Jack667

I'm thinking of buying a booster seat for my 1990 C4 cab, for my 16 month old son. The large infant seats don't seem to fit in the back, so I'm thinking of something for the front.

Does anyone know if the passenger airbag can be disabled? If so - can I do it, or is it a dealer-type service? Is it something that I could easily reverse, or is it something that is difficult to toggle?

Thanks!
Jack

Adrian

Dear Jack,
Yes the airbag can be disabled. Porsche actually sell a very expensive kit for this which contains a $1:00 resistor in a box worth over $100.
Basically what you do is disconnect the airbag (with battery disconnected) and insert into the connector (car side) a resistor. Now you will need to confirm the value but I think it is 4 or 5 ohms. This fools the control unit into thinking the airbag is still connected.
You are then required to place a label on the airbag cover which says the airbag has been disabled.
If you are not a competent DIY person with a good knowledge of electronics and airbag systems I recommend you have this job done professionally. It is not a hard job for a person like myself but can easily be messed up if you do not know what you are doing. There are specific procedures which must be followed.
If in any doubt, purchase the Porsche kit, give the instructions to a qualified mechanic and get them to do it.
Ciao,
Adrian
964C4

PS: Please confirm value of resistor before doing job yourself and make sure you have the resistor properly seated in the connector so it cannot come out.

Jack667

Thanks Adrian!!

Cupcar#12

before you disconnect the airbag - unhook the battery and WAIT for 30 minutes to allow for all the capacitors to discharge. they can still fire right after you disconnect the battery
just a word of warning here....

9caregiver

Last year I had bought a plug with a jumper from Porsche that I used after I disconnected the air bag plug in the pass. side of the center console. This sounds different than what is described. Did I simply disable the passenger side or both bags with this plug? I beleive it is both. It was very inexpensive if I remember right. Thanks.

Best,

Don

Cupcar

Don- The plug at the console disables both bags, you are right it is cheap, simple and reversable, Cheers BG

RSAErick

Great news! Is there a Porsche part number?

Thanks!

Erick

Adrian

Gentlemen,
The question asked was for disabling the passenger side airbag which is legal under US law when anyone who maybe injured by an airbag deployment may occupy the seat. This is VERY different to disabling both airbags which was not the question asked.
Disabling the drivers airbag is not legal in the USA and I recommend you check US transportation law and your insurance policies for both airbags being disabled (mandatory safety system disabled) for use on the road and on the race track.
Exercise your right of freedom of choice by all means but if you have an accident and both airbags have been disabled/removed you may find yourself in legal hot water. Take extreme care especially if you have a passenger and the pasenger side is not labelled "airbag disabled". If you are seriously injured and no airbag is fitted your medical insurance coverage may also be impacted especially if you are left with some disability. These might seem to some as not important but a colleague of mine broke his back in an accident when the airbag did not deploy. The owner of that vehicle is still in the courts in the UK. The US is a little more trigger happy in the law suit department than the UK. There is a serious risk involved here to health (your choice for you only) and financial status.
Ciao,
Adrian
964C4

9caregiver

Good advice. My problem has been that I need the bag off for when one of my Boys are in the car. I am faced with the same problem in my new GT3. Perhaps a bypass with a switch could be possible. Kids 10 and under need the safety of no bag.

Best,

Don

Cupcar

Adrian makes some good points, we do live in a very sick world where money trading hands in courts fixes things that shouldn't theoretically even be "fixable", like curing back pain. Like Don Henley sings: "Get over it".

Anyway, I read it is legal for the owner to personally remove the airbag, but is illegal for anyone else to do it commercially. I didn't check whether it was a true statement whether me removing the bags with my own hands was legal or not since the statement worked for me. I guess I should label the dash with: "airbag removed, enter at your own risk".

ONE THING FOR SURE IS: YOU CAN GET KILLED REMOVING THE BAGS IF THEY GO OFF IN THE PROCESS OF REMOVING THEM: LEARN HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY!!!!

There are some reasons to remove them if you are running the car at the track and wearing a harness anyway. In this instance, a deployment can do nothing but disorient the driver and destroy the dash in my opinion. Besides who can drive seriously with the factory steering wheel in their hands?

928.612.220.00 is the plug part number to disable BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER air bags. Label your dashboard appropriately, remove the bags using correct procedures, these things are dangerous, do your homework, don't hurt yourself.

Jack667

Does anyone know that part number for the kit for disabling the passenger side only? My independent mechanic inquired about it and was told that the only kit available was for 996 only.

alan911sc

I have a number for an air bag tester that is supposedly used when checking the air bag system. I believe you disconnect the battery, wait awhile, unplug the connector at the air bag and connect the tester into it's plug. It is supposed to fool the system that the air bag is connected to test other components within the system. I would imagine that it could remain in place to disable the passenger side bag. The PN is 000 721 951 60. Can anyone confirm.

Bill Gregory

The airbag test tool is tool #9516. It's roughly a $65 tool, with $2 of resistors and $63 of a metal/plastic case. The basic approach is as Alan outlined. The factory manual is very specific in how to handle and store airbags, and should be followed.

RSAErick

Do you have to remove the airbags, or can you simply leave them "disabled"?

Thanks.

Erick

Cupcar

The bags can stay put, they just won't work. No lights will come on in the dash to tell you so either.

!!!!!!!!! DO NOT SELL THE CAR IN THIS CONDITION WITH AIRBAGS DISABLED !!!!!!!