Disabling airbag
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 286
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Disabling airbag
Hi,
I have a situation where I might need to disable the air bag.
See I am large kinda like a grizzly bear, and my 94 is just not build for guys like me. It has a drivers side airbag, and because of this the seatbelt is very restrictive.
I was thinking about replacing the seatbelt with one that has a bit more room. But the reason why they restrict the belt so much on the drivers side is because of the airbag I guess.
Now I dont want to go and start swapping safety gear and then have to worry about the air bag. So I am thinking of disabling the bag permanently. Is there a way to unhook the wiring to the bag without having the airbag light flash etc? will it flash if I unhook the bag? am I going to have to take the bag warning light out of the guage cluster?
And has anyone else done something similar to this? The seatbelt as it sits is dangerous in itself, I cant even properly check blind spots etc because its way too tight.
thanks for any help.
I have a situation where I might need to disable the air bag.
See I am large kinda like a grizzly bear, and my 94 is just not build for guys like me. It has a drivers side airbag, and because of this the seatbelt is very restrictive.
I was thinking about replacing the seatbelt with one that has a bit more room. But the reason why they restrict the belt so much on the drivers side is because of the airbag I guess.
Now I dont want to go and start swapping safety gear and then have to worry about the air bag. So I am thinking of disabling the bag permanently. Is there a way to unhook the wiring to the bag without having the airbag light flash etc? will it flash if I unhook the bag? am I going to have to take the bag warning light out of the guage cluster?
And has anyone else done something similar to this? The seatbelt as it sits is dangerous in itself, I cant even properly check blind spots etc because its way too tight.
thanks for any help.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,781
Likes: 1
From: Central NY
Me either. Is there a fuse for the srs? just pull it. I know there is something the off-roaders do to install a toggle switch so they can turn the airbags on & off at will. Maybe a search will bring it up.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2006
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Well I AM a pretty big guy, and have had problems with a couple other older trucks as well (early chevy's with buckets, seatbelt wont fit).
But I am pretty sure the passenger side has a much more loose seatbelt. The belt fits fine on the bottom portion, its the part that crosses yoru chest that ultra tight. Once I get the belt on, I honestly cant put my torso forward any more than an inch.
I might have to take it apart and check it out, mabey the previous owner was tiny and didnt want to hit the airbag to hard in an accident and restriced the top part of the belt.
I may want to disable the airbag either way, out of every car that I have had with an airbag, I have never had it so close to my face like this f-150.
But I am pretty sure the passenger side has a much more loose seatbelt. The belt fits fine on the bottom portion, its the part that crosses yoru chest that ultra tight. Once I get the belt on, I honestly cant put my torso forward any more than an inch.
I might have to take it apart and check it out, mabey the previous owner was tiny and didnt want to hit the airbag to hard in an accident and restriced the top part of the belt.
I may want to disable the airbag either way, out of every car that I have had with an airbag, I have never had it so close to my face like this f-150.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,460
Likes: 6
From: Florida
I removed the driver's (steering wheel) air bag in my '97 Aerostar, don't want it, thank you, no thank you. Gone.
now the darn idiot light blinking. so I disconnect the Blue Box plugs and pull the Fuse.
now the idiot light is stuck ON all the time.
what next? remove the darned bulb too? geez!
now the darn idiot light blinking. so I disconnect the Blue Box plugs and pull the Fuse.
now the idiot light is stuck ON all the time.
what next? remove the darned bulb too? geez!
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,533
Likes: 17
From: SW Florida
+1 on belt being stuck. I have wrapped the belt around the durn steering wheel on junkyard trucks when removing steering parts, so I know there is plenty there.
Ford has a Rotunda xxxxx (part number) Airbag Simulator. It's a resistor that simulates the load of the airbag initiator on the back of the airbag module.
Disconnect the connector on the back of the airbag. Leave it disconnected and stick a 2 ohm resistor in the harness coming out of the column. Just to be clear, the airbag assembly will be in your hand and you will NOT connect anything to it. Only connect to the wires inside the wheel. After the resistor is installed, leave the airbag module disconnected and bolt it back in. Easily reversed if you ever want to sell it.
Jose A, you can do a search and try the same as above but I don't know what resistance you need. And DO NOT try to measure resistance of your existing airbag module. Says not to in the Ford manual, and I know for a fact that you can use as little as 6 volts to set one off, so you wouldn't want to chance it.
Ford has a Rotunda xxxxx (part number) Airbag Simulator. It's a resistor that simulates the load of the airbag initiator on the back of the airbag module.
