Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General Disable Passenger Airbag

Can someone tell me if it's possible or where I could locate information on disabling the passenger airbag? My 9 year old hates riding in the back, and there have been too many injuries to children by airbags for me to let her ride in the front. Ford won't even discuss it with me, but I recall when we purchased the car several years ago there being a way to get an exception from the government or something. I should've followed up on it then, but she was much younger at the time and in a car seat so it wasn't much of an issue then.

I think you are out of luck, short of removing the airbag itself. IIRC, the control module fires BOTH airbags or neither. It's been a while since I actually saw the operating specs of the part though.

If you remove the passenger airbag, you'll have a permanant airbag light (equivalent to CEL, except it will flash and might disable the driver's as well).

Sounds like the kid has to sit in the back, like it or not. Definitely should not be sitting near the airbag, especially since you have Gen 1 airbags.

Never heard of the government exception. Like I said, disabling one might disable both.

Just found the exception, There was a law passed that would allow Ford to install a switch to turn the airbag on or off. I had paperwork on this at the time. But my local Ford dealer didn't want to discuss it at all.

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/airbags/rule/section01.html

"Second, vehicle owners must certify that they are a member of one of several specified risk groups or that their vehicle will be driven or occupied by a person who is a member of such a group"

There is the big catch!

Unless you have 4 kids under ~30lbs(age 3 or so); You are very unlikely to get certified driving a 4-door sedan.

Oh yeah, I remember that now. Most certs are given to people that drive Rangers or F-150s, since there is no back seat in some. (They come with an airbag disable key switch now.) Like Demon said, slim chance IMHO for a 4 door sedan to get one.

I suppose the switch that the dealer would install works sort of like a MIL Eliminator, where it sends the signal (likely a closed circuit with specified resistance) the airbag module is expecting, to keep the airbag module from throwing a code. They'd have to do something to operate a light (maybe in the switch) according to the web link you provided though.

On a lighter note, all I got when I asked to sit up front when I was younger (not because of an airbag) was this advice: "You're going to sit in the back, because I'm the mom and I say so." Can't win that argument if you're the kid. :rolleyes:

My sis has 3 kids, the oldest of which is 7. I'll disable the airbags somehow, with the NHTSA's help or not. The more I've read on the net about this since my original post, the more I'd like them both disabled.

I believe you will be able to find a way to disable it. DO NOT DISABLE THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG!!! You said you want to disable both, I'm unsure if you mean both your's and your sister's, or both of your's. The driver's side airbag has saved many more lives than it has takens, just make sure you sit properly and have the steering wheel tilted properly. My mom made me sit in the back till I was 12. It does suck.

This is one way to keep the kid in line and not spoil her rotten. She'll get the privilege to sit up front when she's older...

I'm not bashing your parenting it's just under my own observations when the parent goes way too far out of their way to let the kid have what he/she wants, the kid often ends up thinking "oh I can always have what I want" -- which can lead to social problems (a biggie in school).

Thanks but I'd also prefer she was up front when it's just the two of us. She behaves very well, especially to be my child.

There is a Special tool we used at the volvo shop,its just a resistor that replaces the airbag plug.In other words this resistors plug is identical to the plug on the back of the airbag.It fools the SRS (Suplimental Restraint System) into thinking the bag is still hooked up.Therefore no SRS light.
I do not know the value of this resistor.
DO NOT HOOK UP AN OHM METER TO YOUR AIR BAG!!!!!!
The small amount of current that your meter uses to operate CAN SET OFF THE AIR BAG!I have seen this happen!It will blow your head off your shoulders if your down at it.
So if you could find out the resistance of the airbag,you could just pop a resistor into the wiring harness that plugs into your airbag.Done..