MR2 Roadster Owners Club

The Workshop => Maintenance, Problems & Troubleshooting => Topic started by: The Scoop on June 20, 2011, 09:49

Title: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: The Scoop on June 20, 2011, 09:49
Hi,
I want to deactivate the passenger side airbag on my 2000 Roadster and since there isn't a switch I fancy doing it by removing the fuse.

Any ideas where I can find it and has anyone else done this??

Of course, if there is a better way, please share!

Thanks,
Steve
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: DannyN on June 20, 2011, 09:58
I think you have to go back to Toyota and ask them to deactivate it
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: Anonymous on June 20, 2011, 09:58
first question is why would you want to do it. also not sure if it would work but you coould switch one of the wires to the airbag to disable it as it would then not be able to make a circuit to the air bag if it wanted to set it off.
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: DannyN on June 20, 2011, 10:25
It's been done before to allow children in the front seat.
I'm sure I've read before that's it's not just as simple as removing the power or firing cable and that it has to go back to Toyota to be deactivated.
Title: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: AmeR on June 20, 2011, 10:26
I thought it wasn't possible to deactivate the airbag for the passenger side - hence the no rear facing baby seats etc!?

Also, would removing the fuse not deactivate both!?
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: E on June 20, 2011, 10:32
Im pretty sure Ive read somewhere on here that there is a connector around the glovebox somewhere that disconnects the passenger airbag.
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: E on June 20, 2011, 10:35
try this  l viewtopic.php?f=31&t=7889 (http://www.mr2roc.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=7889) l
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: cclarke99 on June 20, 2011, 12:29
Theres some more info here

 l viewtopic.php?f=9&t=25794 (http://www.mr2roc.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=25794) l

and I think I've got a marked up circuit diagram somewhwere if that would be any use
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Anyone succeeded??
Post by: The Scoop on June 21, 2011, 20:13
I really thought this was going to be a simple job, it would appear I was wrong!!
I'd like to disable the airbag to put my sons front facing child seat in, but also I'd like to enable the airbag quite quickly afterwards for use of the car when he isn't in it.

Thanks for the responses, however has anyone actually succeeded in doing this??  There seems to be plenty of ideas, but noone saying that they've actually finshed the job.
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: The Scoop on June 24, 2011, 09:27
Anyone?
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: E on June 24, 2011, 09:43
I haven't done it myself as I have no need, but in the link I posted it tells you exactly which wire to disconnect, how much easier do you want it. if I needed to enable and disable it I personally would put a simple on off switch to that wire and fit it in or around the glove box.
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: Stephster on June 24, 2011, 10:06
It is ok (although not ideal) to put a front facing child seat in the passenger seat, the owner's manual devotes several sides to how to do this correctly. Basically, you push the seat back as far as it will go, and also tilt it right back. My 2 year old often drives in the car with me, as he much prefers it to the 207.
Failing that ( my friend advised me about this ), you can get a friendly mechanic to install a switch for you - but I don't know how this would sit with the insurance.
Title: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: andyroo104 on June 24, 2011, 15:59
I am sure that the link given would disable it,but nobody is willing to test that fact.
Andy.
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: The Scoop on June 24, 2011, 20:05
Quote from: "Stephster"Failing that ( my friend advised me about this ), you can get a friendly mechanic to install a switch for you - but I don't know how this would sit with the insurance.

Interesting point, food for thought.

Thanks everyone.
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Anyone succeeded??
Post by: OldMan on June 24, 2011, 21:29
Quote from: "The Scoop"I really thought this was going to be a simple job, it would appear I was wrong!!
I'd like to disable the airbag to put my sons front facing child seat in, but also I'd like to enable the airbag quite quickly afterwards for use of the car when he isn't in it.

Thanks for the responses, however has anyone actually succeeded in doing this??  There seems to be plenty of ideas, but noone saying that they've actually finshed the job.

MR2 Spyders sold in the United States have an ignition key operated switch in the glove box for precisely that purpose.
It should be possible to install one into a Roadster.  The ignition key operation may be a problem, though.

