Let's talk more about air bags for a moment... I'm seriously pondering disabling mine in all my vehicles. If you ever look at a spent capsule after airbag deployment you can tell it explodes with tremendous force. A 45 year old female friend collided with another car in an offset head-on on a dirt road traveling at less than 30mph (slid less than 40 feet on the gravel) in a late model Camry, little exterior damage. Of course both bags deployed. Cost to replace both bags and interior damage was over $2500 and as costly as the exterior repair.
What was worse, she drives with her left hand at the 12o'clock position and braced for impact at "walking speed" she reckoned. The exploding airbag broke her arm in three places and her arm broke her nose when the bag pushed it into her face. Had to have surgery on her arm with pins, the works. Insurance adjuster said airbag injuries happen almost 100% of the time when they blow in a collision.
Are there any insurance adjusters out there or body repair people with similar experiences?
UneasyNat

 

According to DC these are supposed to be "smart" airbags, they are supposed to determine how much force to explode with according to the amount of force or impact. They are second generation airbags.

If injuries happen 100% of the time why does the insurance company discount for them?

It would seem to me that they shoot themselves in the foot. Airbags cost a grand to replace, but only gives a small percentage of premium decrease. I wonder if it is like the whole antilock brake thing. It's so common they might not adjust for it at all.

 

Smart airbag my foot. So instead of coming at you at 200 mph, it comes at you at 100 mph. It's STILL explosive. They use explosive charges in these things, and I have not once known someone whose life was saved by them. However, I do know one person who was not injured by them. That's the best credit I can give them.

They're especially bad on short people. The shorter person in my life (5'4") would almost certainly be injured by one in a wreck. And, quite honestly, that's one of the reasons why I drive this 6000 lb 3/4-ton turbo diesel truck. I don't care what I get in a wreck with. Anything short of a semi, I WIN!! Judging by my record (0 accidents, regardless of fault) it seems much more likely that someone else will smash into me, so I don't want someone else's stupidity causing the injury or death of my loved ones or me.

So, anyone know how I can disable the airbags without a nasty "SRS" light on?"

 

What good will that bumper do if you hit a deer?

Now maybe if it was a giraffe ...

 

Most cars hit 'em about knee high, bulk of the deer hits the radiator and windshield.

Mine however, hits 'em dead between the eyes, breaking thier necks, putting 'em out of misery quicklike.



phox

 

I wonder if you can pull out a fuse, everything has fuses, I would think the airbags do too. I used to have a way of disabling the passenger side, but I don't whit this new truck.

 

I need to check, but I think that trucks specifically don't have airbag fuses in a location that you can find for that reason (too many people don't like them). Plus, that would also turn on the SRS light for certain. Ideally, you'd want to confuse the computer into thinking the airbag is still there.

The way that I just thought up would be to remove the airbag element from the driver's side, disconnect it. Then, ohm it out to find the resistance, get an appropriate resistor and connect it to the connector. Secure with electrical tape for good measure. So, as far as the computer is concerned, it should think the airbag is still connected. Then you reinstall the airbag (unplugged) and be happy. On the passenger side, this would be more difficult and you would probably have to get at it from underneath (glovebox area).

I am not suggesting that anybody do this. It will most certainly void some aspects of the warranty, and possibly get your insurance angry at you should you have an accident. I have not done this myself, I am just speculating. I don't know how these airbags work, but I know that older airbags you wanted to be VERY careful with, because even disconnected they would sometimes blow on you. I think these are better, but still. Ok, legal disclaimer done.

 

piece of tape could solve the whole light problem

 

DO NOT PUT A OHM METER ACROSS THE BAG TO MEASURE !!!!!!

The OHM meter has a battery in it to measure resistance and you could blow the bag with that battery, they don't take much voltage/amps to make it BLOW.

You are on the right track, if you can figure out what resistance to put in place of the bags you would be home BAG FREE. Let me ask around and see if I can find out what resistance would work.

 

Good thing I didn't try it today! Thanks for the word of warning. I hadn't thought about that, and I should have (bad Ted, no biscuit). You're right, it doesn't take much to blow them. If you can find out what resistance would work, that would be much appreciated, for both driver and passenger side. If I get the chance in the next day or two I'll see what I can find in terms of the passenger side airbag connector.

 

I was trading some work with a guy at a body shop here a couple years ago, some front end work on my 90 yota, in exchange for reassembly of a couple cars that he had repaired. everything went well, but for some reason i remembered a tech school course I took on airbags. When you rebuild a car, always be careful the first time you turn the key on.
Soooo, I put the key in the ignition, and then basically laid down on the floor, reached up under the column, and turned the key. car started no problem, everything happay as Larry.
Car #2, I did the same routine, feeling a little more at ease. turned the key, and BBBOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!
I was frickin deaf for about two days. Man do they go off.

In the course we did, we set an airbag unit on the shop floor, and touched it off. It hit the 16' ceiling like nothing.

Theres some mind munchies for ya

 

On the fuse thing.

All vehicles have airbag fuses. They are a mandadted safety measure for first response and emergency personel. They typically are larger and relatively easy to extract so that the airbag does not inadvertintly deploy while EMTs are trying to pry your fat butt out of your crumpled vehicle. (in the event they didnt already deploy).

 

Was running along the highway near home when I saw a Ferd Excursion hit a deer on the front left corner. It bounced off and right into an oncoming Volvo station wagon. Both vehicles pulled over. Bambi was in the ditch, toast. Excursion's front left corner was folded in and really messed up - so much for pretty sheet metal that absorbs impact. Looked like the guy had an expensive fix on his hands. The Volvo had some fur caught in the bumper but otherwise not even a scratch!
Nothing like a solid vehicle. Glad I drive a truck with a solid front end - If I had to hit one (don't want to, really) I'd go for the middle of the truck - the winch frame hits first and tenderizes the beast.

 

yeah, I caught it on the passenger side of the center, probably why it did'nt do much damage. It bounced off to the side

 

Sounds all too familiar..... See this thread: https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...threadid=53034

There was $9000+ (totalled) damage done on my truck, but otherwise sounded the same..... I think this person may have been going a bit faster than 45 as well.