Removing door panels - airbag and battery question?

I plan to remove the door panels to see if I can fix my rattling with the down time the car has waiting out the snow/salt mess. Instructions say to disconnect the battery, to prevent accidental airbag deployment. 1) What is that 9V battery radio setting maintainer that I saw mentioned in a post that I can't find now? Where do I get it? I would hate to reset all my radio settings! 2) If I do use a 9v radio and code settings maintainer, does that have enough juice to fire the airbags?? Or will the airbags NOT fire as long as the car battery isn't connected? Thanks!

When I removed my door panel and airbag, I disconnected the battery. I didn't want to take any chances with the airbag deploying or with a CEL because of the airbag being disconnected. If you have your radio code, then resetting it isn't that bad... certainly better than an airbag in the face!

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I plan on disconnecting the battery. I was just trying to find out if I connect a 9 volt radio and settings saver, will THAT be able to generate enough juice to accidentally fire the airbag? Or am I safe as long as the main car battery is disconnected?

You can remove the door panel without even touching the airbag. I also removed the airbag while the battery was still connected, and unplugged it. Of course I didn't sit right in front of it, or have my arms right in front of it, but I didn't have any issues. Some guy from 6speed wanted to trade out my leather airbag cover for his vinyl one, and you have to take out the actual airbag on the steering wheel and he did this while the battery was connected. This kind of scared me, but he said there is no chance of it going off if you remove it correctly.

Disconecting the battery doesn't erase all the preset channels you have put in.

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It does on the JVC aftermarket stereo head unit I put in!

Is there a fuse or a relay or circuit breaker that you can pull?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kasta...688&adtype=pla

^^ Yeah, that thing! If I use it with the car battery disconnected, will the airbags still be deactivated?

I have removed tons of door panels and airbags and never disconnected the battery, in fact we just removed a set of seats today (987). Even when I was in Atlanta (Porsche training) we didn't disconnect the battery. Just make sure you don't turn on the key and you are fine, and if you do turn the key on it will just turn on the air bag light and you will have to clear it. Be really careful with the connectors, not that the air bad is going to go off, but if they break you might have to buy a new harness/bag. Hope this helps.

^^ Really? If the key is off, are the airbags automatically deactivated?

^^^Yep. We do it all the time. You can disconnect the airbag with the key on. It will just turn on the airbag light and you have to have a system II test or durametric to turn it off. I just did in on the 987 today because the kid that works here wanted to listen to the radio while he was working. Before I got into the whole Porsche thing I use to be super scared of airbags but now its not a big deal at all. I do remember training at the factory and one of the other guys broke the air bag connector at the wheel and PCNA ended up buying a new 997.2 wheel (when they first came out), not a good day. Anyway, just turn the key off and you are fine. Let me know how it goes.

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When we are talking about things that can actually harm someone if something goes wrong then we should be more careful with our advice. The probability of an airbag triggering is extremely low but if it happens in the wrong moment it can kill you. That is why the workshop manual (that must be followed by all Porsche trained technicians even when they are bored or tired) is clear and has about 100+ airbag warnings “always disconnect battery when working with airbags” even if working just means disconnecting them.

I'll disconnect the battery, just to be extra safe. I'm not disconnecting or removing the airbags themselves, just the door panels. But why take a chance with an explosive at eye level!? Thanks!