Probably should have posted this question in the auto body section anyway. I recently had my 02 Monte total from a hard hit with a deer setting off both airbags so I now purchased an 04intimidator and would like to disable the airbags or at least the passenger side air bag. Would pulling the fuse for the airbags prevent them from going off.I know that will not disarm the system but I just dont know about deployment. I dont want to total out another one. Thanx for the advice in advance.

 

Typically when you do work on the car in the dash, you disconnect the battery and the fuse for the airbags so they don't go off. So I would assume that you can do that, however you'll have the Airbag light permanently on.

 

I've been in a couple accidents myself (never had an air bag deploy, so I can't say I know what that's like) and I know people have differing opinions about the air bags. Personally, I understand you recognize that you are talking about disarming the air bag system. It is in fact a safety system and some insurance companies I believe offer a discount as a result if you have air bags. On other word of caution, it's only a rumor, but I've heard if you were in an accident and it was found your air bag did not deploy when it should have (which stood a chance in reducing your injuries), insurance companies may investigate the cause and you may be in a world of trouble if it's discovered the system was deliberately tampered with.

Now, that being said, to my knowledge you can do the following:
- Unplug the fuse (disarms the entire system)
- Unplug the air bag itself (so if you only want to disable the passenger side one, you would have to disassemble the dash to get access to that plug).

I hope this helps. But again, I would shy away from disabling it, as it is a safety feature.

 

I am happy in newer cars the passenger seat has a weight sensor and turns on when required.

It does suck that if the passenger air bag goes off, and no one is there, you do ruin the dash and break the windshield for no reason.

I've also been on the receiving end of that airbag... and at the same time I was very happy to have it there.

 

In my case with the deer that walked out in front of me the air bags did me no good. I never moved forward so the airbags just rashed up my wrist. If the bags hadn't gone off my car wouldn't have totaled. I understand the safety features of airbags and am certain that they have saved many lives but in my case it was a needless deployment. I normally go in to work at 0dark thirty and just about every morning I see deer. So im most likely gunna catch another one in the future.

 

You can legally disable the air bag on either side of your car and not have the light come on by purchasing a legal shut off that is an easy in -line plug in. I have one on my passenger side. I contacted the National Highway Institute and they send you a form to fill out and send back. You then buy the part (and you can buy that on ebay or Amazon) and put it in. On the passenger side it is extremely easy to do - take the side dash panel off - find the correct wire loom, unplug it, plug the shut-off switch in line and reconnect - that easy. I did not do it on my drivers side because you may need that bag someday. It works much like the shut off used when you want your computer to think you have an oxygen sensor when you don't.

 

Thanks for that info. I can consider that being done on mine already. I do agree with leaving the drivers bag armed.its much easier to replace and doesn't tear up the whole dash. And 99 out of 100 times I'm the only one in my ride.