I just found another wiring diagram that shows the yellow wire also goes to the "inflatible restraint steering wheel module coil". Cutting it might disable the air bags.

My FSM has no mention of airbags on this fuse...for any car models it covers. I highly doubt GM would have the functionality of a safety system tied to a radio fuse

I havn't cut it yet...no one knows if its the thicker or the thinner of the two do they?

Guys...there is only one yellow wire coming off 8d so there must be a splice further down the line. If anyone knows which wire it is at the base of the column, please tell me. I don't want to have to tear into the steering column for this...

I CAN'T FIND THIS WIRE! It is supposed to be a yellow .35 guage wire. Here are all the yellow wires under there.



SIR - This is for airbags only.

#1 - I tried cutting this wire (it is part of a harness) but it makes the left turn signal blink as I found out.

#2 - This yellow wire goes into that white box...I have no idea what it is.

#3 - These yellow wires go up and above (part of a large group) behind the steering column. I thought they might be for the instrument panel, but maybe I'm wrong?

Do I not have easy access to the wire? Am I going to have to tear into the column for this?

Here'* a portion of the wiring diagram I was referring to. After doing some more research I now believe the 'inflatible restraint steering wheel module coil' is just a device that allows electrical current to pass up the steering column without having wires wrapping & unwrapping around the column as the steering wheel is turned left & right. I see the 99'* had another fuse (2amp) for the yellow wire. I would expect this wire to be smaller than the radio wire.

Starting to look like I'm going to have to pull the wheel...Does anyone know what that white plastic box that number #2 is pointing to does?

The white plastic box is the actual switch for the brights. The lever (rod) you see coming out of it goes all the way up to te multi-function switch.

So let me clarify, a bad GROUND will not cause a fuse to pop. Let'* put that one to rest.

Does the fuse pop if the radio and Aeroforce are unplugged?

Thanks for the reply....

The fuse still blows with the radio and aeroforce disconnected.

I bit the bullet and pulled the steering wheel. (its -20 F) outside. I found the tiniest little rip in the insulation on the yellow wire behind the coil. Since I have no use for the controls I'm just going to cut it and tape it off. Such a stupid thing to happen...

Let us know when you're sure it'* fixed.

That was indeed the short. No fuse blows after cutting the wire and taping it off.

The cut occured under the coil. As you can see in the picture, there is yellow wire insulation everywhere...looked like it was a slow process of detioration. The airbag wire was scrunched up but it wasn't cut at all.



Obviously if you were a person who wanted to retain the steering wheel controls, you would go about repairing the wire. I chose to cut it since I have an aftermarket deck and no use for them.

The 8D fuse does 3 things in the '96. It powers the steering wheel controls, the radio, and the power window relay. As ted said, there is a 2 AMP fuse inline with just the controls in the '99, probably to prevent this very thing from happening. If anyone needs to do this and avoid pulling the whole steering wheel, the wire for the steering wheel contorls is that thick grey one with the yellow band on it in the picture above. Had I known this I just would have cut it down there, but I've learned now.

I'm a litte cold, but happy it is fixed. One last question...if the airbag wire were to be cut in the same way, would it cause the bag to go off?