Wrong sir.
The way I read it, is that it must always be retained in the vehicle and when sold it must be in good working order, to me that says if you remove it, it's illegal.
See: "Can a smaller steering wheel be installed?"
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TS/docs/veheq/oregonequipmenthandoutcolor.pdf
It does say that it's a federal law that Oregon's adopted, so I'd guess it applies to every state at least at a federal level.
lol you just contradicted yourself...
"If the vehicle was manufactured with an
air bag restraint system, that system must
be retained in the vehicle and must be in
good operating condition when the vehicle
is sold. "
-as you can see there is no comma, no period no nothing breaking up that sentence, thus making it one running thought, not two independents such as "this, or that". not only must it be in the vehicle when sold, but it must also work. that is what the law states.
direct cut and paste from the ORS 167.822
-Improper repair of vehicle inflatable restraint system. this is dealing with a repair, ie after the bag has deployed. there is nothing about it being require to be in the car. this covers the repair of it and it being sold "as if it were there" or leading to the impression that its there.
there is even a grey area in that where one could argue i sold the car with this visible aftermarket steering wheel, which clearly has no SRS(air bag) and i told the buy such, and they bought it anyway. -a good attorney could argue that loop-hole in a court and probably win the case. -again though a dealers legal dept, and insurance co would never allow them to risk that so id venture to say that all cars sold at dealers (at least in OR) have working airbags or they are asking for a huge lawsuit.
again no it is not illegal to swap steering wheels or remove the airbag(s)[SRS] from your vehicle
