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#1
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Has anyone here ever experienced a crashed in a 80s Mercedes equipped with airbags?
I am wondering, because I have heard that the older Mercedes with airbags, from the introduction of them in Mercedes in 1984 as an option, thru the 1980s, that they have "overly strong" airbags. I am considering a 1985 500SEL with the driver airbag option and this is why I was concerned. I was wanting to know if anyone here ever owned a 80s Mercedes (particularly mid 80s) and had a frontal crash and if so, was you injured by the inflating airbag. I know that the NHTSA crash test result was not that great for a tested 1985 300SD with the airbag. Not because the cars structural integrity, as that was great, but rather that was the injury reading for the dummy in the car. The one without the airbag was less. I am assuming that the overpowered airbag was the cause for the higher injury rating on the 300SD with the airbag. If this is so, is it difficult to disconnect the airbag on a 1984-1985 Mercedes? I know it is illegal, but many cars did not even have airbags in 1984-1985, except for the 10000+ GM models that had them from 1973-1976, and a few of the 71-72 Mercury's equipped with them for testing and only the Ford Tempo/Topaz had them as an option beginning in 1986. I will probably just leave it connected, even if I do buy it and remember to keep the seat back as far as possible.
Thanks in advance. |
#2
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Guess not! Either that or they didn't live to tell about it!
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#3
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Oh.... I hope not.....
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#4
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Unless the person behind the airbag is smaller than the 5th %ile female (ie 5'2 100lbs) I wouldn't worry about it too much. I myself am not a fan of airbags since I'm of the belief that airbags were mandated to try to protect people who wouldn't wear their seatbelts. I wear mine and if it were practical I'd wear a 4 or 5 point restraint, but I'm digressing. As long as you're wearing your seatbelt, the impact of the airbag will minimized...
Even if the airbags deploy hard (and I haven't seen the studies one way or the other), I'd rather have a broken nose and walk away from my mercedes, than be in a car with a softer deploying bag with my legs pinned needing to be cut out of what had been my car - since we're considering worse case senerios. In a nutshell: Leave it connected, don't worry about it. If you get in a wreck, and physical injuries sustained caused by the bag will be miniscule compared to getting to deal with "premium boy" down at the insurance office. |
#5
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Thanks. Guess I am OK then. Just wondering about that. I know that ten-thousand 1974, 1975 and 1976 Oldsmobiles, Buicks and Cadillacs had dual airbags option, as well as a few hundred of the full-size 1973 Chevrolet Impala's and Caprice's. For testing, even a few early 70s Mercury's had them as well. My grandmother had a 1974 Oldsmobile that she bought new and it had the dual airbag option. I read where someone had a crash in a 1973 Impala, equipped with airbags and they were totally unharmed. I am guessing that those bags were even more powerful, so I guess all will be OK. I had forgot about that crash.
Hopefully, I will never have a crash in any car, but it is nice to know that these Mercedes are built like tanks- so even without airbags, these cars give you a secure feeling. Thanks again. |
#6
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I think you are rite to leave it on.
Just to let you know some of those old GMs had a system that used high and low speed discharg bags. Lower bag speed for lower speed impacts and higher bag speeds for higher speed impacts. Now it seems MFGs are going that way and GM is prob. wondering why they didn't leave them that way. |
#7
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I read somewhere on here that Mercedes airbags are designed to be "good" for approximately 15 years from build date.
I'm not sure if the air bag systems can be serviced at this time to ensure proper operation. Just thought that might be some helpful info. for you. -Michael.
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+AMDG+ 2005 W203 Running as fast as I can to stay behind!! |
#8
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Yep after 10-15 years the airbag should be replaced. I know the one on my 190E was replaced at some point since there is a sticker in my glove box with the date on it. Not sure what the date was now though. But after 15 years they may not fire as well.
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~Jamie _________________ 2003 Pewter C230K SC C1, C4, C5, C7, heated seats, CD Changer, and 6 Speed. ContiExtremes on the C7's. 1986 190E 2.3 Black, Auto, Mods to come soon..... |
#9
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The sticker in the glove box is the date the airbag expires. It was 10 years from the manufacture date but MB extended it to 15 years. Still even in a 1991 W126 they will only be good until 2006.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
#10
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Thanks for the additional replies. In my 1990 Lexus, over the sunvisor, it stated that the airbag should be serviced after 10 years from the date of manufacture. I took it to the local Lexus dealer and they checked it and said it was O.K. According to them, it is just a precaution and there is really no need for replacement or even inspection unless the airbag warning lamp illuminates or fails to illuminate. My 1993 Toyota Camry said the same thing over the sunvisor. Perhaps Mercedes did this also as a precaution? Despite being introduced in the early 70s, they did fade after 1976, and not to re-appear until 1984 in a Mercedes car as an option on certain models and not really "widespread" into other makes until the very late 80s to early 90s, (beginning in 1986 on the Ford Tempo/Mercury Topaz and 1988 in the Acura Legend and 1988 in the BMW) and so I guess you could say that they were still a "new" technology and this "replace" after 10-15 years thing was just a precaution, as they did not know what the test of time had in store for the airbags back then.
I spoke to someone a while back that had a frontal crash in one of the old mid 70s GM cars equipped with airbags and they said the airbags deployed just as they were supposed to. No mishaps. I would imagine that replacement bags for the 70s GM and Mercury cars equipped with them would be nearly impossible to find. Last edited by 86560SEL; 02-16-2005 at 05:49 PM. |
#11
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~Jamie _________________ 2003 Pewter C230K SC C1, C4, C5, C7, heated seats, CD Changer, and 6 Speed. ContiExtremes on the C7's. 1986 190E 2.3 Black, Auto, Mods to come soon..... |
#12
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My Camry had the same sticker on the visor, the service supervisor at the dealer said if the light wasn't on don't worry about it.
Have you ever had the door panal off of a 126? They have massive rods that run along the doors. If you get in an accident a MB is the right car to do it in.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
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