# 97 pickup heavy rattle in airbag area



## cse8921 (Mar 22, 2008)

I've got a heavy rattle that you can hear on bumpy roads or simply turning the wheel quickly back and forth. I've looked in the ports where the airbag resides and see nothing loose. I need to remove the airbag to get access to the column. I've disconnected all the electrical connections to the bag.
How is the airbag removed?
Thanks!
-Mark


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## gschwell (Nov 4, 2007)

There are two (I think) torx bolts, one on each side of the steering wheel. You need a big tamper-proof torx bit, I think its a t90. The rattle is probably your dynamic mass damper.


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## cse8921 (Mar 22, 2008)

Thanks - That's really all that it can be. The Torx are smaller than a T50.
I'm going to pick up a smaller set. -Mark


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## bobt2382 (Oct 17, 2005)

I had the same issue. It was the dynamic mass damper. The rubber supports broke away from the bracket and damper. I scraped them off and placed a dab of silicon sealant on the old support areas. Pulled the damper and bracket apart and used a couple of coins to keep them separated until the silicon dryed overnight. Has worked fine for 8 years!


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## jw34 (May 15, 2009)

I'm getting a vibration in my steering wheel along with something that sounds like it's flopping when I turn the wheel. I've isolated what it is but don't what to do at this point. Is this the damper you mention?


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## Pinina (May 13, 2009)

so did you fix it? i have the same problem! it is driving me nuts!


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## jw34 (May 15, 2009)

Yes! I showed the photo to a mechanic and he took it out. I let him do it because of the airbag. He said it was no big deal and not having it has made no difference at all in the steering. But the noise is gone.


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## zanegrey (Dec 5, 2005)

to you it feels no difference but the steering column will bounce itself to peices ...

i sell the steering column when you are ready...


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## jw34 (May 15, 2009)

Yeah the broken damper was doing so much good rattling in there.
Nissan doesn't have a replacement part for the damper/assembly so they must feel it's pretty important.


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## zanegrey (Dec 5, 2005)

i am not exactly sure what you are saying but i am saying that the dampner was not put there for the human.. it was put there for the machine..

like a counter balance in a high rise building ..it asborbs the shock wave and stops the column form tearing itself apart ..or at least hinders the process...


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