I just learned that my company is adopting a new driving standard (policy). It will require that if one uses their personal car on company business the car must undergo an inspection. The first two items on the checklist are air bags and anti-lock brakes. I guess my 1982 240D isn't going to be going to the airport anymore.

What is the oldest Mercedes out there that has a drivers side air bag and anti-lock brakes....any of them diesels?

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1976 240D
1987 560SL
2007 E320 Bluetec
1998 C280 (now son’s car)
1982 240D Manual - Sold

franklyspeaking,

I think the W201 series (190D 2.2, 2.5 and 2.5 TurboDiesel), which arrived as a 1984 model here, had driver's side airbags and I am certain it had anti-lock brakes. By the time the W124 (300D TurboDiesel in various configurations, including the wagon) arrived in 1986 they definitely had driver's side airbags and anti-lock brakes. Good luck, Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Here's a post I put up on a thread awhile ago in regards to airbag history:

In 1984, the SRS system (ETR's and drivers side airbag) was an option on the W126.
In 1985, ETR's became standard equipment on the 107, 123, 126, and 201, except model 123.153. I know the airbag was available in a 107 chassis, so I am kind of assuming at this point that ETR's were standard and the airbag was an option on the 107 and 126 in 1985.
In 1986 forward, all Mercedes came standard with dual front ETR's and drivers side airbag.
In 1988 they "unitized" the SRS control unit to include the crash sensor, energy accumulator, and voltage converter in a single housing.
In 1989, passenger side airbag became standard on 126.035, 039 and 045, and optional on 124, 126.024 and 025.

What they are concerned with on older airbags is degradation of the airbag cloth.

Gilly

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Click here to see the items I have up for auction at EBay

Click here to see a photo album of my '62 Sprite Project Moneypit (Now Sold)

....and ETR's are????

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1976 240D
1987 560SL
2007 E320 Bluetec
1998 C280 (now son’s car)
1982 240D Manual - Sold

Emergency tensioning retractors. They take up the slack of the seat belt when the airbag deploys. They should reduce the forward travel of the body until it is slowed by the belts.

I had an 86 190D that did not have ABS. I think it was an option on the diesels until 1988, and I believe all W124 diesels in the US had both airbags and antilock brakes.

I think the policy of your companys totally absurd. The driver is the most important element in avoiding accidents. Airbags and ABS are fluff compared to the skills of a well trained and alert driver.

Tim

The airbag and ABS clause probably gets them a discount on insurance.

To add to the 190s, I think most 85 300SDs have ABS and driver side airbag. Maybe a few 84s. The philosophical question - is an 84 190D older or newer than an 85 300SD?

Darn sure no US spec 123s have airbags. Pretty sure no US spec 123s have ABS.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

I always understood that the airbag was optional on all 1984-1985 Mercedes- EXCEPT for the 300D, 300CD, 300TD, and the 500SL convertible. According to my old 1984 Mercedes sales brochure- it was optional on the 300SD, 300SE, 500SEL and I think it even said it was optional on the 190E and 190D. No mention of ABS brakes though. I think that started in 1985, at least by 1986, but not sure. 1986 was the first year for the standard airbag (drivers) on ALL of the Mercedes. I think that BMW waited until 1988 to install airbags.

Ford had an optional airbag in 1986 on the Ford Tempo/Mercury Topaz, but it was a rare option. Ford started adding airbags on other cars in 1990. GM had airbags as early as 1973-1974 on some Cadillac, Buick and Oldsmobile models, as well as a few Chevrolet Impala-Caprice. GM dropped the airbags for 1977 and started adding airbags again in 1990. Chrysler Corporation started adding airbags in 1989- standard on the top of the line cars, while even optional in the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon. A lot of the Japanese cars started adding airbags in 1990, then more in 1992. The Acura Legend had an optional airbag as early as 1988 or 1989. VW did not add airbags on the Jetta until 1995, so they was one of the companies lagging behind, as was Mazda, because the Protege' did not have airbags until 1995 either.

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2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)

I worked at a Chevy dealer in the fall of 1969. One of the newly sold Impala's or Caprice's came into the shop after a fender bender with its driver's airbag deployed. So, they had to be available at least in 1970 Chevy's.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I know for sure that the 1988 300SDL has ETR, driver side Air bag and Anti lock brakes.
The 1988 560 SL has the same.

US manufactured Air bag history.

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blair_bags.htm

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

I have heard before that they were on some older Chevrolets, but I think I heard that it was 1973. It was obviously before that however, since you have seen one. I remember seeing old All-State insurance ad, that showed a 1971 Mercury Monterey sedan, with the airbags deploying. It was a test car for airbags. I remember that my grandmothers old 1974 Oldsmobile Toronado coupe had the airbags option. There is also a member on the Buick site, that has a 1976 Buick Electra 225 Limited, with the airbags option. Back then they were referred to as "air cushions". The warning lights on these cars, equipped with the airbags reads "air cushion". I wonder if the 1970 Chevrolet had any type of warning check light on the instrument panel?

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2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)

No such car as an 88 300SDL. 86 & 87 were the only years that the 300 SDLs were made.

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N. Hodges
1994 S350
1987 300 SDL (for sale)

My airbag needs to be replaced. The sticker in the glove compartment indicates that it needed to be replaced in 1996. I suppose that's because of the cloth deterioration mentioned before. Any idea how much this is going to set me back?

Actually, MB extended the expected service life of airbags to 15 years. They issued new stickers, so yours should have had the sticker updated to say it expired in 2001. Does that make you feel better? I thought not.

Anyway, the airbags are so dang expensive that I've never heard of someone proactively replacing one.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

Fair enough. Thanks.