The Toyota Matrix is usually equipped with driver and passenger air bags and these air bags are under tremendous pressure. You need to remove the air bag modules if you are performing any maintenance in the interior around them. You will also need to remove a module if it has deployed and you need to replace it. The driver and passenger air bags are each mounted in a different way but they are both powered together.
Turn the steering wheel so the front wheels are facing forward if the vehicle is not already in this position. Shut off the car and remove the key.
Disconnect the negative battery cable in the engine compartment. Once you loosen the cable clamp with your wrench and remove the cable, place the cable end somewhere where it can't come into contact with the terminal.
Open the interior fuse box in the vehicle and disconnect the Radio, CIG and IGN fuses. The diagram on the fuse box cover will indicate these fuses.
Wait two minutes before proceeding further to completely deplete the power supply.
Loosen the screws on the side of the steering wheel using a Torx screwdriver. Lift the driver's air bag module off the wheel and disconnect the two electrical connectors that are behind it.
Open the glove box, remove the single screw at the right hand corner of the compartment, squeeze the sides and pull the box off its clips to access the passenger air bag's fasteners.
Remove the fasteners from the underside of the dashboard with a wrench and remove the passenger module from the dash.
