Airbags

[Andy Cole]

Does anybody have any information regarding airbags?

I believe it used to be the case that if you disconnect the battery on a car the airbag became disabled, I don't think this applies anymore because of residual charges sufficent enough to deploy the airbag are now stored (don't really get that?) so if say your car is stationary with the ignition switched off and you are sat in it and something collides with you the airbag still goes off.
Also disconnecting one battery does't mean it's the right one (I'm told the modern Beemers and Mercs etc have about half a dozen batteries)

What I'd like to know is whether there is a surefast way of making sure the airbag doesn't go off when you don't want it too, on my wifes car for example there is a switch on the dash that isolates the supply to the front airbags and I know my mates car has one by the side of the drivers seat so surely there must be something like this on most (if not all) cars?

[Chris Houston]

if say your car is stationary with the ignition switched off and you are sat in it and something collides with you the airbag still goes off.

I can't answer your question, I think car manufacturers would be the best people to ask, but I can say that I think my car's airbag is designed only to go off in certain situations and that I must be traveling at a certain speed for it to activate.

[scott]

Does anybody have any information regarding airbags?


What I'd like to know is whether there is a surefast way of making sure the airbag doesn't go off when you don't want it too, on my wifes car for example there is a switch on the dash that isolates the supply to the front airbags and I know my mates car has one by the side of the drivers seat so surely there must be something like this on most (if not all) cars?

On my vw passat the passenger airbag can only be turned off by the vw dealer, by plugging a laptop in.
I have 2004 version of Mercedes-Benz Guideline for Rescue services on pdf if anyone wants it. It has all sorts of info on what to be aware of if you are attending a rtc involving a merc.

[Andy Cole]

How do you go about getting a copy of this?

[Chris Houston]

How do you go about getting a copy of this?

Maybe from the car manufacturers?

Do you work for a Fire and Rescuse Service.  Should they not provide you with training on this issue?

[Andy Cole]

Yes I am a FF but there doesn't seem to be any specific information, I was just wondering whether anyone had any. We obviously get training but its quite generic, I will ask the question on Station it could be that we do have access to such info but I'm looking in the wrong place!
Thanks for the help

[fireftrm]

You should have a training CD package on this? The national training group have produced them and nearly all FRS are members, ask that question?

[scott]

Email me for a copy.

[Lee999]

Chris makes a very good point, and the answer is no. We do receive training of course, but it is very limited.

Although i believe that it is common for European fire services to hold information on all passive safety devises on all vehicles available in that particular country.

Maybe the ODPM should circulate such info to UK FRS's, obviously it would need to be updated as vehicles are.

Andy, do you carry steering wheel airbag restraints on your appliances?

[fireftrm]

Lee it would be a great idea if such info came from the ODPM, unfortunatley it does not. There are easy to come by manuals with all the details we would require, such as Autodata Airbags, but the problem still remains that there are so many different types that we would have to carry the manual with us.

We have steering wheel restraints but these  are rarely of any use as entrapments without the wheel SRS activated are unusual, it is the side, seat, door, knee and curtain ones that provide the issues.

[Andy Cole]

Lee
Yes we do carry steering wheel restraints and as a matter of course fit them whenever an airbag has been deployed, I have been to two RTC's recently where a car (a Citroen Saxo in both cases for your ref.) have been involved collisions with HGV's and the steering wheel bag has failed! We also fit them when we are not 100% whether the paticular vehicle even has an airbag better be safe than sorry!

I agree it is the bloody things being scattered over the rest of the car that are of highest concern for our needs, I am told that some newer luxury cars (can't remember which make) has somewhere in the region of 40 airbags a Merc I think.

Wouldn't it be possible for our Control to have the relevant info on a computer database of some sort and let us know how to disablre them quickly?

I was at an RTC that involved a Brand new SAAB 95 and it was only by chance that one of the FF's knew a SAAB technician and was able to contact him on a mobile phone that we were able to disable the airbags quickly and safely I personally find this quite worrying!

Alternativley, why can't there be some sort of juristiction on that says Manufacturers have to fit a button/switch or something that is common to ALL vehicles so we can get on and do the job in hand?

I've also heard (although I must stress this is not Gospel) that the reason this sort of info isn't made avaliable is because Manufacturers like to keep it quiet to remain one step ahead of the competition! Surely we are all after the same thing here afterall I thought an airbag was primarilay a safety device not a selling feature!

[pugh]

My experience with SRS's

The airbag is 'live' at all times, even with the ignition off, and if the vehicle is collided with when stationary it will deploy.

Certain manufacturers add a switch, operated by the ignition key, that will immobilise the passenger side airbag only (VW, Renault, Pugeot, others I don't know about).

The SRS will remain live even when the battery is disconnected due to capacitors in the activation circuitry and their stored charge.  This is not dissipated until some time after disconnection from the battery.

If in doubt - it's LIVE so treat it as such.