airbags when offroading

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Wed Sep 28, 2005 3:40 pm

This weekend at the Jeep Jamboree, a woman with a VERY HEAVY right foot tried to make it up a very steep river bank while crossing the river and hit a rock very hard. Hard enough to deploy her airbag and end her day.

Question: Does anyone here pull the fuse or disable their airbags when wheeling? What's the thought on that idea?

On the one hand, who wants it going off to ruin a day because you hit a rock or tree hard. On the other hand, if it thinks it should go off, MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD THING!

Oh, and by the way, when an airbag deploys in the woods, EVERYONE HEARS IT! BANG! :shock:

skrracing · **Posted:** Wed Sep 28, 2005 4:58 pm

Was this a KJ? Man the sensors or on the rad supports and you have to take a very hard hit to pop the bag. I bet the front end of that KJ does not look like a KJ anymore.

Guyute1210 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 28, 2005 5:15 pm

Anyone have pictures of that front end after that mess?

Cacher123 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 28, 2005 5:31 pm

Quote:

On the other hand, if it thinks it should go off, MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD THING!

I would think that if u hit something hard enough to deploy the bag, there was a good reason for it!

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Wed Sep 28, 2005 5:36 pm

It was a Cherokee, not a KJ. I was the ONLY KJ at the entire event!

It hit the rock with the front axle. No body damage at all! I guess the sensors detect g-force and not just actual impact. It looked fine, the jeep. Just hard to steer quickly with that bag hanging there. I think some of the front end parts were bent but not sure. It drove away the 1/2 mile out of the trail to meet the tow truck.

LuckeyDuckey · **Posted:** Wed Sep 28, 2005 6:47 pm

i've never disabled the driver's airbag but when i wheel with just my dog in the passenger seat i disable that one. btw, we went airborne over a 4 foot wide 18" deep ditch and the airbags didn't deploy so she musta really hit that axle hard.

USAFCOP · **Posted:** Wed Sep 28, 2005 7:58 pm

According to my service manual, the computer reprograms and basically turns off the airbag sensor head when 4wd low is engaged, and just reprograms it in 4wd hi on the KJ... As for cherokees and TJs etc... I would assume the same to be true. As for full time 4wd systems, I do not know, never looked it up. Sorry, but don't got it so don't care 'bout full time.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Wed Sep 28, 2005 8:02 pm

Ted....that sounds good. You should only go under 25mph in 4Lo anyways so why need an airbag going that slow.

FreedomKJ · **Posted:** Wed Sep 28, 2005 8:47 pm

The KJ has samert "Next Generation" airbags and it uses quite a few inputs and multiple sensors to determine whether or not to deploy the airbags. If they go off, then you're probably going to need them.

Even in the Cherokee it takes a lot of force to set off the airbags. Damage mey not have been obviously visible, but I'm sure if they had before and after measurements of the suspension and uniframe there would be big changes. It's likely that the axle isn't straight anymore either.

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Wed Sep 28, 2005 9:20 pm

USAFCOP wrote:

According to my service manual, the computer reprograms and basically turns off the airbag sensor head when 4wd low is engaged, and just reprograms it in 4wd hi on the KJ... As for cherokees and TJs etc... I would assume the same to be true. As for full time 4wd systems, I do not know, never looked it up. Sorry, but don't got it so don't care 'bout full time.

That's what I was wondering. Where in the manual is this talked about?

I agree, as long as it's "smart" and knows I'm off road, if it wants to deply. OK and THANK YOU!

Funny thing is that I was having the conversation of whether or not an airbag would deply under certain speeds regardless of the mishap, the evening before this happened. I was speaking with a dad in a Rubicon who was letting his under age kids take turns in the front seat. I was questioning whether or not that was a good idea because of the airbags. Those things can kill a small child as you know if you've read that ugly sticker on your KJ's interior :wink:

And since I wheel with my 50lb son, that concerns me.

2003KJ · **Posted:** Wed Sep 28, 2005 9:38 pm

I thought that on newer vehicles the computer disabled the engine once the air bags deployed (figuring you were just in a major accident or something), or am i thinking wrong?

