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  #1  
Old 11-01-2000, 05:26 PM
Eddie Gilmartin's Avatar
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Location: Dublin, Ireland
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Due to a new arrival to the family I need to know how to disable the front passenger side dashboard mounted airbag on a Euro '97 E-class and a '00 A-class. Reason being that a newborn should face rearwards until about 6 months, apparently.

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'97 E300Turbodiesel "Superchip" 200+bhp
'00 A140 Avantgarde Auto
'91 500SEL W126
'66 220SEb Coupe (restoration pending)
'58 180D (restoration underway)

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  #2  
Old 11-01-2000, 06:33 PM
MBZ.Ian
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New born should be located in the center rear seat with the manuel seat belt and an anchor. It is the safest place.
As for disconnecting the air bag, not recomended. If you must have the child in the front, look into updating the system to a later version with the "baby smart" seat by Mercedes-Benz. It is retrofittable, but there is a phase in.

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Mercedes-Benz Master Guild - 2 years
Shop Foreman - 20 + years - dealer.
Part owner - MBZ Transmission remanufacture
2000 SL500
1999 ML430
1989 300SE
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  #3  
Old 11-01-2000, 06:52 PM
MikeTangas's Avatar
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Also, in the States it is not recommended that anyone under 12 years of age sit in the front seat of an air bag equipped vehicle. The force of the air bag, when it deploys, can kill young children and even small adults. As in the previous post, center rear seat is the safest position for younguns

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Mike Tangas
73 280 SEL 4.5
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  #4  
Old 11-01-2000, 07:37 PM
AucklandGuy
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Young children should never be in the front of a car ... in the back is much safer, and in most countries, the only legal place.

Why disable the airbag anyway? Will an adult never be sitting in the front? If you had a serious accident and an adult was badly hurt or even killed because the airbag did not go off, how could you live with yourself afterwards?
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  #5  
Old 11-01-2000, 11:03 PM
Ashman's Avatar
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Well some cars do have a switch. Saw a Dodge Pickup brand new, which had a switch that had to be turned on or off with a key for the passenger air bag. It might be possible to wire up some kind of switch to turn off or on the airbag.

Alon

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'92 300CE
Metallic Black (Blue Flaked) on Parchment
Clear Corners
94-95 Tail-Lights
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  #6  
Old 11-01-2000, 11:29 PM
MikeTangas's Avatar
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They started putting cut-off switches on the trucks since there isn't a back seat (unless a crew or extended cab). A lot of folks still use a pick-up as a primary mode of transportation, kind of tough sticking the kid(s) in the back seat when there isn't one. It isn't the old days where the kids can just ride in the bed, tucked in close to the cab to stay dry or out of the wind (been there, done that).

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Mike Tangas
73 280 SEL 4.5
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  #7  
Old 11-02-2000, 04:46 PM
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Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA
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Hey, cut the guy some slack. He is in Ireland, they may not force you to have all the extensive, government-mandated safety equipment.

While I am sure that everyone means well, and is concerned for his safety (as am I with a 10 month old of my own), he may have his reasons for wanting the child up front with him.

Sincerely,

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  #8  
Old 11-02-2000, 09:45 PM
dacia's Avatar
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Well, you guys are a righteous bunch, Eddie did not ask for a lesson or scolding here. I am sure he is an adult and can make his own decisions for himself and for his loved ones however different they may be from someone else's.
With that in mind and for educational purposes only if I were to disconnect my airbag on my Benz (this is not to suggest that anyone should do this where it is prohibited by law, which by the way it is not in Canada so if you live here you can do with your SRS system as you wish, check with Transport Canada if you have doubts) I would just simply remove the airbag, unhook the electrical connectors at the back (put some electric tape around the wires) and then put the airbag back.
However since I do not have the electrical diagram for those vehicles (nor am I a licensed MB technician :-)),I am not sure how the computer systems are interconnected and more importantly how the airbags are interconnected so this may cause some unexpected results. I believe the SRS system on those vehicles are rather advanced (no airbag activation if there is no one sitting in the seats or if the seatbelts are not buckled-up or the airbag comes out with less force if the passenger's weight is under a certain threshold) so tempering with the system may not be wise.
On the other hand we drove most of the last century without airbags so I do not believe that they are God's gift to mankind and are untouchable. They are very useful for the average driver with average driving skills but it rather saddens me that we have to dumb down everything for the lowest common denominator (i.e. for aunt Mary or citizen John Doe), see speed limits in North-America, the mindless numbers of stop signs placed in intersections, etc. This opinion may cause a flare up in some people's anal area but so be it, what is life without some well constructed arguments :-)?

