Searched to no avail for info on how to disable ones airbags when going offroad (NOT on public highways!) so that there is no accidental discharge when banging and clanging around the rocks and gulleys... Is there a quick and easy fuse or connection one can pull and then put back when back on the main roads?
Easy off-road disable airbag switch or ?
- Thread starter DPR64
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ShooterMcGavin
New member
This is only MY personal opinion. I haven't done the studies or research to formulate this...
I suspect that air bag systems are generally very reliable. 99.9% of the time, if your air bag deploys, it's because the system detected an impact severe enough that the air bag could benefit the driver/passenger.
Sometimes, when I'm in really dicey situations offroad, I will tighten my seatbelt and give it a twist before clicking it in. I just don't see a benefit in disabling the air bag. You need to be crashing your rig into stuff pretty hard to set it off. Maybe your driving technique needs some tweaking?
I suspect that air bag systems are generally very reliable. 99.9% of the time, if your air bag deploys, it's because the system detected an impact severe enough that the air bag could benefit the driver/passenger.
Sometimes, when I'm in really dicey situations offroad, I will tighten my seatbelt and give it a twist before clicking it in. I just don't see a benefit in disabling the air bag. You need to be crashing your rig into stuff pretty hard to set it off. Maybe your driving technique needs some tweaking?
I've rear ended people before at 20-30mph, hit trees and fences, wrapped a car around a tree (I was pretty stupid when I was younger), had people rear end me, and been in accidents with other folks driving and haven't had an air bag go off. My sister t-boned a tahoe hard enough to spin it through 3 lanes and throw it over a curb and total it with her car and she didn't have the air bags go off.
Point to all of this is that the airbags are an intelligent system and don't go off if they are warranted. Not saying it doesn't happen because things do fail but it's definitely not worth the hassle or risk or worry of disabling them for off-road use.
Point to all of this is that the airbags are an intelligent system and don't go off if they are warranted. Not saying it doesn't happen because things do fail but it's definitely not worth the hassle or risk or worry of disabling them for off-road use.
jgue467
Senior Member
Looking thru our beloved FSM, have you tried disconnecting the airbag sensor assembly located towards the front of the console? :cowboy:
The irony of that situation makes me laugh.
I hit a pontiac sunfire with a corvette hard enough to shove them in to the rear end of a 4 door mercury. The Mercury drove off without a scratch, vette had a busted headlight housing and cracked bumper and I drove it home, sunfire was totaled, and my airbags never went off.
Lots of dynamics occurring in a wreck.
Hmmm, perhaps you have a handy dandy diagram/illustration that you can post up? I would appreciate it! Perhaps there is a way to run a switch to it for easy on/off that would be easier access?
rideexileex
Senior Member
Any fault in the SRS system will cause the airbags to deactivate. More research would be needed, but you might be able to unplug something or put a switch between a sensor, etc. Just be careful, as I've heard many times that disconnecting some of the wires can actually trigger airbags to deploy.
Anyhow, the airbags only deploy under certain conditions too, like they wont deploy under 5mph, etc (and that's as far as the car knows from wheels spinning with the ABS sensors, not tire sliding).
But I've never heard of an airbag going off from rock crawling... Those desert guys might have other experiences.
Anyhow, the airbags only deploy under certain conditions too, like they wont deploy under 5mph, etc (and that's as far as the car knows from wheels spinning with the ABS sensors, not tire sliding).
But I've never heard of an airbag going off from rock crawling... Those desert guys might have other experiences.
willbgood
New member
Read the FSM, this simply is not true from what I have seen of the ECM, circuitry and the system design. In my opinion, a switch incorrectly installed could be deadly, as the Airbag could activate at an in opportune time.
If I were going to deactivate the system, I would disconnect everything, safe off the connectors,, and then hope that nothing ever activated the bags spuriously. If I could effectively remove them, destroy them, and replace the covers I would. Unfortunately at this time I do believe it is possible.
If you look at the FSM and follow the instruction for safely working on the System, you can disconnect, and safe off all the connectors. In the alternative, you can also just disconnect the passenger airbag, but you will throw a trouble code, as well as have the idiot light stay on( it can be disconnected as well, or the famous black tape field expedient repair can be deployed).
That said, I would worry about the driver airbag, because I do not know how the ECM for the system, a separate ECM from the vehicle ECM, is programed. I imagine it as a static system, that requires ABC to happen before XYZ, but it could be dynamic, constantly checking for changes, and if it interprets the passenger disconnect as deployment, it my deploy the driver side, although in the 94 this is not case, I can not speak for after the nanny state demanded we all drive with explosives in our face with no means to diffuse them.
Here is the link to the conversation from a few weeks ago:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/70443-airbags-3.html
I figure I need to a add a disclaimer here. I am anti airbag, and I do not believe the BS that they save lives. and in fact, I believe that they have taken more than they have saved...The only thing I can say about them, for sure, is in a laboratory setting, dummies are damaged less when airbags deploy as designed in a perfect set of circumstances, which do not account for real world accidents and accident experience. Ever wonder why NASCAR does not have them?
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gamefreakgc
Elite Member
This is my thoughts exactly. You wire it wrong, or mess with the wrong connector and BOOM! airbags deploy in your face. Then you're out $100's to replace the bags and possibly new steering wheel and dash.
