airbags, dodge caravan

I was doing a dodge caravan the van has a factory amp so I went to cut the wire off from there and connect to the radio when the i cut one of the wire it blew the airbag.What happened and what can i do to fix it the best way

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dave25456

sounds like you should have used a harness. And you can replace the airbag Where are you so I know not to let you install in my truck. j/k

From what I gather, you did not cut the wires from the factory amp, but the SRS module.  This is the little computer that controls the airbags.  Do you see a yellow jacket around some of the wires, or a yellow tag hanging there with a warning sign? 

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My ex once told me I have a perfect face for radio.

hehe I bet that was a rush huh? You might have to take that dodge to a dealer to get the airbag replaced. Be more careful, those things could kill you.

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Nik
Jeeputer Progress
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Check it out.

Oh man, that going to cost alot of $$$$$$.

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Installer/Owner

Double check twice Install once!
Wires are my Best Friends

What year was the van and what color wire did you cut? Was it a side airbag?

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Installer/Owner

Double check twice Install once!
Wires are my Best Friends

Yeah which airbag was it? Chances are you didn't find the amp.

Also, I want pictures and lots of them.

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Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.

I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.

I know I  screwed up but i am willing to learn from that.Never go under there again.Don't know what i was thinking was the first time it ever happened to me have an airbag explode.Tell u this much discourges me of doing this but i say this much every one screws up as long as they don't do it again.Can iany one please tell me which is the most cheapiest thing i can do to fix this problem.I was working on a dodge caravan 1996 and the box that I tought that was the amp is underneath where the radio is located on the floor.The wire that I cut was grey and white,grey and yellow and the other two don't remember to well.Now how it happen was that i just wanted to bypass the amp and go stright to the radio so I started to cut and had the vehicle off.So I connected the grey wires and ran them to the radio.Turned the car on and tested it didn't get no sound so I was going to check the other wire when i went to cut the other wire I had touched the body that is when the bag exploded.my fought to have left the key on and keep testing should have turned it off.DUM DUM DUM DUM  .I know better should always check twice if not know.I am never doing that again just please help get out of thei mess.The air bag is on the passenger side.thanks

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dave25456

It's a good practice to have the battery disconnected for a couple hours before working on any airbag systems.  After you solder and heat shrink the wires back, you may be able to replace the airbag with one from a junk yard- but I've never done this before, so I don't know.

Using your Metra harness, check for ohms on the speaker leads.  It's possible there is no amp. 

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My ex once told me I have a perfect face for radio.

Actually if you are working in a shop then the only answer is it MUST go to the dealer to be repaired. If it is a driveway install then you may be able to find a newish airbag from a yard.

Disconnect the battery, resolder the wires together at the srs module and use heatshrink and tape, remove blown bag, reinstall newish bag.

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Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.

I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.

Basically just solder and heat shrink the wires, and replace the bag. Even though you made the mistake of thinking an airbag module is an amp, I would give you enough credit to match the wire colors back up where you cut them. Already blew the airbag what else could go wrong? Might want to check eBay you might be able to find the one your looking for cheap. I would pull the old one off first and get the part number off of it so you can compare it with the ones on ebay or wherever you look. If you need it ASAP then I would say the dealer is your best bet or some local yards. A 1996 Caravan should be an easy one to get at the yards.

Mike

If you do put one in yourself, stay clear of it when it plug it in the first time!!!!!!!!!!! A local guy went out to his car one morning to go to work only to find a dead theif in the front seat. Somehow when punching the column, the airbag deploied and stabed his screwdriver through his chest!!!

I don't really know that that happened but I heard it did and it could.

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Nik
Jeeputer Progress
[|||||||||||-] 90%
Check it out.

^^^^ I'll bet that's one of those "urban myths", but I like it nonetheless!

true it could be a "myth" but you do have to appreciate the poetic justice of it......

very true case in our city a few years back ( it was in the papers as a "poor him" story )..  a guy breaking into someone's house kicked in the glass portion of the screen door, cut the main artery in his leg and died... poor family came home to find a dead guy on their backlawn.....

no sympathy from me tho... you play, you pay !!!

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Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979