Reply to: Airbag

[Fleetwood]

Rtfm?

[~Craig~]

or just put the sprog in the back?

[Paco]

This might be useful

[dazza12]

You might want to try asking on Autoforumz. They sync with the relevant car newsgroups, so if there's not an answer already there, it won't be long before someone else answers for you.

It's helped me out of a couple of scrapes with my Pug.

[tim123]

Would you expect the triggering of it to be hardwired? How would you do this? A big plunger on the front of the car that blows air into an airbag when you crash perhaps?

Under normal circumstances it fails safe - except when there's a child seat in the front, then you need to be sure that it *doesn't* work.

tim

[OwlHoot]

Would you expect the triggering of it to be hardwired? How would you do this? A big plunger on the front of the car that blows air into an airbag when you crash perhaps?

I'd expect it to use a low-sensitivity tumbler switch - something like a spring with a copper ball on the end and centred inside a hollow sphere, with the air bag triggered if the ball touches the sphere.

[The Lone Gunman]

You could try
a) take a fuse out or b) disconnect a plug under the seat.

[planetit]

Would you trust your kids life to a bit of software?

Nope, if it turns off at all it should be a hard switch.

tim

Would you expect the triggering of it to be hardwired? How would you do this? A big plunger on the front of the car that blows air into an airbag when you crash perhaps?

[G8_Summit]

I was rather hoping for something like a) take a fuse out or b) disconnect a plug under the seat.

Thanks anyway guys. As usual, your help has been nonvaluable.

[tim123]

Assuming you don’t actually want to trigger the airbag (and nowadays that’s a little more complex than the others are suggesting) it may be software configurable. If so, I’m afraid it is likely to be a manufacturer specific parameter, so you need access to a GM standard diagnostic tester (or a generic one with the GM protocol added). If google is no help then it looks like your friendly neighbourhood Vauxhall dealer is the best bet.

Sorry can't be more helpfull, only GM product I ever worked on was a truck. And it didn't have an airbag!

Would you trust your kids life to a bit of software?

Nope, if it turns off at all it should be a hard switch.

tim

[The Late, Great JC]

I worked on a Vauxhall Chevette.

Will that do?

Has it got a V8 engine?

[planetit]

Assuming you don’t actually want to trigger the airbag (and nowadays that’s a little more complex than the others are suggesting) it may be software configurable. If so, I’m afraid it is likely to be a manufacturer specific parameter, so you need access to a GM standard diagnostic tester (or a generic one with the GM protocol added). If google is no help then it looks like your friendly neighbourhood Vauxhall dealer is the best bet.

Sorry can't be more helpfull, only GM product I ever worked on was a truck. And it didn't have an airbag!

[threaded]

Often times there is at least one accelerometer somewhere, normally one behind the bumper. Find it and give it a good whack with a rubber hammer.

There is also normally one in the airbag itself, but I would not recommend hitting the airbag yourself with a rubber hammer. Get whoever it is you are trying to injure to do it for you.

Incidentally it used to be the case that many higher quality cars, when parked, if you gave them a good whack with a rubber hammer, in the right place, would not only set the airbags off, but would actually open the doors for you as well.

After the car thieves discovered this there was a general recal on those vehicles.

[The Lone Gunman]

In answer to the above:

"Run the car into a brick wall thus disabling all bags for future use." - Surely this will disable the car and me at the same time

You only asked me to disable the airbags, you realy should learn to spec the job better.
No, the air bags should save you!
Moderate speed to set bags off but not write off car.

Simple.

[G8_Summit]

In answer to the above:

"Run the car into a brick wall thus disabling all bags for future use." - Surely this will disable the car and me at the same time

"Google it" - tried that - found nowt.

"Is there a key switch in the Glove Compartment?" - no unfortunately not.