Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 01:20:33 -0800 From: Justin VanAbrahams <jvanabranopsamnet> Subject: Re: Who said Bentley was so good?
Chris Thurrott wrote: > > Justin: > > Have you considered that some wise Swedish engineers may have included a > separate power source for the airbag? In case that the battery cable gets > severed in an accident? Just maybe? > > Your statement that if the bag isn't getting power it can't go off is > correct, but I am fairly certain that the airbag is able to fire without > power from the main 12V battery. My '93 Saturn certainly can. I think > you've just been lucky not to trip the SRS sensor so far. > > This message was sent by either: > Chris Thurrott _or_ Kris D'Anci > scully at ma dot ultranet dot com > remove "nospam" from our e-mail address to send a reply No. I am fairly familiar with the electrical systems in Saabs, and I know the airbag cannot detonate without the main 12v power supply. At least they're not supposed to. That said, I've been told by Ywan Mason that the capacitors in the air bag ECU can store energy for *quite* some time after power has been totally killed and thus it's wise to be careful. Furthermore, I don't know about Saturns, but in a Saab the airbag will not deploy unless the car is "on" - hence my warning to BE SURE the ignition is off and remains off through the course of the operation. This info comes from both Ywan Mason and my own mechanic, a 27-year Saab mechanic. Finally, I would go so far as to say that an airbag that would spontaneously deploy due to handling would be a PITIFULLY bad design. The airbag is designed to deploy if and when the car contacts another solid object while moving along at a certain minimal velocity (5 or 15 mph, I cannot remember) - and only then. If handling it or unplugging it was that great of a risk, driving over choppy pavement or off a curb by accident could cause the bag to deploy and that would be a serious hazard. I think those wise Swedish engineers know better than that. The airbag unit is a very safe, very refined, and very stable unit. Unplugging it and/or handling it cannot and will not cause it to deploy, and I must say you'd have to have a pretty impressive physique to trip an SRS sensor by yourself... -Justin
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