# Air-bag aftermath?



## qwertyman (Sep 18, 2013)

I have a character who is a involved with a speed-bump that activates an air-bag. He's in the passenger seat of a two-tone Mercedes SL convertible the year of manufacture is not mentioned. I can change the make and model as long as it stays as a convertible.

I need to know.

Is it possible to deactivate the air-bags, or more particularly, one of them, say the driver's side?

Does the bag deflate automatically after it has served it's purpose?

Would you just fold it up and push it back in the dash board?

Does it detach? 

Is there normally a procedure before you drive off after an air-bag incident?

Many thanks, qwerty


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## Nickleby (Sep 18, 2013)

Yes, it's possible to deactivate an airbag. However, it's not easy for the layman to do. It's not illegal in the US, but the insurance company will most likely refuse your claim if they find out you did it.

The bag actually begins to deflate _during_ inflation. It's designed to cushion an impact and not to trap the driver, who may be injured despite the bag. There's also a small amount of powder, usually corn starch or talc, that sprays from the compartment, to protect the driver from the bag. Someone allergic to the powder or an asthma sufferer may have problems after inhaling the powder. Finally, the rapid generation of the inflating gas can have toxic byproducts. It's a good idea to roll down the windows after a deployment.

No, you don't push it back in. The entire assembly must be replaced. The car has to go to the shop anyway to fix the collision damage (at least, that's the assumption), and the powder can leave permanent marks. The car is normally towed away after the collision, not driven.

It is entirely possible for the bag to activate accidentally when going over a speed bump, particularly if the chassis hits the bump.


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## qwertyman (Sep 19, 2013)

Thanks Nickelby, perfect answer.

It suits my purpose for the driver's air-bag to be non-operational and the car is driven away shortly afterwards. So, my final question is about the passenger air-bag in isolation.

Does the spent air-bag just hang there, or can you stuff it back in it's compartment? 

Alternatively, can you remove the spent bag manually without tools? I don't want the passenger to leave the car in order to achieve this.


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## Nickleby (Sep 20, 2013)

I'll assume there's some nefarious purpose for deactivating one bag and not the other, so there's some intent involved. The used airbag, like a used parachute, is hard to put back into the original packaging. Since it's made of thin cloth, you can cut it away with scissors or a knife or other sharp implement (which the driver would have thoughtfully brought along). If the goal is to cover up the incident, you could (with some effort) stuff the bag back into its compartment and replace the cover.

Getting rid of the powder would take more effort, but in a convertible it's possible that some of it would have floated away (and, at speed-bumping speed, equally possible that it got over the whole rear end). A portable vacuum cleaner, or just some spray cleaner and paper towels, could take care of the mess.


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## Bilston Blue (Sep 20, 2013)

It's actually quite common, certainly in the U.K. (though I would guess worldwide), for the front passenger airbag to be deactivated so as to prevent danger, namely suffocation, of babies being carried in rear-facing car seats. I can deactivate my Ford's passenger side airbag with a switch inside the glove compartment. In the older models I've driven and in my sister's Beetle, the instruction manual advises to take the car to a dealership for them to do it.


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