Anyone install airbag cutoff switch?

[chad4835]

Was wondering if anyone has installed a passenger airbay on / off switch either on their own or had it done. I saw on the 05 that part of the carseat package includes a switch for the key in the side of the dash to turn the airbag off. I am aware of the special seats and the deactivation switch for the 97-04 but not familiar with the costs and parts involved. I saw that the carseats run 300-$700. It seams it would be easier to have an on / off switch like regular cab trucks and just turn it off.

Thanks for any information you can provide...

[professorman]

So, I want to do an airbag cut off switch as well, but I cant find any information on it. Has no one thought of doing this?

[itsnotanova]

Seems like an easy thing to rig up as there's only two wires going to the airbag? I removed all the airbags on mine except for the steering wheel airbag. I took the lazy way out and just disconnected the airbag light from the cluster.

[BrokenLinkage]

Guys, I think he is referring to turning off the PASSENGER airbag only, presumedly for child transport.

You can buy a switch off the net ?ebay from some guy in the UK that came up with one that plugs into the plug under passenger seat, then use whatever seat you want, just remember to manually flip switch as appropriate.
Or get the oem bar, with buckle that turns off bag when fastened to oem buckle on oem child seat, or to fake fabricated male buckle from elsewhere.
In either case, you will need this option activated in car's computer by PIWIS or PST2 @ dealer.

If you otherwise unplug or disable system, will get a light that requires a trip to dealer to fix, anyway.

[Cbonilla]

I'm toying with the idea of building a switch (the ebay seller in the UK has dropped off the map, and he wanted about $70 for this switch) for my 2003 986S. Have only occasional need for this so its just not worth spending $$$ on it. Especially when the device is so simple to make

The Airbag Deactivation Bar that Porsche sells for the 986 is an expensive piece of hardware (a couple of hundred $) that requires the buckle from a Porsche child seat to work (another few hundred $$ if you can find one). The bar bolts onto the seat rails and has a plug that connects to a socket that you'll find under the passenger seat. You can splice a socket of your choice into the factory wire to make the connections. As well as activation by a Porsche Dealer or someone with a PST2.

If you look at the attached circuit the device is actually quite simple. Two 511 ohm resistors, two 4.02k ohm resistors, and a double pole, single throw (DPST) switch. If it is working correctly then you should register 2.25k ohms or 255 ohms depending on the switch position


Potential problems include the chance that a dealership will refuse to activate the circuitry as you are not using an officlal airbag deactivation product from Porsche. That as much as anything is what is holding me back. Anyone in the DC area know of an indie shop with a PST2?

Does anyone know how the system behaves if you have it activated before you install the Bar/Switch? Does it trip and airbag light that requires a Durametric or Porsche tool to turn off, or does it happily accept it?

[professorman]

Originally Posted by Cbonilla

I'm toying with the idea of building a switch (the ebay seller in the UK has dropped off the map, and he wanted about $70 for this switch) for my 2003 986S. Have only occasional need for this so its just not worth spending $$$ on it. Especially when the device is so simple to make

I bought it from the ebay seller last night. He is in UK. It came up to $95 after shipping.

[Cbonilla]

That's a healthy markup on what is a most a few dollars worth of resistors and a switch. More power to him, but at that price I'll make my own

Couple of questions for you

1.If you plug it in before you have the car programmed how does the airbag light respond before the car is programmed

2. If you plug it in AFTER you have the car programmed how does the airbag light respond before you've installed the switch? Does it trip an airbag light and if so does that light go off after you install the switch?

3. And most importantly, were you able to find a dealer who would program the car in the presence of the switch and without the official Porsche kit?

Thx, Carlos

[professorman]

Originally Posted by Cbonilla

That's a healthy markup on what is a most a few dollars worth of resistors and a switch. More power to him, but at that price I'll make my own

Couple of questions for you

1.If you plug it in before you have the car programmed how does the airbag light respond before the car is programmed

2. If you plug it in AFTER you have the car programmed how does the airbag light respond before you've installed the switch? Does it trip an airbag light and if so does that light go off after you install the switch?

3. And most importantly, were you able to find a dealer who would program the car in the presence of the switch and without the official Porsche kit?

Thx, Carlos

My comparison was to Porsche, where they charge their healthy markup of $500. He just shipped it from England last week. I want to be able to drop off my kid at the daycare on my way to work.
He answers all these questions in his video/help page.
Here is the one I bought.

His Help page

My best friend is a mechanic and he has a friend with a shop that can do the programming for me.

[Fintro11]

I also bought from the uk seller has been working great!

For liability you might want to try find a used child's bar, you can modify a dummy 944 buckle to fit

[Cbonilla]

"My comparison was to Porsche, where they charge their healthy markup of $500."

On a percentage basis his markup rivals Porsche

Finding a dealer who will activate it is my only reason for not doing this. I assume your friend has a PST2 or other Porsche scanner as a durametric can't do it

[thom4782]

My independent has an Autologic diagnostic tool and he was able to tell the car that the child seat was present.

I bought the bar from a dismantler for $50 and he threw in a buckle for free. After the shop installed the bar, it reprogrammed the car.

Been working great ever since.

[Cbonilla]

Congrats on getting it working. I'm not familiar with the auto logic tool as my Indie shop uses durametric

[stelan]

I would love to get rid of that passanger side dash airbag and install a glove box or real speakers