Disconnect the connector on the back of the airbag. Leave it disconnected and stick a 2 ohm resistor in the harness coming out of the column. Just to be clear, the airbag assembly will be in your hand and you will NOT connect anything to it. Only connect to the wires inside the wheel. After the resistor is installed, leave the airbag module disconnected and bolt it back in. Easily reversed if you ever want to sell it.
Jose A, you can do a search and try the same as above but I don't know what resistance you need. And DO NOT try to measure resistance of your existing airbag module. Says not to in the Ford manual, and I know for a fact that you can use as little as 6 volts to set one off, so you wouldn't want to chance it.
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
I have your fix!
My 94 had a flashing airbag light with code 32. ( clock spring) I'm broke so I cant fix it now but the light drove me nuts. I pulled the dash trim and used needle nose pliers to remove the bulb. But then the AB module started beeping 3 times then 2 times. It actually beeped the trouble code. So I let it beep to find the source. It was coming from the AB module behind the lower center of the dash, its a blue box with a black connector and a gray connector. I unplugged them and now no light or beeper. I will fix it one day but for now it works for me.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,460
Likes: 6
From: Florida
+1 on belt being stuck. I have wrapped the belt around the durn steering wheel on junkyard trucks when removing steering parts, so I know there is plenty there. Ford has a Rotunda xxxxx (part number) Airbag Simulator. It's a resistor that simulates the load of the airbag initiator on the back of the airbag module.
Disconnect the connector on the back of the airbag. Leave it disconnected and stick a 2 ohm resistor in the harness coming out of the column. Just to be clear, the airbag assembly will be in your hand and you will NOT connect anything to it. Only connect to the wires inside the wheel. After the resistor is installed, leave the airbag module disconnected and bolt it back in. Easily reversed if you ever want to sell it.
Jose A, you can do a search and try the same as above but I don't know what resistance you need. And DO NOT try to measure resistance of your existing airbag module. Says not to in the Ford manual, and I know for a fact that you can use as little as 6 volts to set one off, so you wouldn't want to chance it.
Disconnect the connector on the back of the airbag. Leave it disconnected and stick a 2 ohm resistor in the harness coming out of the column. Just to be clear, the airbag assembly will be in your hand and you will NOT connect anything to it. Only connect to the wires inside the wheel. After the resistor is installed, leave the airbag module disconnected and bolt it back in. Easily reversed if you ever want to sell it.
Jose A, you can do a search and try the same as above but I don't know what resistance you need. And DO NOT try to measure resistance of your existing airbag module. Says not to in the Ford manual, and I know for a fact that you can use as little as 6 volts to set one off, so you wouldn't want to chance it.
In the picture: Part Number 4 is the airbag, completely removed; Parts Number 3, 2, and 1 were reassembled and re-installed. Everything working fine except for the airbag light.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,460
Likes: 6
From: Florida
My 94 had a flashing airbag light with code 32. ( clock spring) I'm broke so I cant fix it now but the light drove me nuts. I pulled the dash trim and used needle nose pliers to remove the bulb. But then the AB module started beeping 3 times then 2 times. It actually beeped the trouble code. So I let it beep to find the source. It was coming from the AB module behind the lower center of the dash, its a blue box with a black connector and a gray connector. I unplugged them and now no light or beeper. I will fix it one day but for now it works for me.
I've been trying to research how-to's online but all I get is "airbags for sale".
I read somewhere that you can also jumper both pins of the airbag connector under the horn pad and that will fool the system into thinking there is an airbag, but I have not done that for fear of frying something.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,460
Likes: 6
From: Florida
I decided to take pictures in case I was killed. Here's the assembly before I took it apart: rivets...rivets...rivets everywhere.
Carpenter Local 745
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,794
Likes: 11
From: on da beach
Isnʻt it illegal to disable airbag?
Well, if you do it at your own risk itʻs ok, but I hope it is reinstalled
or reactivated if you sell the car or truck.
Most insurance companies may not pay up if you are in an accident
with disabled SRS.
Do they pay if you donʻt use your seat belt?
What if you disable SRS and donʻt use a seat belt? wait that was the ʻ80s.
Well, if you do it at your own risk itʻs ok, but I hope it is reinstalled
or reactivated if you sell the car or truck.
Most insurance companies may not pay up if you are in an accident
with disabled SRS.
Do they pay if you donʻt use your seat belt?
What if you disable SRS and donʻt use a seat belt? wait that was the ʻ80s.
