reecegr

wanting to be able to turn air bag in the passenger side on and off,do the reg. cabs still have that option?my reason is my 4yr old son likes to ride up front (when driving around town and plowing) but the wife says no way untill I can turn off the air bag.

skynyrd

i know my 05 reg cab has the option to turn it on and off. i know the 06's changed alot in the interior.

Festus

Pull the fuses. However, your airbag light will come on in the dash cluster (at least on my '98 it did as I don't believe in them anyway for the same reason your wife won't let the boy ride) - as long as you know why, it'll be fine. No power to deploy airbags, means no airbags.

phloop

Yes you can do this. I installed a switch in my '04.5 becuase my son also liked riding up front with me. Unless I am wrong, the dash set-up in you truck is the same as my '04.5 was. All you need is the proper parts and the OK paper work from the fed's.

Really easy too do. Cost about $40 and took about 15 min's to install not counting the flash time at the dealer.. PM me if you would like about this.

I am thinking about doing this again on my new '06. Just need the paper work from the fed's also.

tacook

Good luck with your insurance if a family member gets hurt sitting in that seat when the airbag is turned off.

Just something to think about

fl_diesel

I just got the paperwork back from the Feds. My problem is the local dealer wouldn't do the re-program (liability). I have an appointment Friday with another dealer. What a PITA this has turned into...

I can get you details of where to get the form etc...

Longhorn06

As a former firefighter (5 years) this is absolutely incorrect!!!!
At and accident scene, one of the first things that is done is to cut the battery cables to try and minimize any further fire hazard, but also to help keep the airbags from deploying. there are still fireman getting killed every year from sticking their heads into the drivers door and then the airbag deploys breaking their neck. In some vehicles the airbag actually stores power and will activate with no battery power.

Do not trust pulling a fuse as a safety measure!

phloop

This is the reason you get the paper work from the fed's. They out rule the ins. co's if you ever need to go that route.

If this was such a big problem, why do the 2dr standard cabs come with a turn off switch?

tacook

The only seating option in a 2dr standard cab is the front seat. If you have a small child, you have no choice, need to turn it off.

Longhorn06

The 'turn off switch' will actively disable the entire sensing system, where pulling the fuse, cutting a battery cable will not.

phloop

And this is the reason you get the paper work from the fed's. Then you go to the dealership and have them reprogram the trucks brain to enable the switch. No red-neck fixin's here.

And I want the option of having my son up front with me. Not stuck in back because of some pencil pushers way of trying to lower their employers loss's from sue happy bung holes.

Sure I now have an '06 with the "again" next generation air bags. I still do not trust the "next gen." any more than i trusted them the last time. I trust a good seat belt way more than an airbag.

And my son has worn a seat belt since he left the hospital from his birth. He does not need to be told to put it on, he just does. In fact, he even wears a racing harness belt when he rides in the Samurai.

tacook

I dont think Dodge uses a seatbelt pretensioner, but I know Ford uses an airbag type initiator on the seat belt buckle. It can have quite a kick when its triggered. Airbag switch may turn it off as well but I'm not sure.

qmcdt

Sorry to do this, but:

I think Britney likes to have her kids in the front seat too!!! Are you gonna let him play with the cigerette lighter too? Do you give him a shot for tequilla for every three of your's? Why don't you remove the air bags and then drive with him on your lap?

I'm sorry for being a but(t) here, but I love my kids too, and their place is in the the back, until they are 12 just like the owners manual says. Please, protect them!!! (I get really cranky when it comes to the protection of kids. I cut a slice off my father inlaw once for not wanting to use a car seat for my son, and I don't regret it for a second.) I won't slight you for trying to build a relationship with your kid, just turn off the stereo and talk to him. Sorry, I'm done.

Hercules130

***? Brittany had her baby on her lap. I didn't think we were talking about children that required car seats.

ColdCase

Maybe you should have the option but the safest spot by far for that kid is riding in the middle of the back seat, any other place is a compromise. When you don't have a back seat, its a compromise. Providing the capability to turn off the airbag for small kids makes it less of a compromise and I appreciate that the manufactures provide the capability to disable it.

This kid's safety is getting compromised by good intentioned but miss informed parents... even worse if its a red neck ego I know better than anyone else thing. According to my RN spouse, anyone that thinks its a liability issue is clueless, and needs to re-evaluate using an open mind. Sure insurance agencies want the rules, because they want less exposure to claims to make more money, and why is that? Maybe its because people do not get as hurt in and even survive serious accidents.

Life may not be much fun without some risk, but those that depend on us for their safety deserve our best judgment. If you think riding in the front of a car or truck with a four point safety harness is safer than the rear seat, you are mistaken. Check it out without emotional baggage.

Pulling a fuse or cutting battery power does not reliably disable airbags, as salvage yard as well as rescue personnel may tell you. There may be valid reasons to disable airbags, but day to day driving safety is not one of them.

You all may think it’s none of our business. My neighbor was sued by some moron when her unrestrained kid was hurt in an otherwise minor accident. Both the kid and my neighbor are paying for it.

Whether we should have the option of being stupid or not, and our stupidity significantly affecting the safety of others is another issue. Live free or die is my state's motto. I want the option of driving as fast as I want, and I hate any of my freedoms being compromised or "dumbed down". I want the option of riding without a helmet. Having the option or not discussion is complicated, riding in the front or back seat is safety simple.... and that's the only thing I'm ranting about.

Later