Airbag

[bothwell_buyer]

Having removed the airbag from the steering wheel and eventually found a 1p coin which was setting off my horn (well, the cars horn), I had a look at the airbag.

The advice is to disconnect the Battery before removing this airbag - however I can see no evidence of any wires to this device. From what I can see, it looks as if it activates if the steering column is punched up due to a front end smash. It really doesn't look like a clever device at all. Whats more worrying is that the danger notice on the inside rim of the device says beware as its toxic and flammable. Do I really want to be sitting behind an incendiary bomb????

I'm of the mind to change the steering wheel for one that has more grip and rely on my 4 point harnesses. Anybody else changed their steering wheel??? I doubt if any of you 4.3ers will have. It looks as if the steering wheel is the same configuration as the 1994 Celica.

[three5]

Having removed the airbag from the steering wheel and eventually found a 1p coin which was setting off my horn (well, the cars horn), I had a look at the airbag.

The advice is to disconnect the battery before removing this airbag - however I can see no evidence of any wires to this device. From what I can see, it looks as if it activates if the steering column is punched up due to a front end smash. It really doesn't look like a clever device at all. Whats more worrying is that the danger notice on the inside rim of the device says beware as its toxic and flammable. Do I really want to be sitting behind an incendiary bomb????

I'm of the mind to change the steering wheel for one that has more grip and rely on my 4 point harnesses. Anybody else changed their steering wheel??? I doubt if any of you 4.3ers will have. It looks as if the steering wheel is the same configuration as the 1994 Celica.

!Removed! hell Bothy - 300 HP in front of you and you're worried about the "firework" in the steering wheel. What happened to that sense of adventure man?

Have to admit that I laughed out loud at the 1p coin.

[Parts-King]

There is a spiral cable sitting underneath it Bothy, that detects a signal from the air bag sensors

Anyway, is this you in the video Bothy?.............Looks like you in a younger lifeform

BOTHY TESTING AIRBAGS

Click and enjoy, I think he might have had a limp for a while after this

Kingo

[bothwell_buyer]

Bloody hell Bothy - 300 HP in front of you and you're worried about the "firework" in the steering wheel. What happened to that sense of adventure man?

Have to admit that I laughed out loud at the 1p coin.

Don't mind the adventure - but getting barbequed by something thats meant to be there to save lives?????

Its probably radioactive as well.

And thanks for the humble supportive comment about the coin....when I found it I hoped it might have been a Roman sovereign/gold doubloon/ rare treasure. Nope. A bldg nasty cheap 1p bit. I bet I was sabotaged by a dieselly owner/driver when I was down in Warrington. That Fuji guy sneaked off early!

P-K - "There is a spiral cable sitting underneath it Bothy, that detects a signal from the air bag sensors"

Hmmmm - I can't see a spirally cable or any contacts anywhere...has that been nicked dya think? The only contact is the technically superior brass contact and ring on the back end of the steering wheel boss. There is a trigger like thing on the bottom of the airbag device which seems to link to a bolt and sliding bar loosened from the left side of the wheel. I'm trying to show my father (89 yrs old) how to replace the airbag device for me as my backs bad - he's deaf anyway and wouldn't notice if the thing blows up. He's also not able to see things like the dashboard at short range so his sight is unlikely to suffer any long term detriment....and he was in WW2 so he's used to loud bangs even if he could hear them.

Failing that, I could ask the old dear across the road - she must be at least 115. I mean - what are neighbours for???

[bothwell_buyer]

Well Kingo - here's one for your museum..... an airbag with a self-activated trigger. You just have to predict when to use it. So much for 14 years of thinking this thing was activated by a sensor up front!!!

no sign of a yellow plug; spirally cable; red cable; just a blue cable for the horn buttons. No electrical connection. Nothing. Or does this thing have a clever radio controlled sensor to fire off? A really clever digital device, pre-dating digital revolution by 10 years? Or is that I've just been palmed off with a fancy box, warning labels, and T knowing that I'd never survive to complain when it didn't go off :lol:

I can chuckle now at previous posts where folk are relying on the airbags for safety.

I'm not sure whether to ceremonially burn this thing thus destroying the earth from toxicity; or to try pulling the lever. I could tie it onto the back bumper to see if it would help the 1/4 mile times if fired off!

[bothwell_buyer]

Oh and I should have said that I started the car up without the airbag - no warning lights; no pinging bleeper. Seems that it was an almost pointless marketing tool. Now I know, I'll start wearing a cushion.....ah - I already have one round my stomach anyway so all is well.

[Parts-King]

I dont know what Scottish incarnation you have there Bothmeister, but the airbag sensors are at the front of the chassis legs (89173A) and the airbag ECU is in the centre console area (89170), here is the parts line drawing

Kingo

[bothwell_buyer]

Thanks Kingo - I have no recollection that an ecu is in the position you describe...and the gearbox shroud has been off as recent as 2 months ago. I also looked carefully at the airbag device and there is no evidence of a socket or place for an electrical connection. I've posted up on R4W as theres a few 4.1 owners there who might recognise something.

[Hoovie]

Bothy, could your very early RAV have one of these maybe?

