SRS Controller Removal Help

[ty423]

I have a 1998 NSX-T 6spd and wanted to send out the SRS unit for preventive maintenance. I will be sending it out to Brian. I've already taken out the entire center console to send out the CCU and will be taking the gauge cluster out too. Is there a "how to" instructions how to take the SRS out properly? I've read the torx screws holding it down has red loctite on them and people use either heat or vice grips to take them out. How do I get to the side mounting screws?

 

[ty423]

Since nobody was chiming in I decided just go at it. It was a pain in the ass to remove this...mainly because of carpets. Here are some tips....You will need to remove center console trims and radio/CCU to get to the plastic tabs that hold the carpet upright. You will need to use a small torch such as a soldering iron with tip removed to heat up the T-30 torx screws. I made a mistake on one to try and see if I can just remove without heating and that didn't go as planned and had to cut the bolt head out. The unit can be removed towards the passenger side but will need to unclip some of the wirelooms to get enough space to take out the unit.

I took it out to send to NSXE-REPAIR but when I talked to him he only does early model SRS units and not the newer ones since he hasn't seen any fail.

 

[ty423]

I forgot to mention the right side vent that is near the passengers left leg there is a phillips screw in it but even when I took it out the vent would not come out. I ended up cracking it on the corner when I bent the carpet up to access right side SRS bolts. I still don't know how to remove this vent.

 

[Old Guy]

I took it out to send to NSXE-REPAIR but when I talked to him he only does early model SRS units and not the newer ones since he hasn't seen any fail.

What is the definition of 'newer ones'? The SRS system changed in 1993 when it received a passenger side air bag and changed again whenever it was equipped with pyrotechnic pre tensioners on the seat belts. Is the comment on 'newer ones' related to controllers after the design change or just a general age issue. If it is just a general age related guide, the problem is more temperature rather than age. The mean time to failure for electrolytic capacitors is directly related to the temperature of the capacitor. That mean time to fail includes the time when the capacitors are just sitting unpowered. If the car is located in Phoenix and gets parked in the sun all day long then the capacitors may have a depressingly short life. If the car is a garage queen located in Seattle where the sun reportedly never shines the capacitors may have a very long life.

If you still want to do pre emptive capacitor replacement, both [MENTION=18814]crxguy52[/MENTION] and @MouterMouth93 have explored SRS controller repair and may be able to advise on capacitor replacement. Refer to this thread

SRS Unit Capacitor Replacement (nsxprime.com)

Note crxguy52's comment about the large energy storage capacitors appearing to have an epoxy seal on the base. Aside from the difficulty in finding exact replacements you may want to leave them alone because they may not suffer the same seal ejection problems that occur on the electrolytics that use a rubber seal.

 

[ty423]

What is the definition of 'newer ones'? The SRS system changed in 1993 when it received a passenger side air bag and changed again whenever it was equipped with pyrotechnic pre tensioners on the seat belts. Is the comment on 'newer ones' related to controllers after the design change or just a general age issue. If it is just a general age related guide, the problem is more temperature rather than age. The mean time to failure for electrolytic capacitors is directly related to the temperature of the capacitor. That mean time to fail includes the time when the capacitors are just sitting unpowered. If the car is located in Phoenix and gets parked in the sun all day long then the capacitors may have a depressingly short life. If the car is a garage queen located in Seattle where the sun reportedly never shines the capacitors may have a very long life.

If you still want to do pre emptive capacitor replacement, both @crxguy52 and @MouterMouth93 have explored SRS controller repair and may be able to advise on capacitor replacement. Refer to this thread

SRS Unit Capacitor Replacement (nsxprime.com)

Note crxguy52's comment about the large energy storage capacitors appearing to have an epoxy seal on the base. Aside from the difficulty in finding exact replacements you may want to leave them alone because they may not suffer the same seal ejection problems that occur on the electrolytics that use a rubber seal.

I'm not sure which years exactly but after I told Brian that I have a 1998 he said he isn't setup to do this year. He said he hasn't seen any of the "newer" ones fail. I think what he means is design change but I'm not 100% sure. I'm guessing since all the ones he worked on are the earlier ones he has all the right capacitors to work on those. He's probably going to wait to see if the design change units start failing and then look into what caps he needs on hand to work on them.