My exploded drawings are for a left-hand-drive car, and say the part numbers are:
69065-17020  Driver's Side
69065-17010  Passenger's Side
One of these should do the trick.
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: Anonymous on July 23, 2011, 22:32
I fired an airbag off in the garden once. I was interested in the effect that removing the head restraint would have on a persons head when the bag deployed. It blew a melon about 5 metres!
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: mrzwei on July 23, 2011, 22:45
I had one deploy when I crashed an MGF. I passed out and it cracked a bone in the chest. (That could have been the seatbelt though).
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: shnazzle on November 24, 2013, 15:35
Holy thread revival batman!!

I've just put our little one in the Emu (2005 MR2) and realised this one does not have a passenger airbag switch!!
Now from reading other stuff on here I'm partially confused because the 2002 MR2 I've just sold DID have one.
How did that one end up with one?

Found a switch on eBay for 18 quid...and 32 postage!

So, was the switch ever officially part of the UK version?
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: Anonymous on June 10, 2014, 13:15
afternoon all, thought I'd have a go at reviving this thread as I thought of a simple fix for this that I've not seen mentioned..

I'm in a similar position to many, in that I had assumed there was an air-bag disabling switch to allow use of rear-facing child seats, and starting next week I'm going to need to drop our little girl at the childminder a couple of days a week.

Anyway, If you look underneath the seats there is a wiring connector to the seat, and I'm assuming it must contain a couple of switch outputs:  1 to signify weight in the seat, and 1 to signify that seatbelt is on.

So question is this..   if you just disconnect the seat connector, would the car assume there is no passenger present and not fire the air bag on that side in the event of an impact?
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: spit on June 10, 2014, 16:09
I had a look at the seatbelt switch wiring diagram many moons ago. I don't recall it being linked to the airbag circuitry, just the seat belt tensioner, the buckle, and the flashy light.
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: Anonymous on June 10, 2014, 17:24
I think it's a very large assumption to make (and wrong in my opinion) that airbag won't trigger if passenger seat isn't occupied.
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: 1979scotte on June 10, 2014, 17:48
Quote from: "Meeerrrk"I think it's a very large assumption to make (and wrong in my opinion) that airbag won't trigger if passenger seat isn't occupied.

I agree its one thing to have a US spec car with a proper switch from the factory. Another to go playing with the airbag wiring on your own. Not a chance i would take with my kids. If i had any!   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: Anonymous on June 10, 2014, 19:19
Anyone fancy trying it??  s:D :D s:D
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: shnazzle on June 11, 2014, 00:00
Quote from: "spit"I had a look at the seatbelt switch wiring diagram many moons ago. I don't recall it being linked to the airbag circuitry, just the seat belt tensioner, the buckle, and the flashy light.

The mr2 has pre-tensioners?? Never knew this...how advanced.

I'd still like this too.
My youngest is now forward facing, but there's still something slightly unnerving about knowing her little face could be smashed in and hands/arms broken even if I were to have a crash that would result in less damage sans-bag.
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: Anonymous on June 11, 2014, 13:27
Cheers for all the replies,  and yeah it did feel like a bit of a risky assumption to be making.

had a look through a DVD I've got that has some of the wiring diagrams for the '2 and I certainly couldnt see a connection to the passenger seat sensors and the SRS controller, there is one to the driver's seat strangely..   I wonder if that's to avoid airbags being deployed accidentally when in transit

ended up just disconnecting it after consulting the wiring diagram, and it's arguably easier to do that than it would be to unbolt the seat and get to the connector that's beneath it anyway!

Steps:

IMPORTANT:   first disconnect the battery and wait for at least 90 seconds - according to the info I found the SRS system has a backup power source which could trigger the airbag squibs even if the main battery is not connected.

- Once battery has been disconnected and you have waited 90seconds, remove the glove box
- Get on your back so that your head is down in passenger footwell looking up into the space above the glovebox - you should see this
(http://i.imgur.com/V8QVbO8.jpg)

- As you're looking up, you'll see the cylindrical airbag assembly, and over to the left a small yellow connector onto the side of the airbag
(http://i.imgur.com/Q3GSfM7.jpg)

- Follow that yellow connector and its wires back and you'll find the connector plug that connects the passenger airbag to the wiring loom.
- Disconnect the connector plug by sliding the small catch back slightly whilst pulling apart
(http://i.imgur.com/ACBzsX3.jpg)

- Tuck the two loose ends away to ensure no risk of them accidentally touching
- Glovebox back in
- Reconnect battery
- Start engine and check that you have now got an airbag warning light on the instrument cluster

The airbag warning light will stay illuminated but I can handle that and see it as a useful reminder that I need to sort it out before I carry a normal adult passenger again!

