Pre 97 Z3 Airbag Switch Notes

Notes on Installing Pre 10/1997 BMW Z3 Airbag Switch

Comments and photos by Jeff a/k/a "Monolith" on the BMW forums

The point of these photos is to show the complexity of the install of the pre 10/1997 cable adapter for the BMW airbag switch (all shown in Fig. 1, switch detail shown in Fig. 2). This is in sharp contrast to the post 10/1997 cable adapter (also shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3) which is approximately 6 inches in length and plugs into the airbag switch and then into the airbag controller which is mounted behind the console. The pre 10/1997 cable adapter requires access under the driver's side dash and under the passenger's side dash (see Fig. 1). The orange connector (see Fig. 5) plugs into the passenger airbag. The original orange connector is taped off and out of the way. The driver's side kick panel must also be removed to access a power wire. The power wire is cut in two and connectors are added to each cut end with a double crimp device (specialty tool). The pre 10/1997 adapter cable comes complete with all of the crimp connectors but not the crimp tool. The other end of the pre 10/1997 adapter cable plugs into the airbag switch. The remaining brown wire with the circular end (see Fig. 4b) is bolted to one of the bolts attaching the airbag controller to the car. The other two remaining wires (also shown in Fig. 4b) have female pin connectors already crimped to them. You must remove two of the wires from the main airbag controller connector and insert these two wires. The original wires are taped off. Fig. 2 illustrates the airbag switch itself. The switch accepts your cars BMW ignition key to turn the switch from ON to OFF. It is not necessary to do any additional keying changes to the airbag switch (it is not keyed to your particular ignition key - any key will work). Most of the effort of the installation of the pre 10/1997 adapter cable is removing the glovebox and the underdash panel on the driver's side. Care must be taken in routing the adapter cable to prevent fraying, etc. The post 10/1997 adapter cable does not require removal of the dash panels or the glovebox. All connections of the post 10/1997 adapter cable are made behind the console panel.

Fig 1 - BMW Z3 Airbag Switch Comparison

Fig 2 - BMW Z3 Airbag Switch

Fig 3 - BMW Z3 Airbag Switch Cable Adapter Post 10_1997

Fig 4 - BMW Z3 Airbag Switch Pre 10_1997 Connectors

Fig 5 - BMW Z3 Airbag Switch Pre 10_1997 Passenger Airbag Connector

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