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Air bag switch

2K views 18 replies 12 participants last post by  Bronco 
#1 ·
I there any way to add an air bag switch to a crew cab, like I had in my extended cab? Sometimes I haul a bunch of young teens, and it helps to be able to have some up front.





Thanks, Mike
 
#2 ·
Young teens should have the airbag on anyways. The airbag shut off is for baby seats as I understand it.Edited by: Max Power
 
#3 ·
I feel comfortable letting someone sit in the front with the airbags if they are 100 pounds or more. There are several (including my son) that are less - these guys are in the 12 to 14 year old range.
 
#4 ·
That's about right I guess.


http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/airbags/factsheets/numbers.html
(A word about disconnecting airbags. NHTSA recommends that babies, children under 12 years old, and people under 4' 7" should NEVER ride in the front seat of a vehicle, because rapidly inflating airbags can severly injure or kill small front-seat occupants. If there's a child in your life and you have a two-seater, ask your dealer to install a disconnect switch for the passenger-side airbag. You don't want it permanently disconnected; airbags DO save adult lives.)
http://www.safecarguide.com/exp/safety/safety.htmEdited by: Max Power
 
#5 ·
I guess the biggest question is why the airbag switch is available to everyone (whether they want it or not) in the extended cab, but is not available to anyone in a crew cab?
 
#6 ·
mfendley said:
I guess the biggest question is why the airbag switch is available to everyone (whether they want it or not) in the extended cab, but is not available to anyone in a crew cab?

Quoted from Max Power's post:


"NHTSA recommends that babies, children under 12 years old, and people under 4' 7" should NEVER ride in the front seat of a vehicle, because rapidly inflating airbags can severly injure or kill small front-seat occupants. If there's a child in your life and you have a two-seater, ask your dealer to install a disconnect switch for the passenger-side airbag. You don't want it permanently disconnected; airbags DO save adult lives."


This is why there is no switch for the PS airbag in crew cabs. If you have a crew, they want you to put the child(ren) in the rear seat, thus no switch for the airbag.
 
#7 ·
Yes, but as always, not all government regulations are real life. I also have a crew cab and invariably end up picking up my kids and other kids to take them home. An airbag switch installed like in xtcab would be nice.
Gov't recommends always wearing seat belts, it's the law, but do we always wear our seatbelts?
 
#8 ·
You can pull the fuse and shut the entire system down. I have done this because my wife falls into the under height catagory. I also have a child that is 12 and she is quite small. The airbag light will come on and stay on but so what.
 
#9 ·
I'd also like one of the techs here to discuss an air bag off switch for my crew cab. Read the previous posts with the $199 aftermarket option but was wondering if there is any 'stock' info that's new ?Does anyone have any experience in this? I'd like my 8 year old to ride up front with me sometimes.





Thanks


Harry


Edited by: HarryK
 
#10 ·
HarryK said:
I'd also like one of the techs here to discuss an air bag off switch for my crew cab. Does anyone have any experience in this? I'd like my 8 year old to ride up front with me sometimes.





Thanks


Harry

While there are some points to consider being made on this thread, allow me to make one that everyone seems to be missing.


While airbags are a great safety feature, they do have their limitations. I've had to pick up the remnants of vehicle crashes both major and even a few minor ones, where the airbags have deployed causing serious injury and a few deaths to children. Having the ability to disable the airbags might seem like a good idea, but once done people forget to re-arm them.


In most cases, the rear seat is the safer of the two for any passenger. While adults can make the decision to ride in the front seats even without seatbelts, the airbags do still offer some protections, do you have the right to endanger the life of a child? The courts have said no. I think we should all consider how you'd feel if your child were seriously injured or killed because you wanted your child up front with you.


Maybe I'm not looking at the big picture, but the last one of these which happened occured because the young woman "wanted her child in the front seat with her". The accident wouldn't have caused anything more than bumps and bruises had the airbags which saved her from serious injury, not deployed and killed her child who would have been safe in the rear seat. Think about it folks, is it really worth it?
 
#11 ·
Zeeb,


Before the D/A I had an extended cab 2500HD in which I used to turn the AirBag Off switch Off when my son rode in front. Never forgot. Would never let a child up front with an airbag. Your discussion touches on deeper issues but responsible drivers don't 'forget'. They take 'inventory' of their enviornment before using vehicles, even a daily driver. The switch was part of my truck and now with the CC, it isn't. More of a convenience feature for me and not a requirement as in a regular cab. BTW, we test drove a regular cab before ordering this one (my 8 yr old and me), and the dealer insured that the AB switch was off for the passenger side. I was fortunate to have the ability to borrow the extra $4000 for the CC, but if I didn't and was forced to the regular cab, it's an option that becomes mandatory. Both sides of a controversial issue I guess.


Happy new year to everyone!


Harry K.
 
#12 ·
I tried 2 GM part numbers. 88895089 and 88895090. I believe the second one was for pass side. Neither would have worked without modification though. The HD trucks use a 2 stage air bag connector, even though they come with single stage bags. The kits came with a single stage connector. They also separate mounting for the switch and indicator. I fianally dropped the issue. If I was to do it again, I would use the product from www.aoielectrical.com. They were recommended to me by the NHTSA, and do many police and highway vehicles. They have a slick kit that will work in our trucks. It comes with connectors that match ours (he builds it for what you need). The switch box and indicator are about the size of a pack of cigs. Price is $199 for me to install (they support you), or $375 for them to install.
 
