peters350z

iTrader: (1)

I just got my 350Z two weeks ago. I love it in every way, my only problem is that my 10 year old son cannot be a passenger in it until Nissan starts offering a passenger airbag override switch. The dealership told me it might be offered later this year. Until then, I cannot let my son (who loves this car in the car) drive with me for fear of an airbag deployment if I had an accident. Has anybody had this same concern? And has anybody been able to override the passenger airbag via pulling a fuse or something like that until Nissan gets their act together and starts offering those switches. I just don't understand how Nissan could put such a great car together with all its bells and whisles like tire pressure monitoring, stability program, traction control, etc and not include such a simple switch from the factory first run. My car, by the way is second production run) my dealer tells me.

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

sumsZ

Call Nissan they can have the dealership disable it for you I heard the switches will be in next years model.

jeffa55

I have the same issue, but with a much younger child and here were my conclusions/discoveries.

#1) My nissan dealership told me (before I bought the car) that they can order a disable switch from Nissan and install it for around $400. In order to get this done, you will need to get an authorization from (I believe) the National Highway Tranportation Authority (or something). This is easy to get and there is an online downloadable form that you can fax back to them. Without this, nobody will install a switch in the car. My conclusion is that Nissan left out the switch as an 'Oops'.

#2) I was trying to decide whether or not to get the switch installed because it seems like I may actually not want to ever turn it off. Basically, what I have read is that most children who are hurt by airbags is because they were not properly restrained (in the front seat and didn't even have a seatbelt on). All of the airbag injuries (of which there have only been like 100 children hurt since 1991 - a VERY low number and about 90 of them were unrestrained) were in low speed collisions. If you put your child in and put the seat all the way back and they have their seat belt on they should be fine (in fact, in my case the kid is in a 5 point child seat and wouldn't even get touched by the airbag). In addition, these cars all come with the slower deploying airbags which have cause about 0 injuries to date. Basically, I feel like (especially in my situation where they are in the car seat) a properly restrained child in a car with a new airbag is VERY unlikely to get injured in a slow crash due to the airbag. Now, if we think of a highspeed crash... I think if we get in an accident at a high speed where the car will actually collapse around us, I would MUCH rather have the airbag hit my child then the dash board. Keep in mind, in a slow speed crash, the car doesn't collapse, but the child is thrown forward (in a car seat they aren't) and their head impacts the airbag and is thrown back (thus the concern about the airbag hurting the child). In a high speed crash the entire seat is likely meeting the dash (not just the kids head flinging forward).

Basically, I feel that putting the seat all the way back and the slow airbags means it is VERY unlikely (and in the car seat damn near impossible) for my child to get hurt in a low speed crash. In a high speed one, I would rather have the airbag on. So if I got the switch installed, I would really not turn it off (so why bother).
I am absolutely not advocating taking children in this car all of the time, but I think it is OK for the occasional jaunt. (I got all of my info from articles I read)

AndyB

I've read some things about airbags.

I think there are 3 primary danger of airbags and kids

1) Car seast. They are too close the airbag. I would not put a car seat in a car that could not turn off the airbag.

2) Unbelted kids. This is bad for grownups too of course. It is appalling how common this still is

3) Seat too close. His/Her feet may not reach the floor, but with the seat all the way back and a shoulder belt in place, it is hard to imagine how the airbag could hurt a kid. Also, if the kid DOES come out from the seatbelt, it is better to hit the bag than the windshield or dash (IMHO)

I think item 1 is the main reason for an airbag switch.

If it was me (just an opinion) I would let a 10 year old ride in the Z as long as the seat stayed back and the seatbelt stayed on.

And as someone else pointed out, the Z does have the newer de-powered airbags. (variable power)

Of course, I am NOT an expert, I am just offering an opinion.


AndyB