Air bag disable switch?

saburai · Feb 17, 2009

Just a thought.
Is it possible to hook up an air bag defeat switch?
I think it would be a good idea when wheeling. Tap a tree or a big rock and ruin your day by triggering the bags...

wolfpackjeeper · Feb 17, 2009

I just pulled the fuse on the old grand I had. Same thing for the ABS

Tim_MN · Feb 17, 2009

Sabra said:
Is it possible to hook up an air bag defeat switch? I think it would be a good idea when wheeling. Tap a tree or a big rock and ruin your day by triggering the bags...

The 1997-2001 have vehicle speed and deceleration g-force parameters that both must be exceeded for airbag deployment. Unless you are falling fast, airbag deployment is not a worry. Or, just pull the airbag fuses.

fyrfytr1717 · Feb 18, 2009

I was considering installing a switch to disable the airbags in my '99 but after doing some reading it sounded like the consensus was that the surge of flipping the switch could potentially trigger the airbags. Don't know if it's true or not, but that was the impression I got. There was a comercially available airbag disabling system I stumbled upon but it was about $300 if I recall correctly.

Tim_MN said:
The 1997-2001 have vehicle speed and deceleration g-force parameters that both must be exceeded for airbag deployment. Unless you are falling fast, airbag deployment is not a worry. Or, just pull the airbag fuses.

Thanks, makes me feel much better. Do you know what vehicle speed you have to be at for the bags to deploy?

BoringDave · Feb 18, 2009

Tim_MN said:
The 1997-2001 have vehicle speed and deceleration g-force parameters that both must be exceeded for airbag deployment. Unless you are falling fast, airbag deployment is not a worry. Or, just pull the airbag fuses.

So in other words, If I am running 45-50 in the dunes and maybe I drop off a 5 footer and maybe dig the bumper in the sand kinda hard I maybe in trouble?
Or just pull the air bag fuse. But if I pull the air bag fuse and all the above did happen would it go off as soon as it got power back?

dave

saburai · Feb 18, 2009

99Redxjbuilder said:
So in other words, If I am running 45-50 in the dunes and maybe I drop off a 5 footer and maybe dig the bumper in the sand kinda hard I maybe in trouble?
Or just pull the air bag fuse. But if I pull the air bag fuse and all the above did happen would it go off as soon as it got power back?

dave

Now that's a good question!

XJCasper · Feb 18, 2009

I've tapped a couple Rocks from the front and no Airbag problems.

Mbjeep91 · Feb 18, 2009

99Redxjbuilder said:
So in other words, If I am running 45-50 in the dunes and maybe I drop off a 5 footer and maybe dig the bumper in the sand kinda hard I maybe in trouble?
Or just pull the air bag fuse. But if I pull the air bag fuse and all the above did happen would it go off as soon as it got power back?

dave

This should not be a problem, the module only sends the signal very briefly at the time of impact, then it goes back to being inactive.

So the bags should not deploy when the fuse is put back in.

This concern is why we get alot of jobs from body shops installing airbags after a crash, they are afraid they will deploy when plugged in, there really should be no concern of this.

saburai · Feb 18, 2009

So to be clear, I should have no issues if I want to install a switch to disable the circuit, correct?

Wayne Sihler · Feb 18, 2009

Do you worry about connecting the battery after working on your vehicle ?

This should be no different that pulling the fuse/replacing the fuse.
Oh, buy the way, the sensor is located on the trans hump under the console .
Wayne

fyrfytr1717 · Feb 21, 2009

saburai said:
So to be clear, I should have no issues if I want to install a switch to disable the circuit, correct?

Give it a shot and report back. I'm still considering doing this. My plan ultimately is to have a DPDT switch or relay set up that will disable both the airbags and the ABS when I'm offroading. I just haven't dug deep enough into the FSM wiring diagrams yet to figure out the best places to tap into the lines. I'm thinking next to the PDC would be the best as this would (as mentioned above) simulate removing and installing the fuses.

Root Moose · Feb 21, 2009

Personally, I don't see the big deal about the air bags. I used to wonder about it but...

If you hit something hard enough to trigger the bags you needed the bags.

I mean really, how often do you hear about people wheeling and having the air bag randomly go off in their face?

Never.

saburai · Feb 21, 2009

Root Moose said:
Personally, I don't see the big deal about the air bags. I used to wonder about it but...

If you hit something hard enough to trigger the bags you needed the bags.

I mean really, how often do you hear about people wheeling and having the air bag randomly go off in their face?

Never.

Very true, good point.

fyrfytr1717 · Feb 21, 2009

Root Moose said:
I mean really, how often do you hear about people wheeling and having the air bag randomly go off in their face?

Never.

I posed that question on here a few months back and I got a handful of stories of firsthand witnessed off-road airbag deployments as well as some YouTube links showing them deploying.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=974604&highlight=airbag+deployment

Root Moose · Feb 21, 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SlgpIqnM3Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBHttvi1O2g

Looking at those videos they look like hard hits. In the first video the suspension bottomed out hard. In the second video the vehicle hits hard enough to push the bumper into the bodywork. Looks like he almost stopped dead.

I dunno, to me they look like they worked as designed. A little concerning about the first video but horizontal speed may be a factor (speculation on my part, resolve the force vector). Jumping trucks that weren't built for it is stupid anyway so it's not something I will have to worry about.

I won't speak to the first hand accounts. I won't rack that up much more then hearsay.

It's not something I'm going to stress about regardless. If the air bag goes off it goes off. Neither me or my wife are slight of build so I doubt the air bag will do much to us. My kids ride in the back.

$0.02

Air bag disable switch?

saburai

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wolfpackjeeper

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Tim_MN

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fyrfytr1717

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BoringDave

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saburai

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Mbjeep91

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saburai

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Root Moose

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