Hope that helps those that are still looking for a solution to this
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: 1979scotte on June 11, 2014, 14:44
Are we sure that it is impossible for the airbag to deploy? 100%?
There maybe a time in the future when  this becomes useful but I wouldn't want to take any chances.
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: Anonymous on June 11, 2014, 15:40
If the airbag light is on then none of your airbags will work!!! I also think the pretensioners will be deactivated.

I was going to suggest the same thing but with one important addition..put a fused resistor in there to allow the rest of the system to function if you need it!
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: Anonymous on June 11, 2014, 15:41
Quote from: "1979scotte"Are we sure that it is impossible for the airbag to deploy? 100%?
There maybe a time in the future when  this becomes useful but I wouldn't want to take any chances.

100% - it's unplugged so can't be triggered.
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: Anonymous on June 11, 2014, 18:27
Quote from: "1979scotte"Are we sure that it is impossible for the airbag to deploy? 100%?
There maybe a time in the future when  this becomes useful but I wouldn't want to take any chances.
the wiring diagram suggested I was looking for just a two wire connection to the passenger airbag, one yellow, one yellow-black (see below).. that's exactly what I found so yeah, I'm 100% happy it's not going to go off

(http://i.imgur.com/Cdcxt2Z.jpg)



Quote from: "Meeerrrk"If the airbag light is on then none of your airbags will work!!! I also think the pretensioners will be deactivated.
I dont agree with you there, but I confess I dont know for sure.  IMO it just wouldn't make sense (and hopefully wouldnt be allowed) to have a safety critical system like that completely fall over just because one of the components it's attached to goes down..    You can see from the diagram that all the tensioners and airbags have their own dedicated channels to the controller, I'd be very very surprised if there were any series connections between them.
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: Anonymous on June 11, 2014, 20:00
As you say, I also don't know for sure, but as far as I am aware, if the airbag light is on, the system is disabled.

For the sake of a £3 resistor from eBay, why take the chance?
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: Anonymous on June 11, 2014, 22:26
 m http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121257071080 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121257071080) m  

Buy yourself one of these, disconnect battery, plug into the car loom (not the airbag side!) leave battery disconnected for a while and the light should go out and stay out. You are safe in the knowledge your airbag and pretensioners will work and the passenger airbag will be off.

You could of course wire in a switch with the resistor on one side and the air bag on the other. That's what I would do if I needed to turn if off sometimes.
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: shnazzle on June 11, 2014, 23:00
Can we not just get a fellow pre-FL owner to have a peek for us, and install a rocker switch or something where the key switch is on pre-FLs?
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: mrzwei on June 11, 2014, 23:21
An irony here is that it is not an offence for the airbag not to be connected but it is an offence (MOT fail so the car is un-roadworthy) for the airbag light to stay illuminated. To pass it must come on when the ignition is turned on and go out when the engine starts.

Switch has to be the best legal solution because you require a rear facing or whatever baby seat to be fitted.

(Fault code on my Z3 indicated a faulty passenger seat pre-tensioner which in reality was a corroded connection under the seat so the light wouldn't go out and I couldn't reset it so it failed).
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: Stu2fly on August 13, 2014, 13:24
Hi everyone, reading this thread with interest but I still have the same original question.. If I can't disconnect the passenger airbag is it safe for my 2 1/2 year old to sit in the passenger seat in his car seat? I read somewhere about risk to the child if the bag goes off..then its ok as long as he is in a proper child seat...I am a simple soul who craves a straight answer! lol
Title: Re: Air Bag Deactivation - Fuse?
Post by: shnazzle on August 13, 2014, 13:34
I reckon if my 4 year old is in her car seat and the seat is all the way back,  it's probably best to have it on. That's assuming the force will be less by the time it reaches her with the seat all the way back,  and also assuming the seat belt locks sooner rather than later