Passenger airbag

[Lenny b]

Ok so not a straight forward question but.... the passenger airbag is placed on the dash facing the sky. Once activated does it fire north (assuming you aren't on your roof) or towards the passenger seat? I read that for the pre facelift cars you HAD to have this deactivated at the stealers, other than fuses or physically removing can this be a diy? Thanks

 

[DrWong]

Don’t know the answer mate as never seen the passenger airbag fire. To be honest I hope I never do. But I would've assumed it fired towards the passenger, as it wouldn't be doing much good if it went up towards the sky?

Why on earth are you asking this particular question?? haha

 

[mrscalex]

Can’t see an issue if it does fire north. It’s a big bag of air in a small space so it’s going to also come outwards towards your head in a split second.

 

[andyglym]

They save lives, I'd leave alone, personally.

 

[Lenny b]

I do get it guys, I promise. Let me put it another way, is it safe to have a toddler on the passenger seat, with the appropriate child seat located as it should be. Will the airbag cause risk or danger? I think yes so do I turn off? Which risk is worse, with or without? Or never put him in the front seat? Well the car but you know what I mean......

 

[andyglym]

I do get it guys, I promise. Let me put it another way, is it safe to have a toddler on the passenger seat, with the appropriate child seat located as it should be. Will the airbag cause risk or danger? I think yes so do I turn off? Which risk is worse, with or without? Or never put him in the front seat? Well the car but you know what I mean......

There are no specific laws banning children from sitting in the front seat though the car seat should be as far back as it can go and a suitable child seat used that is facing forward and restrained as well as the child by the child seat harness. The airbag in the passenger side is bigger than the drivers seat as it has more distance to travel and it deploys quicker, not that you'd notice with the naked eye in real time speed. If the child seat was backwards facing it could/would hit the back of the seat and sent it backwards with force. Not sure if the Z3 passenger airbag can be isolated or not?

 

[mrscalex]

I would imagine it could be either coded out in NCS and unplugged or left coded and some sort of spoof plug put on the loom connector.

What you can't do is just disconnect the cable - well you could do but you'll get a warning on the dash and risk none of your air bags going off if it chooses to disable the whole system - I think it might.

Don't forget some Z3s also have side airbags although I guess you would have said if yours does. It's obvious enough as the door car trim insert is in 2 bits instead of 1 and there is an airbag clip in badge by the door edge.

Have a read of this too which seems to suggest re-code/spoof plug are possibles.

https://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17491