Disabling front passenger airbag

[Moonee]

Was showing my GTI to a mate who briefly owned a Mk6 GTI and he swears that I should have a way of disabling the front passenger airbag (because he had the ability to do so on his)

Why would you want to do that I hear you ask? Carrying a baby or dog up front.

We looked everywhere on the car and in the manual to no avail. Now I don't plan on every carrying a baby or dog on the front seat but it got me wondering if this is a new safety regulation or cost cutting exercise.

[Guest001]

Is available on other countries models. Is in my cars manual but not in the vehicle. I believe it would be illegal to disable a safety device in Australia

[gldgti]

Yes, I dont think ADR's allow it, so european cars where this is the norm dont have provision on Australian models. Ability to disable front passenger airbags in euro cars has been a feature for a very long time. Its the only safe way to fit a child seat or child in the front. (Some european cars even come with ISOFIX point in the front passenger seat).

On some cars (like Range Rovers), where they have more trouble making different models for different markets, you will find things like an ignition switch in the glovebox to disable the passenger airbag, which doesnt work

Its really past time we started revising some of our precious ADR's - things that made sense about 30 years ago are now just silly and are more of a hindrance than benefit. Another example is child seats..... current ADR's require all child seats to have a top strap (regardless of how effective it actually is for individual seats in testing) and so what actually happens is we get a very limited number of child seats in our market, because not all manufacturers can be bothered to make a 'special' model for our small market. All that does is decrease competiton, and you end up with bastardised tech to boot. Sensible no?

Lol, sorry for OT rant

[Umai Naa!!]

Never been able to do it in passenger cars.

Regardless, its illegal to carry a small child or animal in the front of a car, where back seats are fitted. It is actually law that animals be restrained in a seatbelt in the back, when conveyed inside a vehicle.

[Moonee]

Never been able to do it in passenger cars.

errrr .....

"VW Golf Mk6 Turn Off Front Passenger Airbag For Child Seat How To 2008 to 2013"
https://youtu.be/CmDaLHd9huc

It is actually law that animals be restrained in a seatbelt in the back, when conveyed inside a vehicle.

Sorry but also untrue. As long as the dog is restrained and not distracting to the driver (sitting on lap a definite no-no) there is no law that says it can't sit properly restrained in the front of the car.

[Umai Naa!!]

The key-operated switch is not fitted to Australian Volkswagens, and the Airbag Control Module is different to suit. So retro-fitting the switch and sub-harness will be pointless.

In NSW at least, you can get fined for unrestrained animals, both inside the car, and on the tray of a ute. Why you'd have a dog in the front of the car with you, is beyond me.

[jamesatfish]

Remember too that in some instances (such as for 2 seat cars, including 2 seat variants of hatches like the Renault Clio) it is perfectly legal in Australia to have a child seat in the front passenger position, and the ability to disable the seatbelt in that spot is therefore required.

With so much carry over between models in the VW range it's not surprising that some 4 door cars in our market retained the feature if it was present on 2 seat cars that shared the same platform.

[Guest001]

The key-operated switch is not fitted to Australian Volkswagens, and the Airbag Control Module is different to suit. So retro-fitting the switch and sub-harness will be pointless.

In NSW at least, you can get fined for unrestrained animals, both inside the car, and on the tray of a ute. Why you'd have a dog in the front of the car with you, is beyond me.

Come and live in QLD where the oldies drive around with dogs on their laps. Is about a $300 fine if you get caught though

[Guest001]

Remember too that in some instances (such as for 2 seat cars, including 2 seat variants of hatches like the Renault Clio) it is perfectly legal in Australia to have a child seat in the front passenger position, and the ability to disable the seatbelt in that spot is therefore required.

With so much carry over between models in the VW range it's not surprising that some 4 door cars in our market retained the feature if it was present on 2 seat cars that shared the same platform.

When is it safe for my child to sit in the front seat? - BabyCenter

A sensible person would not disable an airbag and probably when having a family would have a car with enough seats to take wife and kids all at the same time

The youtube video is correct but is it an Australian car??? I think not.

[jamesatfish]

When is it safe for my child to sit in the front seat? - BabyCenter

A sensible person would not disable an airbag and probably when having a family would have a car with enough seats to take wife and kids all at the same time

Legalities aside, that link explains that the danger of having a child in the front seat is the "powerful airbag" and bad seatbelt placement for a short person. If the airbag is deactivated when a child is in the front seat, and they are seated in a suitably fitted child seat, then those risk factors are removed. Unless there is further research to prove otherwise (and I'm open to read of such if so), a child placed safely in a front seat position with airbag deactivated is as safe as one placed in the back seat.

My eldest daughter has travelled in the front seat (of a 2 seat car, with airbag deactivated) on many occasions and I do not believe that the risk of doing so was any greater than if she had been in the back of a 5 seat car.