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Wed Sep 28, 2005 10:04 pm

Not the case here. Trail Guide backed it down, u turned it in the river, and then drove it out.

PCTim · **Posted:** Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:48 am

AdamIsAdam wrote:

Funny thing is that I was having the conversation of whether or not an airbag would deply under certain speeds regardless of the mishap, the evening before this happened. I was speaking with a dad in a Rubicon who was letting his under age kids take turns in the front seat. I was questioning whether or not that was a good idea because of the airbags. Those things can kill a small child as you know if you've read that ugly sticker on your KJ's interior :wink:

And since I wheel with my 50lb son, that concerns me.

On the '04's and up, there is a sensor in the passenger seat that weighs the occupant. If they are under 100 lbs, the airbag is shut off. Also, if the seat is empty, the airbag is off too. My daughter has been riding up front with me for a couple of years now, and as she has grown, I've watched the light go from always on, to sometimes on, to never on (weighs about 110 now). BTW, light comes on if airbag is off (except if seat is empty).
On another note, I rear-ended someone last year, and the airbag did NOT deploy. I was at a stand still, thought they went, waited for traffic, then went myself. They were still there

. Actually crumpled the front of the unibody and ripped one of my tow hooks right off. The minivan I hit was much worse. The whole lift gate was pushed in. I don't think I even got up to 5 mph, but the damage was there. I'm thinking there is a sensor that checks speed too. If you are below a certain speed, it will not deploy.

Hope this helps!

EDIT: I now see in your signature that you ave an '03 :oops:

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:03 am

Yes, I have 03. Too bad.

I think speed is factored into the logic calculation when "deciding" whether or not to deploy.

I wnder if I can have my 03 updated with that circuitry. Hmm.

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:21 am

I've been a little concerned at times with that airbag sensor light. There have been times when I'm carrying somebody who is already very light (but not short or a child) and then might sit funny or something, and the light flickers on and off. I usually have to turn the ignition off and back on again to make sure it stays off. What is the general consensus on the dangers of the airbag? Is it just dangerous for the young, the short, the lightweight, or any of the three?

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:25 pm

OK, so check this out. I sent a note off to Big Brother (DMX/Jeep). They've been pretty good in the past. This time I smell a rate, one with Esq. after his/her name! (I say that being married to an attorney, BTW).

I asked the following:

Quote:

Hello. I need to clarify when my front passenger airbag might deploy and
when, if ever, it's disabled. I take my KJ off road and am concerned
about
what size child can ride in the front seat safely while doing that.
Also,
when will the driver's airbag NOT deploy when off road? (Is it disabled
below 25mph? is it disabled when in 4LOW?, etc)

I've read that the 2004
model year KJ's have sensors that prevent the passenger side from
deploying
when anyone under 100 lbs is in the seat or if it's empty. If this is
the
case, can my 2003's programming and sensors be updated to add this
feature?

Thank you for your reply.

And they reply with the following:

Quote:

Dear Adam:

Thank you for your recent email regarding your Jeep Liberty.

The information you are seeking is either unavailable from DaimlerChrysler Motors Corporation or considered proprietary.

You may want to contact the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) for questions regarding air bags. If you would like to learn more please visit: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov

Thank you again for your email.

At least they got back to me quickly. I hate when I'm led on so long only to get left at the alter, so to speak.

PROPRIETYARY!?! You hit me in the face with the speed of a cannon, albeit in an effort to save my life, and I don't get to know about the details of it?

I think it was Ted that found info in the manual about this on the newer models. Can you check to see if it's just 100lbs or are there other factors that would disable it (ie, speed or 4WD Low)?

I'll try NHTSA just for kicks.

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:45 pm

OK, so that sight is very informative. Actually, the section that's informative is this site: http://www.safercar.gov

It talks about the newest Advanced Frontal Airbags in detail (effective 2004) here: http://www.safercar.gov/airbags/pages/F ... ontABs.htm

One other point to mention is that the sensors detect movement/stopping forces, etc. Some sensors aren't even mounted outside the vehicle. This is why you can put an ARB bumper on your KJ and still have working airbags. Those sensors don't take a hit in order to work, in other words.

airbags when offroading

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