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Old Mar 13, 2006 | 05:06 PM
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Default Disable passenger airbag

Hi All,
Our baby is just about to arrive and I'd like to driver her around in my '01 T/A. However, my car has a roll-bar so I can't put her in the rear of the car. So, I'd like a switch to disable the air-bag when she's in the car so I can put her in the front passenger seat. Anyone do this before? What's involved?

TIA, Dave

Just called a Pontiac dealership and they have no clue how to do this, nor would they because it's a safety issue. Older airbags (that don't adjust to the size of the occupant) are very dangerous for shorter people (such as my wife) who have to sit very close to the steering wheel. What do people do to solve that problem?
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Old Mar 13, 2006 | 06:24 PM
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Here ya go the answer to question 2 and 4 should give you at least a start
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site...b6010dba046a0/
Under occupant protection the FAQ about airbag on/off switches (bottom of the page)
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Old Mar 13, 2006 | 07:45 PM
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There is no way to stop the airbag short of unplugging it.
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Old Jun 13, 2006 | 09:34 PM
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all airbags show a resistance back to the airbag monitor.. you can buy a plug that will plug into the harness that we use to test the system safley.its called a simulator.

if you unplug it ,which is easy,none of the bags will deploy when in a accident.
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Old Jun 13, 2006 | 10:10 PM
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Originally Posted by monsterbreather

if you unplug it ,which is easy,none of the bags will deploy when in a accident.

where did you here this? one faulty bag will not cause the entire system to go down. some sensors could, or the srs module itself could, but not a faulty airbag. besides, if that was the case, then on modern cars with pass. deactivation switches, you would be disabling the entire system, which is illegal. also, if you installed just a regular "switch" after the first time you used it, your srs light would stay on until the fault codes that "disconnecting" the circuit for the airbag would create. In addition, if you live in state with safety inspections, it wont pass because you must have written authorization from the nhtsa to have such a switch installed.
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Old Jun 13, 2006 | 11:49 PM
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If the car seat is rear-facing would that help?
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Old Jun 14, 2006 | 07:01 PM
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when the airbag light is on,the system is disabled until fixxed.
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Old Apr 9, 2007 | 11:00 PM
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Originally Posted by 01RedT/A
where did you here this? one faulty bag will not cause the entire system to go down. some sensors could, or the srs module itself could, but not a faulty airbag. besides, if that was the case, then on modern cars with pass. deactivation switches, you would be disabling the entire system, which is illegal. also, if you installed just a regular "switch" after the first time you used it, your srs light would stay on until the fault codes that "disconnecting" the circuit for the airbag would create. In addition, if you live in state with safety inspections, it wont pass because you must have written authorization from the nhtsa to have such a switch installed.

when you manually disable a pass side airbag system with the factory switch,the monitor see this and alls good except for that pass side bag.when theres a fault,the sytem is disabled until fixxed. if you install a airbag simulator,like i did in my car, than the driverside works only.
by the way my sim is rated at 2.5 ohms...
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Old Apr 10, 2007 | 12:19 AM
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When i was in automotive tech school we had a week long class on SRS systems.Far as i can remeber all the vehicles that we pulled the airbags on had a fuse in the fuse box for the airbag system.Ive never really looked for it on my camaro or T/A.We always pulled the fuse to disable the system before removing them.Your airbag light will probly come on but,thats easiest way i could think of.Oh,and some vehicles had a seprate fuse for the driver and passenger side so you might wanna look for that to.
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Old Apr 10, 2007 | 12:20 AM
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That can't be right. 2.5 ohms will cause an error light. It should be less than that. DMM might not be reading it right. It should be more about 1.1 ohms. It is very fickle too.

I have a 2002 and maybe there was some fluke in my wiring but I know for a fact that 2.5 doesn't work in my car. I have built them before.
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Old Apr 10, 2007 | 06:08 AM
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most all simulators are in the 2.ohms range.
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Old Apr 10, 2007 | 09:03 AM
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I must be on a completely different view of this as you all...

Why take her out in a car that is not setup for a child safety seat in the front? This is your life and blood, a newborn child and you are trying to put her in the front of a vehicle when she is suppossed to be in the back for her safety.

Sorry if I am coming off harsh, that is just how I am seeing this.
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Old Apr 10, 2007 | 11:19 AM
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Got an airbag disable switch installed after following the NHTSA rules.

As for safety in the front seat, coming from an engineering point of view I don't agree. The car has a roll-bar in there, the rear facing car seat has a base, underneath it is a wedge to make it level. This offsets most of the side impact advantage the rear seat has. Front and rear collisions safety is the same as the back seat, really only your feat and chest are at higher risk in the front and neither are exposed in a baby seat.
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Old Apr 10, 2007 | 11:41 AM
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I'm pretty sure in California you MUST use a rear facing child seat for newborns. Not only that, but you should want to.
I would get the airbag disabled anyway if I were you though because it will be unsafe for children until they are almost adults. That goes for all your airbag equipped vehicles. That's why new cars have the ability to disable the airbags, no?
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Old Apr 10, 2007 | 04:31 PM
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in delaware your child must weight over 60lbs and be at least 12years old to sit in the front seat WITH THE PASS SIDE AIRBAG DISABLLED.16 and up airbag should be on than.
i would no way put a kid in the car seat up front.. thats insane!!!
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Old Apr 11, 2007 | 11:06 AM
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Originally Posted by 2002_Z28_Six_Speed
That can't be right. 2.5 ohms will cause an error light. It should be less than that. DMM might not be reading it right. It should be more about 1.1 ohms. It is very fickle too.

I have a 2002 and maybe there was some fluke in my wiring but I know for a fact that 2.5 doesn't work in my car. I have built them before.

if you used a digatil meter,your a lyer.you hook a ohm meter up to a airbag and guess what.....boom... it will charge it enough to go off. i use my laptop with software from my shop hooked into the dlc...pids are in the range i said..2.5 in optimal.. what ever you do dont ohm out a airbag!!!
peace
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