air bags and babies info

[Taz]

A guy I work with and his wife are expecting a new baby in the next couple of weeks. He drives an older model pickup. The law in MD says that you can't put an infant in a rear-facing car seat unless the passenger-side air bag is disabled.

He called Aldridge Ford and they can't make this alteration without a waiver from the National Transportation Safety Board. Aldridge also informed him that even with the waiver, he would have to go somewhere else, as they do not participate in this.

Has anyone ever heard of this or been through samething? Just trying to help out a friend...
Thanks!

 

[yakky doodle]

I don't follow you here. Are you saying that his truck seats have a pass.-side airbag that does not have an "on/off switch"? I didn't think two seater trucks had a pass. airbag without one for that reason. What alteration is he asking them to make?

 

[Taz]

He DOES have passenger-side air bag, but as truck is older model, he does NOT have switch to turn it off.

 

[JabbaJawz]

Wow, I thought that all trucks had the on/off switch. I've never heard of the type of thing your friend is trying to do, but I'm sure someone's gone through it. I used to have a newer model Tacoma, and thank goodness for the on/off switch. Mackenzie though she was the Mac (haha) riding up front with me!

 

[yakky doodle]

so he just wants the bag disabled/removed? heck, I'd think any body shop could do that.

maybe he should contact the manufacturer (i.e., Ford), and see if they have a blanket waiver they can forward him or something. My guess is he's not the first to run into this problem, so they may be of some assistance.

But I wonder how a Ford dealership can't do the work on their own vehicle?

 

[Taz]

He drives a 1995 Ford Ranger. They didn't have on/off switch for passenger airbag then.

 

[JabbaJawz]

Probably some safety issue. And the dealership doesn't want to be responsible for 'tampering with an airbag'.

 

[yakky doodle]

well, heck; if he's not too worried about the car, i'd just drive it and try to bump (gently) the sensors that set them off, or heck, just tap on them gently with a rubber mallet to trigger them and set them off.

Problem solved!

 

[RoseRed]

Originally posted by yakky doodle
well, heck; if he's not too worried about the car, i'd just drive it and try to bump (gently) the sensors that set them off, or heck, just tap on them gently with a rubber mallet to trigger them and set them off.

Problem solved!

I don't think that will work. Someone was kind enough to "bump" and dent my front bumper and it never went off.

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by Taz
A guy I work with and his wife are expecting a new baby in the next couple of weeks. He drives an older model pickup. The law in MD says that you can't put an infant in a rear-facing car seat unless the passenger-side air bag is disabled.

He called Aldridge Ford and they can't make this alteration without a waiver from the National Transportation Safety Board. Aldridge also informed him that even with the waiver, he would have to go somewhere else, as they do not participate in this.

Has anyone ever heard of this or been through samething? Just trying to help out a friend...
Thanks!

Try this site, they have a lot of information about the topic. http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/airbags/

 

[Taz]

Thanks!
Ken, that site had all info plus forms he needs any everything...

Thanks again!

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by Taz
Thanks!
Ken, that site had all info plus forms he needs any everything...

Thanks again!

Glad to be of service.