Air Bags & Crash Sensors

From the "MECHANICAL AIR BAG SYSTEMS" section ....

"A few vehicles today (Jaguar & Toyota) are equipped with a self-contained "mechanical" air bag system, manufactured by Breed Automotive (a similar system is also available from Breed as an aftermarket add-on driver side air bag system). The mechanical air bag system does not have electromechanical or electronic crash sensors. It uses a mechanical trigger to ignite the propellant that inflates the air bag. It works something like a land mine. Inside the air bag assembly is a single mechanical impact sensor that trips a firing pin when a severe enough jolt is experienced. The firing pin ignites a primer which sets off the sodium azide pellets to inflate the bag. The mechanical system eliminates the need for a power supply as well as any control electronics or external crash sensors, which makes it much easier (and cheaper) to replace after an accident"

[bothwell_buyer]

Bothy, could your very early RAV have one of these maybe?

Air Bags & Crash Sensors

From the "MECHANICAL AIR BAG SYSTEMS" section ....

"A few vehicles today (Jaguar & Toyota) are equipped with a self-contained "mechanical" air bag system, manufactured by Breed Automotive (a similar system is also available from Breed as an aftermarket add-on driver side air bag system). The mechanical air bag system does not have electromechanical or electronic crash sensors. It uses a mechanical trigger to ignite the propellant that inflates the air bag. It works something like a land mine. Inside the air bag assembly is a single mechanical impact sensor that trips a firing pin when a severe enough jolt is experienced. The firing pin ignites a primer which sets off the sodium azide pellets to inflate the bag. The mechanical system eliminates the need for a power supply as well as any control electronics or external crash sensors, which makes it much easier (and cheaper) to replace after an accident"

Brilliant Hoovie - I'm now in a state of shock having travelled 172,000 miles behind a ruddy landmine!!!

You've answered the question though so well done. This is defo a mechanical airbag - there's no sign of any electrics near it apart from the horn wire.

So much for me undoing the Battery and thinking I was safe!

I think I'll go down the route of getting a new steering wheel and a horn push. I just don't fancy shoogling a 14 year old airbag-device-landmine around any more than I have!! And as I have 4 point harnesses fitted, I'll start wearing them.

Am surprised that Toyota were fitting these things - I suppose they would have been cheaper. Oh, and it also explains the warnings about being inflammable - surely when folk were fired onto the moon decades ago Toyota could have come up with a safer method? Are all airbags full of explosive gases??? What if you have 5 bags fitted - yuch!

[Hoovie]

My Rav only has 6 landmines - the latest ones have 9 landmines I think.

Anchorman posted some info about Airbags and how they deploy - could be worth having a look?

Breed is the person who invented the Airbag, so at least IF you do have one of these airbags-!Removed!-landmines, you have one by the meister

I believe at one time, Airbags were meant to be inspected or replaced every few years, but testing showed they did not actually deteriorate with age, so would reckon your landmine is probably still as safe as when you first bought the RAV4 (but I would also reckon your 4-point harnesses will do a fine job IF you wear them )

[Parts-King]

Well I think I will retire My catalogue is completely duff

The later versions are much more sophisticated and have sensors all over the place. They only deploy when they really need to, and a lot of people who have a heavy bump think they should have gone off. They only go off when they really need to, you don't wont to be at the wheel when they do, all sorts of powder, smoke and dust fly around the cabin when they go off, you can even get burnt when the material gives your mush a brush

Kingo

[Hoovie]

A bit off topic, but check this out ... Airbags for the Elderly

"A Japanese company says it has made an airbag designed to stop elderly people injuring themselves by falling over.

The device is strapped around the body and inflates in 0.1 seconds if it detects it is accelerating towards the ground, the manufacturers say. "

I can just picture little 80 year old japanese tripping up and 1/2 a second later flying through the air after being bounced off the floor - and probably without a broken bone, but perforated eardrums and a heart attack from the explosion

[Parts-King]

Well I have seen it all now, air bags for the elderly whatever next

I have a picture in my minds eye of Bothy standing there like a jibbering wreck after "tinkering" with the mechanical air bag, and somebody walking up behind him and going :toot: Pure class :D:

Kingo

[bothwell_buyer]

Well I have seen it all now, air bags for the elderly whatever next

I have a picture in my minds eye of Bothy standing there like a jibbering wreck after "tinkering" with the mechanical air bag, and somebody walking up behind him and going :toot: Pure class :D:

Kingo

I'll bring the thing to the next RAV4 meet and throw it among the gathered crowd to see who catches it and who runs away :lol:

In fact I invented personal padding.....being 134kg and an inbuilt walking cushion! I fall frequently (due to various physical failings and not the whisky!) and the body has grown in order to protect me. despite cuts and scars, I haven't suffered broken bones. Yet.

The Cobra Monaco S seats in the RAV keep me from falling out

[Hoovie]

maybe do a "pass the parcel" and each person has to remove a component when the music stuff

[bothwell_buyer]

maybe do a "pass the parcel" and each person has to remove a component when the music stuff

Bagsie me be the 2nd person cos there's not much to strip off before the trigger