lusciousthelock
Part of things
Who needs brakes? They only slow you down!
Posts: 95
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Is there away round having an airbag? I have a 98' Mk4 Fiesta base model. It has no abs, no power steering, no central locking, no electric windows and no rear washwipe! It does have a bloody airbag that I want gone though, due to my enjoyment of hooning off road. My car is kinda based on a 70's sporty Ford, complete with twin noba-job radio and lotus steel wheels and really just want to fit a more basic, retro type steering wheel to complete the look. I'm told that all MK4 Fiesta's had air bags- two infact, although mine only has one for the driver. Is this true- were any made without? As I'm also told they all had power steering and mine as a base model spec, deffo never has! i just want to remove any sign of its existence.
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Don't know if this is any use but...
Just fitted a Mountney wheel to my 98 Eunos. In doing so I had to remove the drivers airbag. This produced the usual warning light on the dash which was resolved by fitting a 3 ohm resistor across the airbag power socket.
As far as I know the MOT just tests for the warning lights, using the resistor fools the computer into believing the airbag is still in place so the warning light works on first start as it should but goes out as if the airbag is still in place.
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1988 DUTTON LEGERRA MK1 - SPARES DONOR
1989 DUTTON LEGERRA MK2 - CURRENT PROJECT
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
DUTTON PHAETON S2 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - PROJECT X
DUTTON SIERRA S2 - Resting
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As far as I know the MOT just tests for the warning lights, using the resistor fools the computer into believing the airbag is still in place so the warning light works on first start as it should but goes out as if the airbag is still in place. MOT also tests for missing airbags where they were originally fitted |
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As far as I know the MOT just tests for the warning lights, using the resistor fools the computer into believing the airbag is still in place so the warning light works on first start as it should but goes out as if the airbag is still in place. MOT also tests for missing airbags where they were originally fitted Oh B****r. Still got all the bits for mine so could always refit. Doesn't help the OP though  |
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1988 DUTTON LEGERRA MK1 - SPARES DONOR
1989 DUTTON LEGERRA MK2 - CURRENT PROJECT
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
1990 DUTTON LEGERRA ZS MK2
DUTTON PHAETON S2 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - Resting
DUTTON PHAETON S4 - PROJECT X
DUTTON SIERRA S2 - Resting
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,556
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I haven't checked recently but the test manual used to read 'obviously missing' for the airbag itself and then a fail for warning lights.
If there isn't a gaping hole in the centre of your steering wheel it isn't obviously not there.
My sons Nippa is a 1999 car and doesn't have an air bag not sure when they were required by law or even if they are now. There must be something that lets competition cars without original air bags being fitted be OK so it might depend who tests it.
Having said that there is still the insurance side of things to consider.
One other issue is the fact you can disable the air bag on some cars to allow child seats in the front. You might forget to switch it back on.
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Last Edit: Jan 3, 2020 23:47:54 GMT by steveg
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lusciousthelock
Part of things
Who needs brakes? They only slow you down!
Posts: 95
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I believe the new rules state something like if it was fitted as standard by the manufacturer then it must be in place and work. I'm hoping to find something to prove that not all Mk4 Fiestas had them, and as my base model would be a likely candidate. This would also help with the insurance problem, as it was never fitted...
Failing all this though. Is there a way of wiring in an off switch? Private road I like to play on has some monstrous potholes which already caused the untimely death of a Chevette, Meastro and Mk1 Escort (Before they were worth a fortune of course). I just don't want it exploding in my face!
