Killing Passenger's Airbag - Adding a Switch?

[Red]

OK, So I discovered my 3.5 yrs old loves my car more than me!

I can fit a car seat and know that the sensor won't "blow" the bag if it senses less than 65 lbs of pressure in the passenger seat - but who trusts mechanical whiz-bang stuff when it comes to their kids?

My tech wiz says he can show me the jumper to kill both bags, but I want the bags - why not have them?

I just want to kill my son's bag when he's in the car (Now, before everyone freaks "how can you put a kid in the car?" I must say that this is for short trips from school, 1 km max, not high speed lapping on the Nuremburg Ring - Although if I could get him to read a track map... :wink

1) How can I switch the passenger side by installing a toggel?
2) If not, how do I kill the bag and leave the steering wheel bag working?

 

[NSXTech]

I am not advocating a position on to kill or not to kill, but my experience with Acura and Honda (which predates SRS by 10 years) teaches me that this system is as close to 100% reliable as anything man made can be. The integrity of the design and construction goes way beyond anything 'wiz-bang' in modern cars. My estimation is that the odds of the system failing to protect your child are far less than the odds of an adult being in the seat on the day you forget to re-arm the system and some drunk runs a light in front of you. Obviously not a scientific calculation, but I sure have seen far, far less likely things occur in this business.

As to whether or not it can be done, anything that leaves an open circuit in either of the bags or associated circuits will trigger an SRS failsife lamp, which will disarm the entire system.

If I were you, and I mean that litteraly, I would not bypass the system.

Just my .02
Cheers,
MB

 

[ANYTIME]

Check out this thread.

 

[Hugh]

Information about the airbag on-off switch can be found right here.

A list of on/off switch installers can be found here.

More crap to read can be found here.

 

[Red]

The results of my reaserch plus advice has left me with a few conclusions:

1) If a child is properly secured as far back from the airbag as possible (More than 10 inches) there is no recorded danger. All cases of children being killed by airbags (as at 1998 when the info was published) were improperly restrained or too close while the total # of kids killed was only 37 - (why am I worried?)

2) My car (an 03) has a deactivator for the airbag if the front seat weight is under 65 lbs - I can and should trust it, they are very reliable - all the "don't necessarily trust" talk is legal wiggling trying to avoid liability for a freak accident or a stupid set of circumstances (improperly buckeled kid) - (why am I worried?)

3) the 03 has third gen airbags that don't "punch out" like the old ones, so there is less chance of injury period

I'm comfortable now with my kids rollign in my NSX, I will make sure they are properly restrained (I always do) and I will make sure they don't ever lean forward or sit funny so that they compromise the integrity of the safety systems that are in place (Brakes, Child Seat, belt position, side and front crumple zones, etc.)

I have a rule with my kids now, they are not allowed to squirm around or lean forward when we are driving, they must sit nicely - I have the same rules at the dinner table, its not hard for them to stay safe. :wink:

Everyone: Thanks for the research!

 

[NormRD]

Red...where did you find the information about the specific airbags in the NSX? Mine is a 96, don't have kids of mine own yet but, my nephews like to ride in my car.

Thanks

 

[Red]

Called Acura as well as reading online as well as the owner's manual. 1996 to 2003 is a big jump - I wouldn't make any assumptions if I were you - call them too!