks open to make way for the deployment? Makes sense though since otherwise the housing would have to crash into the driver's face...that's where I was confused...how does that cover get out of the way fast enough? Now I understand...it stays put and just has structural weakness designed into it so it cracks open under the explosion.

I still am at a loss for where the Z logo goes? Must be like the Altima and stay attached while the area around the logo cracks open.....the exact opposite of what the dealership taught. (shocking I know)

Thanks guys, and sorry for not checking YouTube...I normally do but didn't think of it on this one. YouTube and this forum has gotten me through 70% of my mods.

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Its a mini explosion often times the airbag injures more than anything else but better safe than sorry.

 

I got a hairline fracture in my right thumb (proximal phalange) when my airbag blew.

 

Mine gave me two black eyes and bloody nose and facial burns!

 

i would imagine the z logo stays adhered and does not go anywhere like the nissan logo in the 1st picture

 

Had to ouch. Sorry to hear that Dean....I learned of that potential awhile back, learned also that race drivers recommend the three and nine position on the wheel rather than the ten two since at ten and two the thumbs wrap around and are often broken or even completely folded backwards during an airbag deployment...driving at three and nine with thumb on top of the wheel is the recommendation...takes practice at forming the new habit, but that's supposed to be safer.

Hope that helps,

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yeah...sorry...people don't realize it's a traumatic event unto itself...it's literally a controlled explosion directly into your face....but a much better set of injuries compared to what happens potentially without the airbag. Cracking your skull on a steering wheel (whose core is steel) is mildly more owie.

Glad it went off though...Takata has killed some people in their negligence in my opinion....curious thought to consider what you would look like without that deployment.

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yeah that's what I'm thinking too...only way to control that sharp edged logo is to not let it become a projectile....so it must stay attached despite what the dealership told me.

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