Gadget to trick the BCM to think it has a pass side airbag

[Harpo]

I have a problem.

Just got home from the yearly inspection.not approved because of a new rule.

You see, i have a child seat in the front pass seat. Therefore i have disconnected and removed the airbag for obvious reasons.
I have for two years driven with the airbag removed with no problems at the inspection before.

Since January 29 there is a new rule against having the SRS system indicate any fault here in Sweden.

I have heard of a plug that you can put in the connector instead of the airbag to fool the system to think the airbag is there to get the system to function as usual and not getting any airbag warning lamps or messages about service airbag system.

Have anyone heard of this before????

I must solve this because i dont want to have to install the airbag and remove it again every year.

I know there is a plug used by dealers to test the system somehow, but that is a expensive piece. There should be a simpler plug with the same resistance as the airbag, at least what i heard.


Please help!!

 

[Me007gold]

Remove the child seat before inspection, then after you pass put it back in?

 

[Harpo]

The seat is not the problem,,, its the light and indication of SRS malfunction, child seat or not doesnt matter.

 

[Me007gold]

Are the airbags in our vehicles "smart" airbags? Meaning they will not go off unless a certain amount of weight is on them? You could always move the child seat to the rear and reinstall the air bags?

Then again you could always just unplug the air bag, when you dont need it and plug it back in when you are getting inspected, It dosnt have to be removed for that.

 

[RayVoy]

I don't know about the trucks made for Europe, but the NA trucks would have a weight sensing switch that disables the air bag when the seat is empty, or when there is a small person in the seat.

If you have this feature, go back to factory specs and leave the child seat in the front. The air bag will not deploy.

This feature is intended for smaller people, ie: children who no longer use a child seat, or a booster seat; adults who are not very big.

Again, I am not informed about your laws; but in Canada child seats are not permitted in the front, they must be used in the rear.

 

[Mooseman]

I don't think the 2002 have weight sensing seat air bags. Not sure which years started these but definitely 2002 didn't have them. There is a dash indicator to say if the seat is occupied or not and if the airbag is active. My 2008 (and previously my 2006) Montana has this and gets mad if the passenger doesn't buckle the seat belt. The light indicates if the airbag is on or not.

My suggestion would be to re-install the bag, connect it and pass your inspection. You don't have to remove the bag to deactivate it. You can pull the fuse but this will also deactivate the driver's bag. Or just unplug the passenger bag. It won't fire if it's unplugged. Another legal option is to have a deactivation switch installed at the dealer. When all the issues with airbags came out before smart airbags, they had these keyed switch boxes available to deactivate it without giving an error.

 

[Mark20]

Does your mirror have an indicator that the passenger airbags is on/off? If so you atleast have the weight sensor there and the airbags should not fire with the weight of a car seat.

However I agree, the safest spot for a car seat is the rear seats.

 

[kardain]

http://www.airbagsystems.com/simulator.html

Not sure if they ship out of the country or if they have a sim that will work in the GMT, but worth a shot.

 

[Harpo]

Airbag Simulator/Disconnect

Not sure if they ship out of the country or if they have a sim that will work in the GMT, but worth a shot.[/QUOT

I actually found that site late last night. That seems to be exactly what i am looking for.

The dealers sold something like that years ago, but GM stopped that due to the risk of lawsuits.

I agree that the best place is in the rear seats, but i am forced to have it like this for two more years.


I Do have the weight sensing feature (US import ) but as i understand that decides wich one of the two stages the airbag will use when it deploys, not prevent it from deploying.

 

[RayVoy]

No, you are wrong.............................

If you have the same passenger weight sensing feature as the North American trucks, it is a go, no go situation.

The air bag will not deploy if the seat is empty.

The air bag will not deploy if the weight of the person in the seat does not operate the "go" switch.

 

[Mark20]

No, you are wrong.............................

If you have the same passenger weight sensing feature as the North American trucks, it is a go, no go situation.

The air bag will not deploy if the seat is empty.

The air bag will not deploy if the weight of the person in the seat does not operate the "go" switch.

That makes the most sense. The indicator says on/OFF and part of the reason was to not set off an airbag if it wasn't needed for an empty seat to save the insurance companies $$$.

 

[Mooseman]

That makes the most sense. The indicator says on/OFF and part of the reason was to not set off an airbag if it wasn't needed for an empty seat to save the insurance companies $$$.

