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MJ19
04-29-2003, 08:21 AM
Is it possible to get an SUV these days without a passenger air bag? :confused:
I know in some trucks you can turn them off...but I don't want one period on the passenger side and I don't want a truck either. :D

miller19j
04-29-2003, 08:22 AM
Why????? :confused:

MJ19
04-29-2003, 08:35 AM
Because I'm going to buy a new car today without talking about it with you :rolleyes: wink :D
I got this package from Ziggy today about the BMW SUV..and noticed the Airbag...and I always forget to ask if you can get a car without the airbag...because I want my doggies in the front seat :D and one day maybe I'd like to have a baby seat in the front so I can reach the pacifier easier :D
I don't want an airbag on the passenger side...that's all...is it possible? :confused:

miller19j
04-29-2003, 08:47 AM
We have children they are just short and kind of hairy. :D

Blown 472
04-29-2003, 08:50 AM
MJ19:
Because I'm going to buy a new car today without talking about it with you :rolleyes: wink :D
I got this package from Ziggy today about the BMW SUV..and noticed the Airbag...and I always forget to ask if you can get a car without the airbag...because I want my doggies in the front seat :D and one day maybe I'd like to have a baby seat in the front so I can reach the pacifier easier :D
I don't want an airbag on the passenger side...that's all...is it possible? :confused: You should keep them in the back seat if you need to reach it pull over, air bag or not still would hurt the little shaver hitting the dash.

mud duck
04-29-2003, 09:37 AM
Air bags and children do not mix at all. A buddy works at a local childrens hospital and this spring they have had four little kids that are now paralyzed from the neck down (quadripolegic) due to passenger side air bags. The parents should have known better, but it happened anyhow. Now those kids have an very ugly road ahead of them, for the rest of their lives. It is sad.

Wet Dream
04-29-2003, 09:46 AM
Its simple...keep them in the back. Kids are much more safer in the back seat. Your dogs should have a harness system that belts them down anyway, keeping them from going through the windshield. If you opt not to have a pass side air bag, if you wreck and that person pounds the windshield or dash because of the lack of such a device, how would you feel?

HCS
04-29-2003, 09:52 AM
A good tech can by pass them so they won't inflate, but they got to do it right or the airbag light will be on. It's also illegal of course.
There's a lot of us out there that are anti airbag. :rolleyes:

Seadog
04-29-2003, 09:53 AM
If you have a special need, such as you car pool several kids around or you haul little old ladies to bingo, there is a form that you can fill out to deactivate the airbag. The requirements vary with manufacturer and dealer, but give them some proper reason and they can do it, at least on the four door trucks.

Wet Dream
04-29-2003, 09:56 AM
Seadog:
at least on the four door trucks. I thought all the 4dr trucks had a key option to turn the bags off. My inlaws 2000 F150 clubcab has it.

ROZ
04-29-2003, 09:57 AM
I thought in newer cars you have the ability to switch the passenger side air bags off????

Ziggy
04-29-2003, 10:03 AM
I don't believe there is a legal way to obtain a vehicle without one anymore---cars since around 94-95 models. Trucks have the cutoff switch but only in the models without rear doors/seating.
Like everyone else said, keep the kids and pets in the rear, much safer all around. Your pets and future children will thank you for it, that is of course if it has to come to that.
My brand of cars offer rear side airbags as well, and everyone with kids thinks they should have them, after a very short explanation 99% of them decide not to get that option. Air bags are violent and not a soft pillowy cushion. Think of a course fabric sorta like burlap, reinforced with metal weaving....thats your airbag!
Miller: I claim innocence! :D :D Really!

SchellSchock
04-29-2003, 10:04 AM
My new Burb has a sensing system and if the passenger does not weigh at least 100 lbs it is disabled

Ziggy
04-29-2003, 10:05 AM
And here I thought the Airbag and Boobs thread were of the same topic :D :D

Wet Dream
04-29-2003, 10:06 AM
Ziggy:
Think of a course fabric sorta like burlap, reinforced with metal weaving....thats your airbag! Inflating and in your face at 200mph.

voodooCanoe
04-29-2003, 10:37 AM
Like anything out there, there is good and bad in airbag systems. Work in service center for major maker. I know many people that have walked away from accidents that they wouldn't have without the bag. Only vehicle with no rear seating have cut out switches and good luck finding a dealer or service shop to install a cut out. Yes there are forms to fill out to make it leagal, but no one wants to assume the responsibility of installing one. All liability goes to the dealer.
Put the kids in the rear!!! NO reason not to.

