Should I disable my airbag before going off road???

[Adrenalinejunky]

I am curious to know your views on airbags and off-roading. I am wondering if anyone disconnects the airbags for off-road use or if you risk getting hit in the face out on the trails.

There is a box for the airbag under the seat and my airbag light has been on since I flooded my XJ. Anyone else have this happen?

[bigjim350]

Well I don't have an airbag in mine. But I have seen Rene (rguignard) do some very very very crazy and stupid things in his, no offense buddy:D, and his has never went off.

[msmoorenburg]

Well I don't have an airbag in mine. But I have seen Rene (rguignard) do some very very very crazy and stupid things in his, no offense buddy:D, and his has never went off.

his is also a mechanical airbag aka no wires

[JeepinOutfitters]

If you do something off-road and the airbag(s) deploy, you're probably in a situation where you'd want them to deploy. In a nutshell, the airbag(s) deploying accidentally isn't something to be concerned about.

[LizardRunner]

I sorta figured that if I had the airbag go off. I was in a front end collision scenario.

[XJ Rat]

Don't worry about the airbag deploying. I have never seen nor heard of one deploying while off-road.

I came up a hill once, as I cleared the top, a little off the trail, there was a tree right in front of me. I hit it right on one of the frame rail ends (this was in my TJ). Jarred my teeth good, but the airbags did not deploy. After this I figured they would not deploy in low range activity.

[vwfoolwhy]

Sounds like your jeep has the inertia switch (Box) and also it sounds like it's not working. LOL...

I know Chrysler put a lot into the engineering of these to make sure they would not go off during off roading. The only time the air bag should go off is when the vehicle is traveling over 30mph and the brake is applied during a sudden stop.

I was a passenger in a 98 Ram on 38's and we always joked about how the air bags were just going to go off with every thing we did in that truck. One day during the winter we were coming down a steep graded trail and hit ice or lost brakes. The driver was able to keep it on the trail and not go off the 60' embankment on one side. At he bottom of the trail doing about 45mph we hit a tree. The Air Bags did deploy, But only when we needed them.

[Adrenalinejunky]

I appreciate all of the replies. I am still interested in more stories and thoughts.

[cantab27]

i leave my airbag at home when i wheel,,she doesn't like wheeling plus she has house work to do......
i got a 95 xj... wheel mine heaps , never thought about discounting bag ,as last post said if it goes off when ya out playing its probably gonna help ya....

[Adrenalinejunky]

I'v never been hit in the face byh an airbag and I am not sure it sounds like much fun.

[cantab27]

be better than putting ya head through a windscreen but....what kinda wheeling yall planing on??

[bigjim350]

i leave my airbag at home when i wheel,,she doesn't like wheeling plus she has house work to do......
i got a 95 xj... wheel mine heaps , never thought about discounting bag ,as last post said if it goes off when ya out playing its probably gonna help ya....

Wayne, I'm sure your airbag would knock you out if it ever went off. Bet its full of water by now.

[Olympic]

i leave my airbag at home when i wheel,,she doesn't like wheeling plus she has house work to do......

Hahah I think this one would hit ya in the face also if she reads this post? :D

[XJ4IV]

yeah Im gonna have to agree with others... leave it on... crashing OFFroad is more likely to occur than it is ONroad especially a roll over ...
you say youve never been hit in the face by an airbag... I have and TRUST me Id rather be hit several times in the face with a hot airbag ANY day over being hit in the face by a 4000 vehicle traveling at me at 40+MPH just once
or a tree for that matter

[JENSSEN]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6hJYdCQl5c&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Mudderoy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6hJYdCQl5c&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Successful test! :rolleye0012:

[AusXJ]

Off road I know they are not going to go off unless you really need them as nothing I have ever done has made one go off. Certainly no need to disengage them off road there not very sensitive.

[default83]

i have heard/read somewhere that when your in 4lo the airbags get dissabled not sure how much truth there is to that, but it would make sense.

[Adrenalinejunky]

The video showed exactly what I would like to avoid. I am now even more interested in what will cause the airbags to go off then I was when I first posted.

[saar]

Hi,

I never disabled the airbag.
If it explodes, there is a reason....
If your air bag is on, you may want to fix that problem.
You may want to disable the ABS while off road, that will reduce the posibility of needing the air bag :-)
Saar/

[Joliet Johnny]

I havnt had one blow up on me yet but its a fear of mine. I always wear my seatbelt so I dont feel I need one. I have seen the results of a seatbelt off and no airbag crash in a Grand Cherokee, the guy bounced off the wheel and didnt wake up the next day. And Ive seen an old lady get her glasses broken and loose vision in one eye when her Rav 4 got hit by a drunk at a light. What about adding in a switch like they have on the Dodge truck?

[Adrenalinejunky]

I havnt had one blow up on me yet but its a fear of mine. I always wear my seatbelt so I dont feel I need one. I have seen the results of a seatbelt off and no airbag crash in a Grand Cherokee, the guy bounced off the wheel and didnt wake up the next day. And Ive seen an old lady get her glasses broken and loose vision in one eye when her Rav 4 got hit by a drunk at a light. What about adding in a switch like they have on the Dodge truck?

I think the switch is a great idea. I can not imagine needing an airbag in most offroad situations but would like to have it available for the high speed stuff.

[gary63]

what does if change if you change the bumpers on your feep to a stronger
heaver bumper? I have a 2000 and it is elec. is it set off by shockwave or
a switch that is hit or crushed? and will a heaver bumper keep it form going
off when it is suppost?

[Adrenalinejunky]

I have been wrong before but I think that atleast on the newer XJs (mine is a 99) there is a box under the drivers seat that contains a G Switch which measures force and signals to deploy the airbag when the vehicle is subjected to a certain level of g-force.

[gary63]

will I resved a recall that some of the newer 98-00 needed the front sencer
changed and moved do to water and rusting:stars: I thought it was under the seat too.

[Joliet Johnny]

Im curious if they used the same sensor on the XJ and Durango. I know a very sudden stop will blow them on the Durango. Next time Im at the pick-a-part (hopefully wednesday) Im going to try to collect the factory switch from a Ram and figure this out.

[gary63]

Wish we had some pull and pay (wrecking yards) but
They don't lot you in the yards so you don't get to look
Around anymore. I did find out there is at leas 1 other
Denver that work with the one under the seat and some time
they have more for less chance of fals setoff.