More airbag questions

[Chris Semple - Force 5 Automotive]

> Behalf Of Brett Dikeman
> Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2000 2:06 AM

> I would -seriously- not recommend this, both for your personal safety
> and the warrantee on your car.

Not to minimize the valid point(s) Brett makes, but to give credit to those
that take the time to research this stuff, I wouldn't be so alarmist about
it.

> -the airbag may be designed for the larger interior volume of the A6,
> and may hit the interior of the car in ways it shouldn't.

Not in the case of drivers side bags, there are a few common apps between A4
and A6 chassis.

> -the airbag system itself may be completely different(in fact, I can
> almost guarantee it is, between 3 model years and two different
> platforms.)

Don't buy that either, there are crossovers in several different components
depending on year/options/equip/etc. Also crossovers between A4 and 100/A6
chassis. The control module is the same between some A4 and A6/S6 for
example. There are parts that are application specific, to be sure, but
often times careful research can lead to a safe and OEM update or backdate.

> -as soon as you disconnect the airbag, a code will get stored on the
> controller module, and you'll have to get it cleared by a dealer, or
> maybe find someone with a scan tool.  Questions will get asked, and
> you can kiss the warrantee goodbye

Not if you follow the appropriate service procedure for working with
airbags. You won't generate a code, and even if you did, it wouldn't void a
warranty.

> -You may hook up the different airbag only to find that the
> controller doesn't "like" the different bag(I'm sure there is some
> method the controller uses to make sure the connection to the trigger
> is ok); a scan tool won't "fix" that kind of problem
> -how do you know the bag will deploy in an accident?  Maybe the 2000
> airbag requires a lot more "juice" to fire, but your '97 controller
> just doesn't have the oompf?  Won't find out, will you.  Would you
> trust your life to the opinion of a lister who claims to know they
> -are- compatible?

Now this isn't a case of stuffing a square peg in a round hole, some
intelligence has to be applied for this stuff, but it's no different than
swapping brakes, "upgrading" suspension, or selecting the rims/tyres you
think the car should've come with to begin with. Research is needed for any
change to a vehicle, and not something to be done haphazardly, but that's
why learned q-listers post questions here, and get differing opinions :)

> -the steering wheels probably won't mechanically swap anyway
> -if you ever sell the car, you could be held liable for any of the
> above malfunctions, and that liability could be quite substantial,
> maybe even involving the life of another person, if the airbag
> accidentally deploys, or fails to deploy in an accident.

The wheels wouldn't bolt, two different mountings, but that wasn't the
question. I'll certainly agree on the liability issue, ask any business
owner about his liability coverage! Much shaking of heads and wringing of
hands! My sympathies to Todd Candey and others that tend to the
re-engineering, their policy must be bigger than mine.

> I think my position on this subject is pretty clear.  You just don't
> screw around with airbag systems.  Too much stuff that's too
> important(and too dangerous) that too few people know anything about.
> Brett

Point taken, and true indeed, but I'll extend that to most other systems on
the car. And put forth the idea that airbags aren't a higher risk than
mucking about with anything you're not completely familiar with. Phew, I've
managed to get through this whole thing without answering the original
question!

> At 10:03 PM -0700 9/6/00, Pat, Andrea & Theo Quinn wrote:
> >Can someone tell me if the airbag from a 2000 A6 Sport wheel would be the
> >same as one on a 1997 A4 Sport wheel?
> >Pat

Back to work,
-Cheers
Chris Semple
Concord NH
'87 4000q
   '83 TQC
      '93 E350 Club
         '92 Gti 8v
            '86 5000tq X2