#13 ·
While it is easy to put a switch into the wiring for the Passenger Air Bag (PAB), I would NOT recommend it. As has been stated here, the safest place for your children are in the rear seat. Also the OEM switches that are in the other vehicles (reg/ext cab) are serious switches. They are 100% reliable switches that are monitored to be doing exactly what they are stating they are to be doing. In other words, the SIR system is constantly monitoring the switch so it is working correctly. The system is also monitoring the airbags and sensors in the vehicles to make sure they are there when necessary. The Crew Cab vehicles do not have the wiring present to do the monitoring of the switch, therefore any switch cannot be reliable enough (nor monitored) to deal with the PAB and any potential implications of a mis-deploying airbag.


There is a serious liability that you are signing up for when installing a non-OEM switch. If the PAB inadvertantly deploys and a child is injured, you as the installer of the switch are liable.


I am not a lawyer, just know enough. Hopefully you will not undergo this endeavor, and if you do you will have FULLY looked into everything you are doing.


MN
 
#14 ·
Dieselman wrote, "Yes, but as always, not all government regulations are real life. I also have a crew cab and invariably end up picking up my kids and other kids to take them home. An airbag switch installed like in xtcab would be nice.
Gov't recommends always wearing seat belts, it's the law, but do we always wear our seatbelts?


Dieselman,


I do always wear my sealtbelt for 2 reasons. First, no seatbelt gives a cop a good reason to pull you over and rummage through your life and secondly, have you ever tried to drive over rough terrain with out a seatbelt? For example , you swerve off the road and through a small ditch. Even though it was just a small ditch. 1 foot deep 3 feet across x 30mph=airbourne. If you have no seatbelt your head hits the roof and you loose control of you vehicle flip and ? If you did have your seatbelt on you drive off the road stay in the cockpit behind the wheel in control.You keep driving, jump back up on the road ad keep on truckin. (except for the load in your shorts). Damn puppy dog in the road.
 
#15 ·
nassdmax....while I believe you have good intentions, the switch is not really that big of a deal. Since the switch is in the circuit path of the PAB, it is monitored, and its monitored in both on and off positions. Its also fused so that in the event of an accident, it is able to be determined what position the switch was in (fuse blows if PAB is deployed). I did a lot of research on this, and the aftermarket switches work just the same as the OEM. The GM kits noted above connect the same way as aftermarket. I even checked with my auto insurace company, and they had no problem with me installing it. I agree that the best position for kids is in the rear, but there are times when we haul more than 3 kids.



I had the same concerns as you, but after talking to the gentleman at the NHTSA that runs the airbag programs, the switch is very reliable, and in itself, is not able to deploy the bag. These are used all the time in Police and other safety vehicles. If there was a concern, I think they would have issues installing them.Edited by: Roegs
 
#16 ·
I've looked at the AOI website and they cover all the bases. This is a product you don't add marketing fluff to increase sales so I don't know why you shouldn't trust them.


With #4 on the way and my oldest only nine one of them has to ride up front. Am I suppose to sell my Dmax and only take the mini van now? I find it ironic people have such fits about wearing seatbelts with a chipped truck.


True story which is worse...me driving home not speeding, sober, without my seatbelt or the two dudes I passed passing a joint BUT they both had their seatbelts on???
 
#17 ·
True story which is worse...me driving home not speeding, sober, without my seatbelt or the two dudes I passed passing a joint BUT they both had their seatbelts on???


[/QUOTE]


Which is worse...a person that dives head first into a dry swimming pool from the 10 ft high diving board or the 20 ft high diving board???


I'm trying not to be disrespectful, but if you don't get it...you don't get it.Edited by: Duallyvette
 
#18 ·
Boy, this topic should almost be in the war room. Bronco, refer to the quote above "if you don't get it, you don't get it."
The post was about switches, not using seatbelts per se. I was only saying that occasionally kids have to ride up front and it's safer than throwing them in the bed of the truck, agree? If so, then a switch is best. Also, the statement about not always using seatbelts doesn't apply to you obviously. I don't always wear a seatbelt. I willing to say not everytime I get in my truck do I buckle up. Any body else willing to be honest and say that?
 
#19 ·
The qoute above states that both situations are bad. It's not really about rating them. The only reason I chimed in about seatbelts is becaues I do where them all of the time. In Colorado you will most definitly get pulled over. A good way to ruin an otherwise perfect day. Seatbelts also keep minor accidents minor. As far as the big accidents, well my verdict is still out. BACK ON TOPIC. My extended cab has seatbelts in the rear and also child seat tie downs. The front does have the lock out switch. More than enough options. The original question asked if you could lock out the airbag on a crew cab? Just put the teens in the seatbelt and you don't have to worry about locking out the airbag. It has always been my theory to stay away from all airbag componets. Unintentional deployment is not funny.
 
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