No, it was to save their own a$$e$ when they deployed and killed kids and small adults, which was a problem with the first airbags. I disabled my mother-in-law's driver airbag in her '91 Corsica at the time because she's 5 foot nothing and was about an inch from the steering wheel.

 

[ScarabEpic22]

If you have the weight sensing feature, put it back to stock.

Honestly though, why would you ever put a car seat in the front seat? Ive honestly never heard of ANYONE doing that before. Dont know if it's a law here in Washington, but you wont ever catch me putting a child up front until they can use a basic booster on the bottom seat only (and not for a while, still have a long ways to go before I have kids). Sorry if that's harsh, but especially with an EXT just put it in the second row and not have to worry about this.

 

[Mooseman]

Same here. I never put the kids seat in the front. The back is always safer. Some used the excuse that they can keep an eye on the baby while driving. There are mirrors and if there is something, pull over. You shouldn't be fussing over a crying baby while driving anyway.

 

[Harpo]

I agree about having the kids in the front seat,BUT,,,, if you have 5 kids between 6 months and 9 years all together i the rear seats of the truck you would have world war III in the back regions after 5 min.

You have to have mother "peacemaker" in the backseat.

Its no law against putting a kid seat in the front, but its not the most recommended spot of course.

Why i removed the airbag is because i dont trust it not to go off, even if its disconnected. Its a potential bomb and makes me feel a lot better if its in the garage.

I have ordered a airbag simulator to fix my problem from airbagsystems.com.

 

[06Envoy]

I agree about having the kids in the front seat,BUT,,,, if you have 5 kids between 6 months and 9 years all together i the rear seats of the truck you would have world war III in the back regions after 5 min.

You have to have mother "peacemaker" in the backseat.

Its no law against putting a kid seat in the front, but its not the most recommended spot of course.

Why i removed the airbag is because i dont trust it not to go off, even if its disconnected. Its a potential bomb and makes me feel a lot better if its in the garage.

I have ordered a airbag simulator to fix my problem from airbagsystems.com.

I have two boys who are just entering thier teens. It's always WWIII in the truck with only two kids. I can only imagine the wars with 5 kids!
Here's a helpfull top tip if they are boys... buy lots and lots and lots of nerf darts and a few guns and let them have at it!
We have some pretty epic nerf wars in my house! Let's them let of steam in a safe and fun way. And it seems that they always gang up on me... hmmm, not so much a good idea after all.

ONTOPIC: Kudos to you for deciding to keep your family safe in the best way that you can given the circumstances and for taking action.
Too many guys talk about doing this or doing that or how to do it better, but few actually do it.
Any guy who is spending hard earned money to keep his kids safer is showing true character in my books.

 

[SBUBandit]

I have two boys who are just entering thier teens. It's always WWIII in the truck with only two kids. I can only imagine the wars with 5 kids!
Here's a helpfull top tip if they are boys... buy lots and lots and lots of nerf darts and a few guns and let them have at it!
We have some pretty epic nerf wars in my house! Let's them let of steam in a safe and fun way. And it seems that they always gang up on me... hmmm, not so much a good idea after all.

ONTOPIC: Kudos to you for deciding to keep your family safe in the best way that you can given the circumstances and for taking action.
Too many guys talk about doing this or doing that or how to do it better, but few actually do it.
Any guy who is spending hard earned money to keep his kids safer is showing true character in my books.

My last job issued Nerf guns to all employees. I walked in the first day of work and they said here's your desk, your new laptop and bag, and then they walked me over to a huge closet and opened it and said and choose your weapon. It was like a scene from 007, racks of guns just hanging, and big bags of ammo. You'd be sitting typin in code and suddenly a suction cup tipped dart would stick to your monitor. Then all hell would break loose.

 

[Harpo]

Now is the airbagsimulator in place.
It took some time to get it to Sweden, but today its in place and works perfect.

I had at first some problems due to the fact that i had 4 wires to one airbag.

But after sending some pics to Chris McNutt at airbagsystems (great customer service) we sorted that out.

I do have a two stage airbag, it has two charges of explosives, one big and one smaller.
The weight in the passenger seat is deciding wich one that goes of in a crasch.

Big person= big bang
Small person(kid)=small bang

As you can see in this pic its two charges, one on each side.
The one you see here is the smaller one
View attachment 20565

 

[Wex]

The simulators are a common problem with rebuilt wrecks. Since airbags new cost about a grand each, many unscrupulous profiteers will sell the car and make no mention that the vehicle is lacking airbags. My mother is also very short, I have thought about removing/disabling her airbag as well.