peeps44

Hi i just registered here at rennlist. I live in NJ and will be buying a 944 within the next 6 months (my first car). I just wanted to confirm what i know or thought about standard/optional airbags on 944s. 87 and later turbo - standard. All S2 - standard. 88 944S - optional. 944na 83-89 - not available. Can anyone back this up. This is not in line with the info on the 924/944/968 FAQ. thanks

Michael Stephenson

I think that you are correct. However, I think that there may have been an airbag option for later 944 n/a's, but I am not real sure.

marooned

not all S2 have standard airbags, mine doesn't

Adrian

Have to be careful with the use of the word standard. Airbags did not become standard out of the factory until April 1991. However. The dual airbags were offered as an option on all 944s from the 1987 model year onwards. In May 1990 all Porsche entering the USA had to have dual airbags fitted sot his is often referred to as USA Only Standard. Now with all that said it was very common for US dealers to order and import 944s with the airbag options and this got corrupted into being standard. You also have the gray market imports as well to think about. So in the USA you will have a mix of airbag and non airbag 944s of all types.
The airbag (excluding the exclusive options) option numbers you may find on the options label are,
M436
M562
M563
M564 (no airbags fitted)
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4
944 (ohne airbags)

Tabor

My understanding is that in the US all 1987 and later 951s had dual air bags standard.

I remember this because I was told that it was the first model in the world to have dual airbags as standard equipment.

But I could just be an air bag.

Adrian

Dear Tabor,
The 1987 944 was the first model to have dual airbags fitted in the Porsche range. As I said however this was an option. Standard means everyone has them and it is obvious they do not. Like sunroofs. Most Porsches in the USA have sunroofs but they are still options. In Porsche terminolgy, airbags became standard fit on all 1991 models which were started in May 1990 for the USA and became ROW Standard in April 1991. The option to remove airbags was issued in 1991 to cater for nations that did not require airbags by law, such as Australia and I believe the UK. RHD dual airbags came in around 1995 model year,
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4
944

Tabor

From <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Garage/3192/951faq.html" TARGET=_blank> 944 Turbo Frequently Asked Questions
</A>

"On the interior, the 1987 944 Turbo became the first production car in the world to be equipped with driver and passenger side air bags as standard equipment. On the normally aspirated 944s for that year, the driver's side air bag was standard equipment, but the passenger side air bag was optional."

This could be wrong. I know part of this statement is wrong. The 1987 944 NA did not have a drivers side air bag as standard equipment. Unless there was an "Airbag Delete" option, because my 1987 NA does not have air bags.