Passenger-side airbags and computers

[id134]

I'm currently researching turning off the passenger side airbags in our Ford Expeditions and Crown Vics. Anyone out there have any experience? First I need to convice the "powers" that this is necessary, so I'm mainly looking for any data would be helpful. I think I know the procedure I just need proof (beyond common sense).

[Don]

Perhaps I

[id134]

Apologies for the confusion. We have installed a laptop docking station that is inside the deployment zone of the passenger side airbag. My research tells me (as does my common sense) that this is, possibly, very bad.
Basically, I'm looking for anyone who has had similar problems and information on how they solved them. Also any technical information regarding the airbags in the Fords that would be helpful in convincing the bosses that this needs to be done to keep the troops from walking around with a piece of laptop or docking station sticking out of them after an accident.

[tcsd1236]

I remember quite clearly the tree filling my windshield, the airbag deploying, and the laptop dissintigrating next to me due to the air bag deploying. I cannot state that it was the passenger vs the drivers airbag, as the MDT is/was positioned in the middle between both.
Is that the type of first person account you are looking for?

[Don]

id134,

Gotcha. You might want to contact Furd Motor Company about the switches. As I said, I believe they are an option. If I am thinking of another brand of car, at least they should be able to tell you how to go about disabling that bag.

Good Luck!

Ford Motor Company
Customer Assistance Center
16800 Executive Plaza Drive
P.O.Box 6248
Dearborn, Michigan 48126
1-800-392-3673(FORD)


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"Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining". . . Judge Judy
6P1 (retired)

[This message has been edited by Don (edited 12-03-2000).]

[id134]

Thanks for the info. Were you injured in the accident? If so, I hope not too badly. Did the exploding laptop cause any of the injuries? And yes, this is the kinda of info, I'm looking for. Also, did your accident cause any changes in the laptop positioning?
Originally posted by tcsd1236:
I remember quite clearly the tree filling my windshield, the airbag deploying, and the laptop dissintigrating next to me due to the air bag deploying. I cannot state that it was the passenger vs the drivers airbag, as the MDT is/was positioned in the middle between both.
Is that the type of first person account you are looking for?

[720]

In our cars we are just now putting in laptops. Part of the install is the deactivation switch in the clovebox for the airbag.

[tcsd1236]

Between the airbag and lapbelt, I was not injured.
We went to an MDT that has the keyboard and screen bolted to the center console. The brain is in the trunk.
Subsequent accidents in the fleet have shown this system has a better liklihood of surviving anything but a catastrophic crash.