Dr. EV0

iTrader: (6)

Has anyone disabled or know how to disable there airbags?

I'm prepping my '03 Evo for SCCA Showroom Stock and one of the requirements is disabled or removal of airbags. I do understand that this is not street legal, but still would like to know.

Is there a fuse that I could pull when running at the events and then reinstall it on the street?

Dr. EV0

iTrader: (6)

bump

erioshi

A quick browse through the temp shop manual didn't turn up any applicable fuses. There is a complete list of all the fuses and what they affect in the owner manual; you may want to check that.

Barring finding a fuse, you may need to have the airbags disconnected. One thing that I did find interesting was that we have "Seat Belt Pre-Tensioners" that are wired into the airbag ECU (in the base of the center console) that come with all of the saftey and disposal warnings that the air bags do.

A quick google turned up this info on the Seat Belt Pre-Tensioners from a GM oriented site:

"The seat belt pretensioners consist of a housing, an initiator, a canister of gas generating materials, a routing cable with a piston attached, and a piston tube. The initiator is part of the seat belt pretensioner deployment loop. When the vehicle is involved in a collision of sufficient force, the SDM causes current to flow through the seat belt deployment loops to the initiator. Current passing through the initiator ignites the material in the canister producing a rapid generation of gas. The gas produced from this reaction deploys the seat belt pretensioners and shortens the seat belt pretensioner height, which removes all of the slack in the seat belts. The seat belt pretensioners will deploy immediately before the frontal inflator modules deploy. Each seat belt pretensioner is equipped with a shorting bar that is located in the connector of the seat belt pretensioner. The shorting bar shorts the seat belt pretensioner circuitry to prevent unwanted deployment of the seat belt pretensioner when the connector is disconnected."

Rob W.

iTrader: (8)

Disable!? Heck, I'm trying to get mine working! My 'SRS' light came on for the third time since I've owned my EVO.

First time was the SRS ECU. Second time was the passenger airbag. Third time? Dunno yet. Sorry for the useless post.

Actually, to disable airbags and pretensioners w/out setting a stupid light, in any car, you need to unplug the device, then plug in a resistor that simulates the normal operating resistance of the device. I have no idea what the appropriate resistance is for the EVO in particular. Maybe the service manual says so. Otherwise, you can simply unplug and remove the things (and live with the light). Treat everything with care. Make sure you are grounded (touch the vehicle body, etc.). But it's not like pulling the plug is going to blow the bag or anything.

bryans2k

iTrader: (2)

I'd be very careful. I disabled mine and what I did was.

1. disconnected battery power for at least 5 minutes.
2. disconnected the control unit right under the center of the dash/radio below the center console.

You do not want to risk unplugging while the unit has power. I've seen it done before without harm but I wouldn't try replugging with power that's for sure.

bryan

xtnct

iTrader: (33)

Some questions:

1. Anyone have any pics of where that unit sits and looks like and which plug to disable?
2. What happens when you drive the car with it unplugged (any lights on the dash?)
3. What happens when you plug it back in? Does all go back to normal or does some code remain stating it had problems communicating? My friend and I accidentally unplugged the yellow sensor by the headlight once and after plugging it back in, the light stayed on and we could not clear it using the normal software. Had to take it to the dealer and pay $80 just to clear the code.

I would like to toggle the airbag system on/off depending how and where I use my car. Not concerned about belt pretensioners as I'm using aftermarket harnesses anyway.

MikSchultzy

iTrader: (11)

I had my pass air bag unplugged for a few days when I had the dash out of my car - it will throw an SRS light, but the light will clear once you reconnect it.

Precautions though

NEVER connect or disconnect an Air Bag system while there is still power in the vehicle. Some vehicles hold power for as much as an hour after the batter connection is cut, though I believe you would be safe after 15-30 minutes with EVO's.

And for resetting the SRS once you are done, disconnect the battery for a period, connect everything back up (sans battery), and put your trim back together. Then connect the battery and turn the vehicle on - that should clear it.

boosted200ser

iTrader: (14)

Disconnect the control unit under the console=done. I have honestly unhooked 100s of them without waiting the three minutes you are told to wait.

xtnct

iTrader: (33)

What happens when you hook it back up? All clear or do codes linger around?

MikSchultzy

iTrader: (11)

It's a safety thing. If there's a chance that one of the sensors tripped or something while driving with the unit disconnected - you could end up with a face full of bag. Worse, I've seen reports of people having them go off when they have something in their lap, and suddenly are no longer with the living. Typically only happens after the car has had an accident, but I've seen too much of it in the industry for me to want to chance it.

Jeeperjunior

iTrader: (10)

The control unit is directly under your radio under the center console. Good luck

EvolutionVIIIrs

iTrader: (9)

please wait at least 30 minutes for the vehicle to clear any leftover power. Ive seen 2 cases where an airbag deployed 20 minutes after the battery was disconnected. There always ready to go!

Evilution23

iTrader: (7)

x2. its even more fun in an open field applying a 9v battery directly to power and watch the bag blow from a distance...(school experiment btw)

MikSchultzy

iTrader: (11)

We would take them out of the totaled vehicles and put them in things.

In fact, Halloween is coming up soon... Pumpkins+AirBag=Giggles

xtnct

iTrader: (33)

Just that I understand you correctly, you have seen air bags go off for no reason after they have been disconnected from their control unit? If that is the case then maybe this approach is not the safest way to go?

Is there a way to purge this power reserve? Like disconnect the battery, then turn on lights/radio. Would this drain any residual power or is it something more complex like a capacitor in the air-bag circuit (which in theory should not drain until actually used)