Seadog
04-29-2003, 12:53 PM
This topic came up in a forum for the Dakota trucks. Stock trucks have the cutoff switch only in the two door models, which on the dakota includes extended cab. However, you can get a cutoff switch installed and sometimes for free, if you can show that the seat is going to be used for a passenger subject to injury by an airbag. It has to be a case where the rear seat are not legally available, such as hauling more kids than can fit in the back seat.
That being said, since cars do not offer the switch, period, there may be a problem with the installation. The same with SUVs. An SUV may have a better chance with the interchangability with the truck models. Another factor is the newer airbags may be certified for children if they are less powerful and/or have weight sensors.
Determine what needs you have for a vehicle and then hit several dealers. After the basics, give them the story about hauling too many kids to fit in the back seat. If they they say it can't be done, ask why. If they give you the "it's the law" bit, walk. You don't want to deal with dumb asses.

Seadog
04-29-2003, 12:56 PM
Found this on the web
Cutoff switch requirements
The overwhelming majority of Americans and their families should not be affected by the ruling regarding the installation of on-off airbag switches. Most injuries are preventable if drivers and passengers buckle up, with drivers keeping at least 10 inches away from the steering wheel and front seat passengers pushing their seat back as far as possible.
To obtain approval for an airbag on-off switch, which is obtained through NHTSA on a case-by-case basis, the following process has to be followed:
Obtain and read a NHTSA information brochure and a request form. Both are available at vehicle dealerships, repair shops, state motor vehicle offices or the NHTSA website-www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
Complete the request form and return it to NHTSA. Vehicle owners must certify that they, or someone they transport, meet one of four groups of people at risk and therefore eligible for cutoff switches. These are 1) they must place a rear facing infant seat in the front seat; 2) they cannot adjust the driver's seat to maintain at least a 10 inch clearance from the steering wheel; 3) they cannot avoid placing a child age 12 or younger in the front seat or 4) they or someone they transport has a medical condition that would put them at risk of injury should an airbag deploy.
NHTSA will send a letter indicating if approval of the request is granted.
If the criteria is met, the letter can be taken to a vehicle dealership or service outlet to have an on-off switch installed. The switch that is installed will be able to deactivate only the airbag(s) that affects the person in the at-risk group. The service shop will notify NHTSA of any installations it handles.
Liability issue
Some repair businesses and auto dealerships have expressed reluctance to install these switches due to potential liability. According to NHTSA, all vehicle manufacturers who are producing on-off switches have agreed to indemnify their dealers for all causes of action other than negligence. Manufacturers will be able to provide the specifics of indemnification. In any case, the switch installer may require a vehicle owner to sign a waiver that releases the business from liability if a switch is installed.
As of November 29, 1999, there were 56 Ohio dealerships and repair shops listed on NHTSA's website ( nhtsa web site (http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov) ) as facilities that install airbag on-off switches.
Advanced airbag proposal
At press time, NHTSA's proposal to upgrade the agency's occupant protection standard to require advanced airbags was under review for comments. The proposal calls for airbags that would protect occupants of different sizes, and minimize risks to infants and young children. The advanced airbags would be required in some new passenger cars and light trucks beginning September 1, 2002 and in all new cars and light trucks beginning September 1, 2005.
Advanced airbag technology has been introduced on a limited basis. For example, the 1999 Hyundai Sonata has a weight sensor to prevent the passenger airbag from deploying unless a weight of at least 66 pounds is detected in the seat. The 1999 Acura has a dual stage inflator, as well as the 2000 Ford Taurus and Honda Accord, and some Mercedes and BMW models.
[ April 29, 2003, 02:01 PM: Message edited by: Seadog ]

Mandelon
04-29-2003, 02:42 PM
Just take it out and have a DVD player and video screen fitted in the opening...Es muy bling-bling!! :p

hot_diggity_dog
04-29-2003, 02:47 PM
because I want my doggies in the front seat Hey MJ19,
My air bag went off with my two dogs in the front seat, and it went right over their heads. LOL
HDD :cool:

MJ19
04-29-2003, 03:28 PM
Thanks for the advice...I understand all the safety issues and that airbags are probably good in the case of an accident; however, I have my own selfish reasons why I do not want one. :D
I cart around people of all ages babies, kids, little frail old ladies, etc...those are some of the reasons, but especially I want my niece to be able to ride up front with me, I want my doggies up front with me...they have harnesses "seatbelts" up in the front seat...and they pout when I put them in the back behind the grill thingy (they get stuck back there when they are wet & muddy) I want to be able to have whomever I want sitting in my front seat without having to worry about an airbag going off and killing them. I'd rather take my chances with safe driving and a seatbelt. boxed
A friend of mine's sister was killed because of her own stupity of reaching for a pacifier in the back seat (my comment about the pacifier above was a sarcastic one) her baby was killed too. Head on with a semi truck...never saw it coming, but the truck driver saw her reaching in the back for something for the baby right before he hit her. :(
We should all pull over when we need to do anything other then drive i.e. change the CD, eat, drink, etc...but we don't and you never know if in a rush or as a baby is crying if you will remember to do the right thing and pull over...honestly think about how many times you reached down by your feet because something dropped, or how often you are looking at the numbers on your cell phone while you dial...we should be pulling over for those things as well.
I know myself and I know I can honestly say I do try very hard to be safe and pull over...but I'm sure there will be times when I fail and I'd rather have my baby up front with me, so I can see if he/she is breathing, sleeping, choking, etc...

