Thread: removing passenger airbag - is there a hole?

Removing the air bag and fitting the grab handle doesn't leave a hole as such. The vinyl on the dash doesn't go all the way down into the cavity left when the air bag is removed. The grab handle and rubber mat won't cover it completely, leaving exposed metal frame of the dash.

I replaced my dash (non-airbag) with an airbag dash due to the dash peeling off the frame. I wanted to leave the passenger airbag out, but couldn't live with the metal showing.



Paul

The rules about what you can and can't do seem to vary from state to state. I think your would be best to check with your local authority and get the correct answer in writing rather than rely on anything said on here.

Airbags have been a wonderful innovation in reducing serious head, neck and chest injuries and even secondary restraint system (SRS) which deploy at a higher speed than PRS bags as used in the US, have been a factor in reduction of severe injuries. So removing them is something to consider very seriously, unless of course your passengers head and neck are of very low value.

Unintentional deployment of airbags is a documented factor in injuries sustained by first responders (Police, fire and ambulance) to vehicle crashes. So much so most rescue trucks and many ambulances and fire engines carry devices to obstruct the deployment of the bags. In fact you now find that first responders want to know how many bags a vehicle has and are very wary if they havent gone off. There is no reason that someone removing a bag should be any less careful.

In the US to prevent injuries to children it is now legal to have disabling controls fitted to airbags for the passengers seats. There is no technical reason that similar isolation controls could not be fitted if you wished to disable the bag for off-road use.

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

So removing them is something to consider very seriously, unless of course your passengers head and neck are of very low value.

There is no reason that someone removing a bag should be any less careful.

In the US to prevent injuries to children it is now legal to have disabling controls fitted to airbags for the passengers seats. There is no technical reason that similar isolation controls could not be fitted if you wished to disable the bag for off-road use.

Ok, ok.....my passengers head and neck are CERTAINLY of HIGH value to me!!!

I'm not an idiot!! and would certainly take every precaution possible and follow every technical guidance and source every bit of information possible before even attempting any such removal!!

You've missed the point on why I want to POSSIBLY remove the passenger airbag; it's not because it may set off when offroad, it's for the comfort of a passenger when offroad so that they have something other than the seat or door grab rail to hold on to.

BUT since these comments about there being a hole and some part of the dash frame showing I will NOT be removing the passenger airbag!

After some comments on here about my sanity and assummed age for even conceiving such a devious idea - I feel for those people who are clearly risking their lives everyday without the addition of an airbag.

Bad, bad, me!! I apologise to those people who do not have an airbag.

Sorry if I and others have offended you, however I say the same thing to people riding (all sorts of things) without helmets, parents of children riding in cars without seatbelts, classic cars driven on roads without 3+ point seat belts fitted and so on. I guess it comes from working far too many distressing shifts in trauma centres.

No I don't have air-bags in my RRc, mine's too early, but I have often considered what it would take to convert!

Diana

Originally Posted by nice1guv

RonMcGr: why? cause the missus has nothing to hold on to! (No jokes!)

Okay Mr Niceguy,

Here is a pic of my Missus hanging on as we are about to go down a hill in the Mt Mee Forest.

She was getting quite vocal and the grip on that door is quite strong.
You may also note the seat belt! Her other hand was on the centre console. Believe me, that (with the seat belt) is plenty in "Hang on to".

I would definitely leave the air bag there.

Originally Posted by RonMcGr

Okay Mr Niceguy,

Ron, was that a typo or were you being deliberately offensive?

(his name is Nice1guv - Nice one Guv)

I understand the original question related to "something for the passenger to hang onto", and I can see that the discussion has now included potential injury from SRS systems.

My question is this ...

For off-roading, if the appropriate fuse was removed & the capacitor "power-down" period was taken, (ie. the SRS warning light would now stay on), would this remove the potential for unwanted airbag deployment?

thanks - L