Alex
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  #9  
Old 11-02-2000, 10:44 PM
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Well I think I remember reading somewhere that accidents have actually gone up since airbags arrived. I believe people seem to think they have an extra safety margin and don't try to avoid accidents like they did before airbags.

He wanted to know about disconnecting the Passenger airbag. I think if thats what he wants to do then he should be able to do it if he can find out how.

Whatever anyone else thinks about airbags, I think they make people feel safer, but they also make people not try to avoid the accident because they think "ahh I have an airbag I'll be ok".

Thats my $0.02 and I'm stickin to it.

Alon

------------------
'92 300CE
Metallic Black (Blue Flaked) on Parchment
Clear Corners
94-95 Tail-Lights
Black Grille Insert
78.5k Miles

Future Upgrades:
Sportline Suspension
17" AMG Monoblocks or EVO II's
Euro Headlights
Performance Chip
AMG Exhaust

Click here to Go To My 300CE Page
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  #10  
Old 11-03-2000, 12:15 AM
MikeTangas's Avatar
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Now I'm not busting anyones cojones here, it is simply that I sometimes have to deal with the aftermath. Sometimes I get to lend a little advise on the matter (comes with the job) before it becomes aftermath. There are a few here who know me, and know from what experience I speak. I also prefaced my first statement with "in the States", as I don't know squat about other countries motor vehicle laws. I'm far from righteous, just doing my good deed for the day.

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Mike Tangas
73 280 SEL 4.5
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  #11  
Old 11-03-2000, 12:15 PM
Eddie Gilmartin's Avatar
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I didn't expect to start such a heated discussion. Sorry guys. As far as I know there are no laws here preventing me from disconnecting the airbag if I so wish. But on reading the replies here, I'll put the little guy centre rear as suggested. Thanks.
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  #12  
Old 11-03-2000, 12:54 PM
MikeTangas's Avatar
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Aw, Eddie, a heated discussion now and then does a body good. Personally, I feel better knowing that, maybe, I helped keep your little one safer.

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Mike Tangas
73 280 SEL 4.5
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  #13  
Old 11-03-2000, 03:32 PM
WmHarlow
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Eddie,

Mike is right, a heated discussion is good for us now and then, AND it only goes to prove how much WE care about the safety of you and your family.

If we did not care, you would have received 15 schematics for disabling the SRS, the ABS, and a few good suggestions for proper placement of the baby seat on the hood for 'fresh air and sunshine'.

I must interject my .02 in this respect....
Personally, I have never felt comfortable allowing my children in the front seat of any vehicle - SRS or not. Statistically, they are safer in the rear. Parents typically put children in the front for 'convenience' factors. Convenience should never take precedence over safety.

Also, check you safety seat manual or sticker. Most have height and weight requirements that dictate when the child should face forwards, not age requirements. My little one is 11 months old and just this past week got to see where he is going instead of where he's been.

Enjoy your new addition! Keep him safe, so you can pass the car he rode home from the hospital in, down to him in about 16 years!

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William
76 240D (W115) - 555K miles
78 300D (W123) - 200K+ miles -- SOLD

[This message has been edited by WmHarlow (edited 11-03-2000).]
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  #14  
Old 11-03-2000, 07:56 PM
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The last sentence in my post was not aimed at anybody particular, it just seemed funny at the time (hence the smilie at the end).
It still is to my sense of humor. No offence was ment to any of the distinguished members of the board. :-)

Alex
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  #15  
Old 11-04-2000, 12:53 AM
MikeTangas's Avatar
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No offense taken Alex.

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Mike Tangas
73 280 SEL 4.5

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