(safety)Airbags and wheeling?

[Colin]

I've always wondered if it was dangerous to wheel with an active airbag system say in a jeep TJ? I've been stupid and smacked my fair share of rocks, hard enough that I surely thought the bags would deploy.

Is this a danger at all? I have no idea what constitutes a situation for deployment? Are the speeds just too slow?

I really worry about it when I take my little cousin along since I can't disable my pass. airbag.

[mrutledge]

My wife is all freaked out about airbags as well.

First, take your TJ to the dealer and have them install an airbag disconnect switch for the passenger seat. If I recall correctly, this was free at one point. If there's a little one in the front it's just the right thing to do.

Now to the real situation: For an airbag to deploy, the impact will have to be similar to hitting a brick wall at 35MPH. (Different systems have different tolerances, but this is a good rule of thumb.)

Is it possible to deploy an airbag while wheeling? Sure. Is it probable? Not really.

-Matt

[jeeplvr79]

There's also a fuse you can pull to disable the airbag for those that don't have a switch

[JimhatTJ]

not sure what years it started, but the news ones disable the airbag when u drop into 4LO

[theirishavenger]

If you end up pulling the fuse be aware that your SIR or airbag light on the dash will come on and stay on until you clear the code that sets due to the fuse being pulled.

[JKTODD]

I know that when Al (CycleMutt) rolled his Xterra over backwards in the black hole in Moab I thought his airbags would deploy. They didn't. Spectacular roll though! :D:thumbsup:

[newracer]

Air bags deloyed in this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqjdIxoFClI

[MinesJeep]

One of these days I'm just going to crack the column and pull the things out. Just make sure you disconnect the battery and let it sit for awhile first.

[mrutledge]

Air bags deloyed in this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqjdIxoFClI

Now THAT is a hard hit. I'm willing to bet that impact was about the same as hitting a wall at 35mph.

[CJesse7]

most vehicles have more than one sensor in the front of the vehicle. Alot of them require both sensors to "activate" before the bags deploy.

[Xtremjeepn-Cole Ford]

most vehicles have more than one sensor in the front of the vehicle. Alot of them require both sensors to "activate" before the bags deploy.


TJ sensor is under the front of the center console. Jeep won't run correctly if it is unplugged.

[oleblue]

I know that when Al (CycleMutt) rolled his Xterra over backwards in the black hole in Moab I thought his airbags would deploy. They didn't. Spectacular roll though! :D:thumbsup:

That Xterra likes to roll in Moab. :D

Does it even still have airbags in it? I know they did not go off the first time it rolled too.

[ni0h]

I haven't had my fuses in for years. I pulled the passenger-side fuse, then decided I didn't want to be around either if that turned out to be a negative.