Well... I've had my FD for a while now and ever since I bought it I have been trying to decide if I want to take my airbag out. I would of course leave the passenger side in. But I'm only 5' 2" and in order for me to be able to floor the clutch and reach the other pedals I pretty much have to move my seat all the way up and a click back, leaving approximately 8 to 12 inches between me and the steering wheel. I always wear my seat belt. Is it safer for me to leave it in... or take it out.

waysho

 

The worst an airbag will do it crack a rib, maybe break your nose. But smashing into the steering wheel, or through the windshield will do a lot worse. I say leave it in.

 

nooooooooooooooooo

 

just leave it in.

 

The problem is she's short, and therefor has to sit very close to the airbag. An airbag is designed for the human body to contact when its fully deployed, not during deployment. She should not go thru the windsheild if she's properly belted in.

Since she (and other short people) are more likely come in contact while the bag is still expanding, the the forces that she will experience will be much greater.

My sister was in an accident in which there was no frontal impact, but the airbags still deployed. If not for the airbags (and her being so close to the wheel), she should have escaped with just a bruise on the knee. Instead, she had her front, upper row of teeth blown out (the two front teeth were actually shoved all the way into the gum, as an x-ray would show).

Multiple surgery's and well over $10K in medical bills a year later, she's about ready for her final surgery (to put in her new 'teeth' which will be held in by the titanium frame that's embedded into her gums). Kinda sucks for a former model, but with all the work we've seen done so far (with the 'teeth' implants), she'll be as good as new soon.

The rub here though, we don't know what kind of accident we might have. If you have a very serious, high energy impact, that same airbag might save you. Not having an airbag in this situation maybe the cause of one's injuries - or heaven forbid, death.

Waysho: look into getting a J-spec '99+ Nardi wheel. I have not been able to confirm this, but supposedly it is of the 'low power' variety.

 

depends on what kinda mods you have on your car. if you got a 6pt safty harness and use it, i would say it probally ok to take yours out. Personnaly, I took mines out and never looked back.

 

Cars are designed around the average male (5-10" & 175lbs) and not taking the shorter female in to account. Newer airbags have been reduced in size because of this. I would never take it out but with your size, you have a good point scooting so close to it. Both ways can do damage. Usually airbags give you a bloody nose on impact. At the worst a broken nose but that is better then broken ribs or internal injories. The '99+ JDM wheel would be a good compromise. A miata or RX-8 wheel may even fit as well. You can try contacting Mazda headquarters and see if they can give you "accurate" information.

 

Talk to your insurance company too. They might have something to say about coverage in doing something like that. Yeah, you might get hurt more, but at least it'll be covered.

 

I thought these had no airbags?

 

If your gonna take the airbag out you should atleast buy a Momo wheel, I dunno i think at that range an airbag would be more dangerous, I knew someone who was removing there steering wheel and for some reason it caused the airbag to deploy and it broke his rist...

 

It's fine to take out the airbag IF YOU HAVE A HARNESS. If you haven't installed a 5 or 6 point harness do not take out the airbag. I think that a properly secured 6point is far safer than any factory restraint system. But you are risking your life if you just rely on the factory seat belt.

Yes, there are horror stories about people being injured by airbags when they might otherwise have been ok. However, there are many, many more occasions when the relatively minor injuries sustained (ie, broken rips, dental damage, arm burns, etc.) are a small price to pay for still being alive.


Just my $.02

 

They have smaller airbags. It's illegal to sell a used airbag, so a used steering wheel will most likey not come with a usable air bag. ...at least that's what I remember reading.

The latest technology deflates the air bag at different speeds depending on the impact which prevents false alarms and injury at low speeds. So the slower the speed the softer it deploys.

Insurance companies will give you an airbag discount and '94 & '95's will get dual air bag discounts. It's possible the insurance company can alter or void a driver injury claim if the air bag is removed. Maybe not probably but possible.

Waysho "read" this here I also recomend calling Mazda headquarters and asking for statistics on short female injories and if they have any recomendations or sugestions.

 

This (towards the top of the page) is the '99 wheel:

http://laujesse.tripod.com/4jspec/id3.html

There was an OEM Momo 'non-airbag' wheel and an Efini 'non-airbag' wheel on models prior to the '99 year, available as an option I believe (towards the bottom of the page).

Waysho: Is the main problem the reach to the pedals? If so, you might want to investigate having the pedals modified to extend closer to you. Try moving the seat back from your normal position, and see if your arms are in a comfortable position and where you can turn the wheel with ease - then have the pedals 'extended' out to this position, so that your feet can reach.

Likely involve a bit of welding and fabricating, but I'm sure TTT would think it's worth it for your safety. I'd do that and the '99 wheel if anybody can confirm if it is indeed 'low-powered'.

 

Three years ago I experienced a head on collision while in an FD (94 touring, chaste white). I had my seatbelt on and am convinced that it saved my life. The airbag may have prevented me from hitting the steering column (it all happened pretty fast but I think the belt stopped my forward motion before the bag deployed) and it definitely protected my face from flying windshield glass (ended up with stitches elsewhere). On the other hand it did leave me with a fat limp and some abrasions/burns on my chin and cheeks. On the downside, the car was a complete right off. On the upside, I walked away from the crash.

I don't think racing cars in NASCAR etc use bags but they all require safety belts.

 

If you want to die in a head on crash, sure. Take it out.
Otherwise, leave it in.
It is really pretty simple. Unless you have never seen the slow motion crash pics of what happens to the human head, even when the body is strapped firmly into 3 point safety belts. A 7 - 10 lb. human head accelerates incredibly fast in a 50G+ deceleration impact.
Hey, don't take my word for it, just look at what happened to Dale Earnhardt. His safety harness broke, his head hit the steering wheel. He is dead.
End of story.

 

Wow, Dclin, very very sorry to hear about what happened to your sister. I shuddered just reading your post . Ouch.

 

I know on some cars the passenger airbag won't work without the driver side bag installed. Just something to take into consideration..

 

Also, keep in mind that the deployment of the airbag is designed to work in conjunction with the seatbelt. Another good reason to ALWAYS wear your seatbelt!

Airbags do have a "shelf life". 15 years as I remember (I was on contract with a manufacturer of airbag inflators). We may all be due for new airbags in the not so distant future.

As stated above, the airbag technology of the early 90s was in its infancy, and has improved dramatically since then.

 

i took out my stock wheel and went with the momo jdm wheel. my car will have a roll cage, harnesses all that.. i think i will be safer than having the airblag explode on my face

 

I wouldn't compromise safety. If possible, try to get the pedals extended, and your seating height adjusted to suit you better.