Garp

Has anyone ordered, received, and maybe had installed the passenger side airbag cut-off switch? If so please share some details....cost, getting a dealer to install...etc. I haven't seen any recent discussion on this.

I asked a couple of dealers, including the one I've ordered from, and they say they have no info at all about the switch. That was one of my big surprises....most 2 seaters, from pickup trucks to the Miata have them as standard before they get into the US.

I want to be able to let my grandson ride in my new Z!

Info appreciated.

grogsnorf

I had the same results....very disappointing.....try a search on "airbag".......there have been several threads and pics too.
Grogs

BillyV

I'm in the same boat. My 5 year old wants to go cruising.
I've checked with my dealer and NNA. neither has a freakin clue even though the owner's manual, on page 1-21 states;" US and Canadian governements have procedures that allow you to apply for permission to have your vehicle fitted with an air bag ON/OFF switch. Such a switch is available for purchase from Nissan."
I've gotten my Installation Authorization from the NHTSA. But sitting on my desk it's doing me no good.
I refuse to allow someone other than a Nissan dealership install the switch.
I plan on staying on top of it. I would request all others with small children to keep inquiring and please post results.
It's my understanding that next year the switch will be an "accessory option" on the Z's. Hopefully when they get into the production cars they'll be available for us.

3rdZ4me

I wanted to post something too, in the hopes Nissan is reading these boards and realizes safety is something really important to all of us. I have a 350Z SS Touring 6MT on order for delivery in Dec/Jan and wasn't able to order this option from Nissan, as it wasn't available at that time.

I will also be asking the dealership to install a airbag switch for the passenger side after I take delivery. I've been watching the posts since September, and haven't seen anyone that has had an airbag cutoff switch installed yet.

bobbyz

iTrader: (1)

You willnever see an airbas cut-off switch installed in Canada (or Ontario anyway). It is illegal here for a baby or toddler in a car seat to ride in the front seat of a vehicle. Since the 350 only has two seats. No child seat is permitted. Must wait until the child is old enough to ride without a child seat. Might be a good idea to practice the same in other areas. There is obviously a safety issue allowing child seats in the front.

3rdZ4me

BobbyZ,

I agree with Canada's law - it makes very good sense.

My kids are out of child safety & booster seats. I'm talking about safety between the ages 7 and 12 years old, where there is still a danger from airbags deploying and the passenger doesn't have sufficient body mass - there are still lots of stories out there about injuries (or worse) from airbags.

Garp

I agree...

I too am talking about a child large enough to use standard seat belt/shoulder harness...not one in a booster or car seat.

But don't you find it interesting that Nissan put child seat anchors as standard in all Z models, according to the specs at NissanUSA.com.... but did not put passenger airbag on/off switches as standard equipment. Where are our consumer watchdogs when we need them? Maybe they'll be required to retrofit switches at no cost (wishful thinking). Otherwise, it'll be costs to us and some $$$ for the dealers to install them.

I realize that this is an issue for probably a small % of Z owners...but for those of us concerned, it's a very major issue. As I said in another post, even two seater pickups and the Miata come with switches installed.

Audito350Z

iTrader: (1)

http://www.airbagonoff.com/

They made an air bag bypass for my Audi A4 that had Sparco racing seats. The factory seats have an air bag in them, so without the proper bypass I wa getting an air bag light on the dash.

Anyway, their specialty is on/off switches for airbags.

Hope that helps.

PeteH

tbcz

This is something I have been looking into recently as well, since my girlfriend has a four and a half year old daughter whom I would like to be able to drive with in a pinch. I bought a restraint seat, and am in the process of (possibly) applying for an authorization for the on/off switch. It is required for any appicants to read an information booklet (http://www.nhtsa.com/airbags/brochure/) before applying for these devices. I found the booklet enlightening, and now am having doubts as to whether or not the switch is preferable in my situation. It is not mandatory to have it installed, simply recommended in certain instances. The booklet tiptoes around this fact, and never states outright whether or not you should have it installed for children over four...it simply presents the facts and statistics and leaves the decision up to you. I actually found this stance by the gov't pretty surprising, as they seldom leave decisions on these things up to individuals. I will copy some quotes from the booklet below (note: any emphasis is already present in the document, not added by me):

"Most air bag injuries are minor cuts, bruises, or abrasions and are far less serious than the skull fractures and brain injuries that air bags prevent. However, 87 people have been killed by air bags as of November 1, 1997. These deaths are tragic, but rare events -- there have been about 1,800,000 air bag deployments as of that same date. The one fact that is common to all who died is NOT their height, weight, sex, or age. Rather, it is the fact that they were too close to the air bag when it started to deploy."

