RE: DOT headlights & Airbag

["Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz@kla-tencor.com>]

> Another thing:
> Can someone tell me if the American version of the S4 from 1993 have
> airbag
> installed as factory stock/standard?
> My car has no airbag. (Originally sold in Germany 1993. Imported to Sweden
> 1996)
> 
I am pretty sure that drivers side airbags were mandated somewhere around
1991 in the USA, so you're pretty much going to need them.  The actual
requirement was for a "passive" restraint system ... with passive meaning
that the driver did not have to make an "action" to wear seatbelts.  Back in
the early '90s there were cars that had automatic seatbelts of some variety
or another ... but I would imagine retrofitting them to a car that never had
them would probably be more than retrofitting an airbag!

> To install a steering wheel with airbag can be a very costy business if
> you're asking Audi retail. (in Sweden) Some $3000. Puhhhhh!
> 
I remember reading that lately the cost of airbags has come down somewhat
... to the point that there are now companies that have created
"aftermarket" airbag systems that were meant to be installed in cars that
never had them in the first place (like most pre-1989 cars).  

Another thought is that here in the USA Audi had a recall on all cars that
were equipped with airbags over a certain model range.  Since the recall was
being done on Audi's dime they did a bit of re-engineering to simplify the
design.  I believe that all of the modules outside of the steering wheel are
now combined to a single module ... so it may be completely possible that
you could buy an Audi module and steering wheel and that spring that couples
through the steering wheel and install an Audi airbag in your car ... I
figure that would still be around US$1000 though ...

HTH!
Steve Buchholz
San Jose, CA (USA)