Can we remove airbag??

[Mercdan68]

We need some advice on my lads escort mk6 steering wheel we want to fit one from an earlier escort without an airbag,but can we do this and what about the warning light? Cheers Danny/george

[duggers]

You can but I assume it has an SRS warning light?
These can sometimes be dealt with by using a resistor in the circuit.

Not sure on MOT or more importantly insurance issues but i'm sure there will be someone with more info up soon.

[Mercdan68]

Thanks we may have to buy another original wheel if an earlier one can't be fitted

[Rich]

Remove the airbag, remove the light. No trace of it being fitted, sorted. Even less 'obvious' If it's all OE. Brothers Demio should have an airbag but it clearly doesn't as it has a hugely dished OMP wheel, and has the SRS light removed completely. No issue.

[colnerov]

Hi, You should tell the insurance that the airbag has been removed because they have set the premium on the risk with it being fitted. Whether they view the risk as greater or less will be down to them, greater risk of injury compared to the cost of the damage due to its deployment. Not telling them could void the policy in the event of a claim due to non disclosure.

Colin

[Mercdan68]

Thanks ,we've found a replacement via eBay so it's going to stay standard

[Wilk]

My son had OMP wheel fitted to a Scooby

Failed mot due to no airbag. No light on dash either

[Rich]

Jan 13, 2017 8:52:51 GMT Wilk said:

My son had OMP wheel fitted to a Scooby

Failed mot due to no airbag. No light on dash either

Will check the MOT Manual later but pretty sure that isn't how that works. Should be a pass an advise.

[Rich]

So, the wording of the MOT manual is that the SRS system must be functioning and complete, tested as practically as possible. Any removed airbag ect constitutes an RFR as by the book BUT my testers both say in the case of an 'adapted' vehicle (racing/rally car, disabled access adapted) an exception should be made to pass and advise as long as the system is safely disabled (no tape over SRS lamps), reprogrammed to suit (passenger airbag still fitted and SRS lamp operates correctly) or removed entirely. (Clearly no other SRS equipment in place, eg, belt pre tensioners)

So there you go. Muddy waters sadly.

[astranaut]

I fitted an early mk3 Astra Gsi steering wheel in my Astra, removed all the airbag gubbins and the bulb, mine was registered about a year after the airbag wheel became standard but it's never been picked up on. I removed it as the wheel was grebby anyway, and if the airbag went off being quite tall it would have smashed me in the chest first anyway not having an adjustable column.

[Mercdan68]

A straight swop now for a breakers yard wheel so
No problem thanks for all the replys!

[Deleted]

No muddy water, no grey area for the car to be classed as a rally car it has to be a certified Licenced fully prepped rally car, not a boy racers car with red mudflaps and some stickers and as for disability adapted it has to be adapted.
The MOT regs clearly state that if an airbag that was fitted from factory has been removed its a fail however if the car is an early airbag equipped one and the tester isn't sure he can advise.

[jgtr]

Jan 22, 2017 21:24:15 GMT @1300dolly said:

No muddy water, no grey area for the car to be classed as a rally car it has to be a certified Licenced fully prepped rally car, not a boy racers car with red mudflaps and some stickers and as for disability adapted it has to be adapted.
The MOT regs clearly state that if an airbag that was fitted from factory has been removed its a fail however if the car is an early airbag equipped one and the tester isn't sure he can advise.

The MoT manual does not include any stipulation for a vehicle to be certified licensed as a rally car to pass without an airbag. Manual states an airbag obviously missing is a fail but guidance does include unless modified for competition/rallying. It is only guidance so is a grey area. A certified licensed rally car would obviously meet this requirement so should be a pass. In between is at the tester's discretion. Testers do not generally check the OE spec if a vehicle so may miss a missing airbag if the wheel has been changed to a non airbag wheel in earlier vehicles, but again depends on how officious the tester is.

[scimjim]

Jan 22, 2017 21:24:15 GMT @1300dolly said:

No muddy water, no grey area for the car to be classed as a rally car it has to be a certified Licenced fully prepped rally car, not a boy racers car with red mudflaps and some stickers

My sprint car is road legal (and not MSA log booked) and has non adjustable seats (RFR in the manual) - it's up to the MOT testers discretion to agree that it's a race car.