**********

"Almost all of the 49 children who died were improperly restrained or positioned. 12 were infants under age 1 who were riding in rear-facing infant seats in front of the passenger air bag. When placed in the front seat, a rear-facing infant seat places an infant's head within a very few inches of the passenger air bag. In this position, an infant is almost certain to be injured if the air bag deploys. Rear-facing infant seats must ALWAYS be placed in the back seat. The other 37 children ranged in age from 1 to 9 years; most were 7 or under. Twenty nine of them were totally unrestrained. This includes 4 children who were sitting on the laps of other occupants. The remaining 8 children included some who were riding with their shoulder belts behind them and some who were wearing lap and shoulder belts, but who also should have been in booster seats because of their small size and weight. Booster seat use could have improved shoulder belt fit and performance. These various factors allowed the 37 children to get too close to the air bag when it began to inflate."

**********

"How do I best protect children? Never place a rear-facing infant seat in the front seat if the air bag is turned on. Always secure a rear-facing seat in the back seat. Children age 12 and under should ride in the back seat. While almost all of the children killed by an air bag were 7 years old or younger, a few older children have been killed. Accordingly, age 12 is recommended to provide a margin of safety. There are instances when children must sit in the front, because the vehicle has no rear seat, there are too many children for all to ride in back, or a child has a medical condition that requires monitoring. If children must sit in the front seat, they should use the seat belts and/or child restraint appropriate for their weight or size (see the table at the end of this brochure) and sit against the back of the vehicle seat. The vehicle seat should be moved as far back from the air bag as practical. Make sure the child's shoulder belt stays on. If adult seat belts do not fit properly, use a booster seat. Also, children must never ride on the laps of others."

**********

"C A U T I O N : If you allow children to ride in the front seat while unrestrained or improperly restrained, and especially if you sit with a child on your lap, you are putting them at serious risk, with or without an air bag. Turning off the air bag is not the safe answer. It would eliminate air bag risk but not the likelihood that in a crash an unrestrained child would fly through the air and strike the dashboard or windshield, or be crushed by your body."

**********

"Two risk groups have a high enough risk that they would definitely be better off with an on-off switch:

Infants in rear-facing infant seats.

Drivers or passengers with unusual medical conditions.

Two other risk groups may be better off with an air bag on-off switch:

Children ages 1 to 12.

Drivers who cannot get back 10 inches."


Here is a quote from the document "Procedure for getting an on/off switch":

"NHTSA is also undertaking a campaign in conjunction with safety groups, vehicle manufacturers and state and local authorities to promote increased use of all types of occupants restraints. NHTSA is urging motorists to use child restraints and seat belts and place children in the back seat, whenever possible, as well as spreading the word about the benefits of air bags for most people. Proper use of the restraint(s) most appropriate to the weight and age of each child fatally injured to date by air bags would have saved all or almost all of them. While increasing numbers of parents are placing their children in the back seat or ensuring that they are properly secured in the front seat, much consumer education work remains to be done.

Disturbingly, most of the fatally-injured children were allowed to ride in the front without any type of restraint whatsoever. And, as of July 15, 1997, five out of the last seven fatally injured children aged 1 to 12 were simply "held in place" on the lap of a front seat passenger. There were no similar fatalities before December 1996. It is not known whether the sudden appearance of fatalities under these particular circumstances is mere chance or a response to the publicity given child air bag fatalities last fall. It is known that the combined effects of the risk of an air bag to an unrestrained child, and the weight that an adult places on a child during a frontal crash can make the decision to attempt to hold a child in place a fatal one. Children should ride fully restrained, and in the back seat whenever possible."



So, I am currently undecided as to whether or not to get the switch. I wonder if anyone else has anyh further info that would shed light on this topic?