You'd have to fall off a cliff in order for the bags to deploy air bags while off-roading. Lateral g's don't set these off, we don't have side curtain bags or anything like that. Even if you roll the front ones just don't deploy.
nevada
Senior Member
unless you know something I don't, he is correct. if any fault is detected, it deactivates the entire system. so if there is an SRS/airbag warning light lit up on the dash, the system will not deploy airbags. the fault that throws the light also kills the system.
for the rest of your post, I firmly agree. I don't care for airbags, nor ABS brakes. I wont get into my reasons here..
to the OP, do the 3rd gens have a seat/pressure sensor?
meaning, is the passenger airbag disabled if nobody is sitting there?
i would assume yes.
perhaps a safer solution would be to tie in a separate switch to that pressure sensor? so you can affectively disable the pressure sensor, so the computer believes nobody is sitting there. though, im not sure if they would install this type of sensor in the drivers seat. as someone will be sitting there if the vehicle is being driven.
something to look into at least.
its what I would like to do to my 06, but have just never gotten around to it.
willbgood
New member
If only it was true about lateral G's...but your right about messing with this system if you do know what your doing.
My wife reminded me of a wreck where two vehicles bumped on the freeway between St George and Las Vegas. The sideswipe was caused by the driver of one vehicle looking at the driver of the other while passing and committing pilot error. The incidental sideswipe was recoverable...until the driver airbags of both vehicles deployed, knocked the drivers silly, and both vehicles careened into the desert, killing 8 people. Witnesses stated the vehicles barely mad contact. Would they have been able to recover at 75...no one can really judge that because we can not after the fact recreate the situation based upon not knowing the skill set of the drivers...what I can say, is I could have recovered, because I have that skill set, but not after being knocked silly by an explosive force to the face.
By the way, I witnessed the wrecks aftermath, and there were no skid marks seem to indicate that 1 vehicle never even hit the brakes as it careened over 100 yards into the desert before rolling multiple times. The second vehicle, the one that caused the wreck, laid a skid pattern on the freeway, before careening of the road and rolling. You judge for your selves, but I saw the evidence of an accident that could have been recovered from, and can honestly say I have in a similar situation both on the track and off.
If you decide you can, you must have an FSM and follow the instruction...especially disconnecting the battery, and waiting while the de-energizes...
VolcanoT4R
New member
Tacoma's have a key switch that allow the passenger side air bag to be turned off. Perhaps a comparison of the FSM's for each vehicle will lead to a solution for the passenger air bag. Don't know of a way to disable the driver side air bag without (at the very least) disconnecting the battery and waiting for it to discharge. Personally, it always freaks me out a little when I'm working on wiring in that part of the vehicle for fear the airbag will go off. I ALWAYS disconnect the negative terminal of the battery for at least 10 minutes before I mess around with that stuff. But, I'm a wuss like that.
bugman-74
New member
I've pondered a disable switch also, and have studied some of the diagrams. Its a relatively robust system, with a safing sensor in series with multiple crash sensors (accelerometers). In the end though, I'm not comfortable having an explosive device aimed at my head with a squib triggered by a modified circuit that interrupts some signal/power wire with the vehicle energized. The "simplest solution" IMO is probably to just yank the airbag all together (and perhaps someone can 3D print a "cover" for the steering wheel). Its probably not worth worrying about though.
Also note there is an occupancy sensor in the passenger side seat. Image below (at least, this is what it looks like on my '99). Its a fairly simple weight/continuity sensor with multiple contacts. I haven't traced the wiring on it to see if it interfaces the SRS system, or just the seatbelt light. If it disables the airbag with no passenger, then this would be easy to interrupt with a switch - however no such luck on the drivers side.
Also note there is an occupancy sensor in the passenger side seat. Image below (at least, this is what it looks like on my '99). Its a fairly simple weight/continuity sensor with multiple contacts. I haven't traced the wiring on it to see if it interfaces the SRS system, or just the seatbelt light. If it disables the airbag with no passenger, then this would be easy to interrupt with a switch - however no such luck on the drivers side.
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gamefreakgc
Elite Member
Yeah I took the airbag out of my wife's old Corolla to add cruise control and it was a bit daunting. Essentially the airbag is a small explosive device.
techno
New member
My 2008 4Runner has Roll Sensing Curtain Airbags (RSCA) that are, as the name suggests, designed to inflate when the sensors detect the vehicle is rolling onto it's side. It also has an RSCA Off button which deactivates them. It's to be used when offroad incase the vehicle is getting bounced around or leaning sideways due to the terrain, and not in fact rolling over. Even though they are not impact type airbags perhaps you could research that system to find a way to make your plans work safely.
BTW, I've been offroading for 30 years and never ever seen or heard 1st hand of an unwanted airbag inflation. The benefits of simply leaving them alone are far greater than the miniscule risk of them going off unexpectedly.
BTW, I've been offroading for 30 years and never ever seen or heard 1st hand of an unwanted airbag inflation. The benefits of simply leaving them alone are far greater than the miniscule risk of them going off unexpectedly.
Rock_Rat
Senior Member
Fully agree ^^^^^
I'm no lawyer, but damn, tampering with your air bag without going through proper channels can't be right. Like it or not...It's my understanding that federal law requires vehicle manufacturers to comply with all motor vehicle safety standards. If you insure your vehicle for highway use with these safety standards and then modify or "degrade" the system without written permission AND you get injured, you won't be covered by your insurance.
If someone else drives your vehicle and they get injured and you failed to disclose to them the air bag was tampered with...major lawsuit due to contributing negligence. I could be wrong here...Not a risk I'm willing to take. Very interesting thread though...you piqued my interest.