Ziggy
04-29-2003, 04:03 PM
MJ19
I know myself and I know I can honestly say I do try very hard to be safe and pull over...but I'm sure there will be times when I fail and I'd rather have my baby up front with me, so I can see if he/she is breathing, sleeping, choking, etc... [/QB]MJ,
As a parent myself, YOU WILL KNOW what condition your child is in or doing purely by the sounds he/she is making....and usually its something that is bugging you more than anything else wink ... Please keep your child in the back seat area for their safety! There have been many statistics showing that a child properly restrained in the rear seat area will survive whereas they would most likely perish if in the front seat. They make mirrors to keep an eye in the back seat if you really need. I've seen video's and its startling enough just to see how much a child(actually anyone) bounces around inside a car during an accident, they look like they are in a bounce house...literally.
Cars are made to protect you from as much as they can, but ultimately you are the first line of defense. Drive smart, live long I say.
Cheers to ya...
Zig
p.s. How's the engine host heel healing? All better yet?
[ April 29, 2003, 05:05 PM: Message edited by: Ziggy ]

MJ19
04-29-2003, 04:16 PM
Ziggy:
How's the engine host heel healing? All better yet? So far my heel is doing well...Thanks for asking :)
About safety...I know, I know...and I'm sure you're right...I hope I do know those sounds...and I have seen PLENTY of those types of videos, my dad used to bring them home from the safety department of his company...they had to take safety training once a year on those race tracks and skid, break, etc...etc...He drilled and I mean drilled defensive driving into my brain...I just really dislike airbags...I wish they were optional.
Having the air bag excuse is good for one thing and that is to stop fights about who gets to sit in the front. wink :D
Miller is always telling me my dislike of airbags is silly...but I can't help it...I don't lik'em :cool: Maybe I could sit in the car and take a hit from one so I knew what to expect if I were in an accident, then maybe I wouldn't dislike them so much? I have been in a simulated accident with the seatbelt and I can promise you it was a great experience knowing what to expect and when I was in an accident it felt EXACTLY like the simulated accident...so maybe if they came up with a simulated airbag type thing I'd change my mind :D

Kilrtoy
04-29-2003, 04:24 PM
Going off an average man and woman, Your body creates a a force of 12,600 pounds of kinetic energy in a 30 mile per hour accident. I just finished a class on impact and seatbelts. Ill tell I drive like a bat out of hell and the films I reveiwed scared the sit out of me. I drive considerately slower now...... Put your loved ones in the back including your dogs and ty them up with a harness as stated above. Your animals will become a flying missile in an accident and I deadly serious about the missile part......Buck up and stay safe

Ziggy
04-29-2003, 04:33 PM
MJ19:
Ziggy:
How's the engine host heel healing? All better yet? So far my heel is doing well...Thanks for asking
About safety...I know, I know...and I'm sure you're right...I hope I do know those sounds...and I have seen PLENTY of those types of videos, my dad used to bring them home from the safety department of his company...they had to take safety training once a year on those race tracks and skid, break, etc...etc...He drilled and I mean drilled defensive driving into my brain...I just really dislike airbags...I wish they were optional.
Having the air bag excuse is good for one thing and that is to stop fights about who gets to sit in the front
Miller is always telling me my dislike of airbags is silly...but I can't help it...I don't lik'em :cool: Maybe I could sit in the car and take a hit from one so I knew what to expect if I were in an accident, then maybe I wouldn't dislike them so much? I have been in a simulated accident with the seatbelt and I can promise you it was a great experience knowing what to expect and when I was in an accident it felt EXACTLY like the simulated accident...so maybe if they came up with a simulated airbag type thing I'd change my mind :D If you did get to sit though a simulation you'd very likely end up with face lacerations and/or a broken nose deary. cry We've had to set off some airbags at work here so that they can be shipped back to the manufacturer....the detonation kit comes with a remote wire that makes you stand at least 25 feet away. Sounds like a big gun goin' off. Scared the crap out of me once eek! eek! 'cause the the Tech's didn't warn me...ran out to see what blew up in the shop :confused:
As far as fights on who's sitting in front....that'll pass too and you want them all to sit as far back as possble :D Trust me.

396_Z
04-29-2003, 04:48 PM
FWIW I have a very short legged female friendand when she bought her 92 Camaro in order to reach the pedals she had to sit with her chest about 6" away from the steering wheel.
Being so close and being concerned about the airbag deploying we modified the the car ever so slightly so that she wouldn't have to worry about it. We pulled the fuse for the bag.