156 passenger front airbag 'on or off'

[alfa 156 TI]

I was told by the car dealer that having the front passengers airbag on the 156 switched off was a U.S. requirement. However according to the manual it should be switched off for children. My son is nine and sometimes sits in the front of the car, should I switch the airbag off or not?

Brad

[Evan Bottcher]

My understanding was that it was a requirement for the Italian market - where rear facing child seats are normally carried in the front passenger seats?  This is hearsay though.  I'm interested in the real answer...

[pep105]

Hi Guys
The reason is if a person is below a certain height and body mass (young child or small adult) they could sustain serious injury or death from the detenation of the airbag. Car manufactures have warnings not to carry small children, not sure if they state min weight,height however there is a known standard if you like. We have had this discussion at work and ill try to dig up some figures (I work as an engineer in the car industry - which explains my crappy spelling!)
Alfa were quite forward in having this feature, have not seen it on other vehicles and its a great idea

Brad Id switch it off, I used to in my 147 when I carried kids who were old enough to ride up front

Given what the crazy italians are like wouldnt be suprised if the infant car seats were in the front seat !!!!!!

Cheers
Pep

[Victor Lee]

I remember my Mum's 1972 Volvo 164 had a factory rearward facing baby seat in the front passenger seat.  It was mounted via Volvo supplied fittings to the dash somehow.  And no, it wasn't for me!  That was obviously in the days before airbags.  Dunno how Volvo fits baby seats now.

Good idea to find out for other readers info what the recommended minimum age/size/weight for front passenger seat is!

Also, I don't reckon it's possible that US car dealers would have told 156 owners to turn off their airbags...156 were not imported into the USA.  Sorry, unless you mean US Regulations required ALL cars with front airbags to be switched off; which is not a bad idea given kids in the front seat.

[alfa 156 TI]

I remember my Mum's 1972 Volvo 164 had a factory rearward facing baby seat in the front passenger seat.  It was mounted via Volvo supplied fittings to the dash somehow.  And no, it wasn't for me!  That was obviously in the days before airbags.  Dunno how Volvo fits baby seats now.

Good idea to find out for other readers info what the recommended minimum age/size/weight for front passenger seat is!

Also, I don't reckon it's possible that US car dealers would have told 156 owners to turn off their airbags...156 were not imported into the USA.  Sorry, unless you mean US Regulations required ALL cars with front airbags to be switched off; which is not a bad idea given kids in the front seat.

Yes I'm sure the car dealer did say US Regulation. Unfortunately haven't found age requirement in handbook. I've search web as well.

Cheers

Brad

[alfa 156 TI]

Hi Guys
The reason is if a person is below a certain height and body mass (young child or small adult) they could sustain serious injury or death from the detenation of the airbag. Car manufactures have warnings not to carry small children, not sure if they state min weight,height however there is a known standard if you like. We have had this discussion at work and ill try to dig up some figures (I work as an engineer in the car industry - which explains my crappy spelling!)
Alfa were quite forward in having this feature, have not seen it on other vehicles and its a great idea

Brad Id switch it off, I used to in my 147 when I carried kids who were old enough to ride up front

Given what the crazy italians are like wouldnt be suprised if the infant car seats were in the front seat !!!!!!

Cheers
Pep

Cheers Pep,

I will take your advice and turn it off.

I also have a Peojueot 306 (hopefully thats spelt correctly as its the hardest word to spell). My question is, do you believe that the 306 front passengers airbag, just like most front passenger airbags is dangerous to young kids? Or is it that the alfa 156 FP airbag is different in anyway?

Brad

[Sheldon McIntosh]

The consensus seems to be 13 and over should be okay.  As long as they're not smoking a pipe.

From Wiki:-

"Safe use of airbags

An unrestrained or improperly restrained occupant can be seriously injured or killed by a deploying airbag. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends drivers sit with at least 25 cm (10") between the center of their breastbone and the center of the steering wheel. Children under the age of 13 years should always be properly restrained in a rear seat[21]. A rear-facing infant restraint must never be put in the front seat of a vehicle with a front passenger airbag. A rear-facing infant restraint places an infant's head close to the airbag, which can cause severe head injuries, or death if the airbag deploys. Some modern cars include a switch to disable the front passenger airbag, (although not in Australia, where rear-facing child seats must not be used in the front where an airbag is fitted), in case a child-supporting seat is used there.

Smoking a pipe should be avoided while driving. If the airbag inflates and hits the pipe, it is likely to be fatal, even if the crash is moderate."

[alfa 156 TI]

The consensus seems to be 13 and over should be okay.  As long as they're not smoking a pipe.

Cheers Sheldon,
will have to give up smoking pipe then.

Brad

[pep105]

Hey Brad

Yeah the Pug (nice easy way to refer to peugoet without having to spell the frikkin full word - crazy frenchies!) would be the same so young kids should probably ride in the back. Some state the under
12/13 year old as a reference like Sheldons Wiki extract although as you know everyones built differently.

its a bit of a safety factor for the car manufactures as the airbag works well with the dummy (or dude)
sitting at the correct distance away who is within the height and weight tolerence. The crash test dummy
will try and replicate a range of people weights heights usually average male/female but there are limitations such as kids, small humans, my missus (no she still rides up front!) etc hence the warnings.

Im sure theres something bout smokin a pipe too as long as its packed with straight tobacci !!!!!!
If you pack the pipe with the funny stuff you should sit in the back........... 

[alfa 156 TI]

Cheers Pep,

enjoy your reply's and everyone elses for that matter, anyway child in back leave airbag on, solve's the problem.

Pep says:

Im sure theres something bout smokin a pipe too as long as its packed with straight tobacci !!!!!!
If you pack the pipe with the funny stuff you should sit in the back........... 

Bit hard too drive the car in the back seat, unless its an original mini. Anyway can't imagine people smoking pipes and driving alfa's. Maybe Kombi's, but alfa's no. Then again, I am new too the experience.

[alfagtv58]

I've just returned from the US and while riding in a big ass Chev SUV I noticed a switch on the dash to turn off the passenger airbag, it struck me as a strange thing to have, it makes much more sense now!