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tofufi
South West
Posts: 1,452
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My sons Nippa is a 1999 car and doesn't have an air bag not sure when they were required by law or even if they are now. Airbags have never been a legal requirement for approving a vehicle in the EU.  |
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As far as I know the MOT just tests for the warning lights, using the resistor fools the computer into believing the airbag is still in place so the warning light works on first start as it should but goes out as if the airbag is still in place. MOT also tests for missing airbags where they were originally fitted There is an exception for vehicles modified for competition use. Make sure yours is and you are golden |
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Rich
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,234 
Club RR Member Number: 160
Member is Online
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Air Bag removal legalityRich
@foxmcintyre
Club Retro Rides Member 160
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Failing all this though. Is there a way of wiring in an off switch? Possibly, the easy way is to see if it has a dedicated SRS fuse, if it does you can remove it and add a switch (with the fuse!) in it's place on fly leads in the fuses location. Best way round it would be to just fit a lesser models non-SRS wheel and remove the light provided the car doesn't have a passenger airbag. |
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Rich
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,234
Club RR Member Number: 160
Member is Online
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Air Bag removal legalityRich
@foxmcintyre
Club Retro Rides Member 160
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MOT also tests for missing airbags where they were originally fitted There is an exception for vehicles modified for competition use. Make sure yours is and you are golden Can you show me that addendum as I cannot find it in the test manual.. It would be handy to know it specifically as I like to stay abreast of the MOT rules. I tend to know most of them better than my local MOT testers  |
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There is an exception for vehicles modified for competition use. Make sure yours is and you are golden Can you show me that addendum as I cannot find it in the test manual.. It would be handy to know it specifically as I like to stay abreast of the MOT rules. I tend to know most of them better than my local MOT testers Introduction, section 13 Extensively modified vehicles. |
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Rich
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,234
Club RR Member Number: 160
Member is Online
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Air Bag removal legalityRich
@foxmcintyre
Club Retro Rides Member 160
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Can you show me that addendum as I cannot find it in the test manual.. It would be handy to know it specifically as I like to stay abreast of the MOT rules. I tend to know most of them better than my local MOT testers Introduction, section 13 Extensively modified vehicles. Awesome, thanks!  Knowledge is power and all that! I thought there must have been SOMETHING in there for modified vehicles, because some disabled-access converted vehicles have the SRS disabled so it can't launch the various adapted controls through bits of you in an accident but I never knew where the wording was. Never thought to check the introduction docs! |
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TessierAshpool
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 507
Club RR Member Number: 168
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Air Bag removal legalityTessierAshpool
@tessierashpool
Club Retro Rides Member 168
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Feb 13, 2020 15:10:30 GMT
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I'm not convinced you could sneak in based on "extensively modified" - it states
If a vehicle has been extensively modified or converted, certain defects, such as for components ‘missing where fitted as standard’ should not be applied, for example:
- a car converted for competition rally use must have the rear seats removed, be fitted with a roll cage and full harness seat belts, may not be fitted with components such as brake servo, power steering or airbags
- a car converted to a stretch limousine may no longer be fitted with items such as curtain airbags or a functional electronic stability control system
This exemption does not apply to vehicles with minor modifications. Therefore, a car fitted with rally style seats, body kit and a sports steering wheel would not be exempt from the requirement to have a driver’s airbag if one was fitted as standard equipment.
The last line in particular seems to imply it would be required, unless your car was (in the testers eyes?) clearly a rally car. Wording seems ambigious to me, but could be read as "you can remove the airbag if you fit a rollcage, remove the rear seats and fit harnesses". Up to tester discretion I would think.
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820
South East
Posts: 790
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Feb 13, 2020 15:42:20 GMT
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Excellent, thanks dodgerover
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Last Edit: Feb 13, 2020 15:44:00 GMT by 820
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Phil H
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,448
Club RR Member Number: 133
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Air Bag removal legalityPhil H
@philhoward
Club Retro Rides Member 133
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Feb 13, 2020 16:07:21 GMT
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It doesn't have to be a rally car, that's just an example to differentiate between a rally car and a "rally replica" at a guess.
If (like our sprint/hillclimb car) it has a full cage, FIA race seat, 5 point harnesses and scrutineering stickers abound, it certainly is a proper motorsport car, not a boy racer special with a show cage and looks like it crashed into Ripspeed *before Halfords bought them*.
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Feb 13, 2020 20:26:00 GMT
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swap out wheel...mod to de-activate warning light...then reverse mods at mot time if danglies are of insufficient diameter to risk a fail. simple.
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'80 s1 924 turbo..hibernating
'80 golf gli cabriolet...doing impression of a skip
'97 pug 106 commuter...continuing cheapness making me smile!
firm believer in the k.i.s.s and f.i.s.h principles.
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Knowledge is power and all that! I thought there must have been SOMETHING in there for modified vehicles, because some disabled-access converted vehicles have the SRS disabled so it can't launch the various adapted controls through bits of you in an accident but I never knew where the wording was. Never thought to check the introduction docs!
