Passenger Airbag

[Keithy]

Hi. As our baby is due soon i'm wondering if it is possible to turn off the passenger airbag on a 2003 sri. i've had a quick look for buttons and key holes but can't find anything but i can see the unlit light in th trip meter for what i think is this function.

thanks

Keith

[Duncan]

Unless that unlit light comes on when you turn the ignition then no, you can't turn it off. If it does, then the car has the option installed where the airbag will disable if a car seat is in the front seat, but only if it has the Vx car seat with the transponder in it to communicate with the car.

You're actually advised to put baby seats in the rear anyway. Our first is due in April and the car seat, when in my car, will be in the back - primarily due also to the fact that the front airbag can't be turned off in mine, but even if it could be I'd still have it in the back.

[Keithy]

but only if it has the Vx car seat with the transponder in it to communicate with the car.

My god, what ever next?

Yeah our little one will be in the back anyways. Was just wondering if i had this option.

Thanks for the info mate

[Duncan]

No worries, and yeah - it is a bit pi*s poor that you have to have the Vx car seat to use the function. I don't want a Vx car seat, I've got a travel system thing with it's own baby seat.

On the new Corsa, you simply hold a button on the dash as you turn on the ignition to turn the passenger airbag off. Light on the button illuminates so you are in no doubt that it's off. Other cars, for ages, have had it where you turn a key on the side of the dash on the passenger side to turn it off. Don't know why they couldn't have done something like either of those on a car like the Vectra and Signum.

[Keithy]

yeah i agree, i've seen lots of cars that it just involves a turn of the key. but in this day in age its all about compatibility to presure sell such items, ever owned a xbox 360? Same ball game there lol

[Duncan]

I've got an Xbox 360 Didn't need to be pressure sold it, I went willingly with credit card to Amazon!

[stevedee3]

On the new Corsa, you simply hold a button on the dash as you turn on the ignition to turn the passenger airbag off. Light on the button illuminates so you are in no doubt that it's off.

Hmmm... I'd be worried that I might forget to push the button...

[Duncan]

Once you've turned it off, it will stay off until you do the procedure again i.e. it remembers the setting so you don't have to keep doing it when you start the car. If you mean the first time, then yeah, it's a possibility - but if you've got the baby seat and you're fitting it in the front seat, it's probably less likely you'll forget. Possibly one of the reasons, amongst others, why they recommend baby seats go in the back, because even with the option on some cars of turning of the front airbag, people, especially in a rush, may forget that it had been turned back on as they had an adult in the passenger seat last.