Possible to Bypass Airbag Disable Detection?

T

tzr916

:
2016 CX-5 Grand Touring w/Tech
GF is 5'2", she sits on a pillow to bring her up to see over the dash/steering wheel. But sitting on the pillow triggers the Airbag Disable detection. I feel this is a safety issue. When she sits in the passenger seat, she is not protected by Airbag! And I don't know if this happens when she drives the car.

Does the Airbag disable detection also affect the drivers seat?

Is there any way to disable the detection so that the airbags are always on?
 
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First of all, sitting on a pillow is a bad idea. I believe auto companies designed them to turn off for cost savings on the consumer.
 
...in what situation would the driver not need an airbag but the passenger would? That doesn't even make sense.
 
I would have the seat support modified to raise the seat if she is the only driver. That way the safety stuff remains intact. Ed
 
I am the main driver. As far as when she is driving... Can anyone tell me if the DRIVER's seat even has sensors like the passenger seat? Is the DRIVER's airbag ever disabled?

I might be able to convince her not to use the pillow when in the passenger seat, if the sensor cannot be bypassed/tricked. Nobody has come forward with this information yet.
 
tzr916 said:
I am the main driver. As far as when she is driving... Can anyone tell me if the DRIVER's seat even has sensors like the passenger seat? Is the DRIVER's airbag ever disabled?

I might be able to convince her not to use the pillow when in the passenger seat, if the sensor cannot be bypassed/tricked. Nobody has come forward with this information yet.
Click to expand...

The CX-5 seat adjusts (higher) so that a driver well under 5' tall can easily see above the top of the steering wheel. If your girlfriend is 5'2" then simply use the seat adjust function to raise it as high as she likes.
 
Maybe someone will come forward with the information I am seeking...

Is the DRIVER's airbag ever disabled by sensors in the seat?

Can the sensor in the passenger seat be disabled? How?
 
tzr916 said:
Maybe someone will come forward with the information I am seeking...

Is the DRIVER's airbag ever disabled by sensors in the seat?

Can the sensor in the passenger seat be disabled? How?
Click to expand...

Call your mazda service department tomorrow. The seats can be raised on the CX-5, and if the highest setting isn't enough, i'm sure the dealer can safely modify the seat to sit higher.
 
tzr916 said:
Maybe someone will come forward with the information I am seeking...

Is the DRIVER's airbag ever disabled by sensors in the seat?

Can the sensor in the passenger seat be disabled? How?
Click to expand...

The driver's side airbag is not disabled by sensors in the seat. It does however use a two stage deployment system.
If the seat is close to the steering wheel it'll only deploy at part force.

How heavy is your girlfirend? The test dummy used by the NHTSA is the 5th percent female which weighs 105lbs I think.

The sensor in the passenger seat should not be messed with.. especially if you're asking such basic questions about airbag operation. Maybe instead of using a pillow your girlfriend can use a toddler booster seat? That might place her weight on the seat in such a way that the weight sensors still sense her.

from service manual:
The passenger-side air bag module, the passenger-side side air bag module and the passenger-side pre-tensioner seat belt
system will be turned off as the total seated weight drops toward 30 kg {66 lb} and they will be turned on again before the
weight exceeds 42 kg {93 lb}.
*1
Figure is the determination result when a weight is placed on the seat surface. It does not indicate the weight of a
passenger. The amount of weight that the system determines differs depending on how the passenger is seated on the
seat.
Click to expand...
 
I applaud you for your interest in safety. Having said that, I sure hope that you have made an effort to find the info you are seeking directly from reliable sources and not simply planning to rely on what some people you don't know on the internet tell you. Perhaps you've already checked this site for info? http://www.safercar.gov/Air+Bags
More importantly, have you read your owner's manual? In particular starting at page 2-53, "How the SRS Air Bags Work".
It seems that the driver's side airbag will always deploy if a sufficient impact is detected, and the passenger side airbag will deploy if sufficient impact is detected AND if a person of a certain weight is also detected (assuming that your car has the Front Passenger Occupant Classification System). See the chart on page 2-57.
 
inlinev said:
Call your mazda service department tomorrow. The seats can be raised on the CX-5, and if the highest setting isn't enough, i'm sure the dealer can safely modify the seat to sit higher.
Click to expand...

I believe the OP has not tried to adjust the seat higher. Or he does not know how to adjust the seat higher. Regardless, the seat will move high enough so that a driver of 4'6" or so can have good visibility. The seat's height, combined with forward adjustments will easily permit a 5' 2" driver a good safe driving position.
A strategy of "disabling an air bag" is not necessary, and absurd.
 
tzr916 said:
GF is 5'2", she sits on a pillow to bring her up to see over the dash/steering wheel. But sitting on the pillow triggers the Airbag Disable detection. I feel this is a safety issue. When she sits in the passenger seat, she is not protected by Airbag! And I don't know if this happens when she drives the car.

Does the Airbag disable detection also affect the drivers seat?

Is there any way to disable the detection so that the airbags are always on?
Click to expand...

DG_1234 said:
I believe the OP has not tried to adjust the seat higher. Or he does not know how to adjust the seat higher. Regardless, the seat will move high enough so that a driver of 4'6" or so can have good visibility. The seat's height, combined with forward adjustments will easily permit a 5' 2" driver a good safe driving position.
A strategy of "disabling an air bag" is not necessary, and absurd.
Click to expand...
 

Dumb and dumber ? Do not try and modify the air bags. They are are installed to save lives.

Again, the Mazda CX-5 seat easily adjusts to suit a 5'2" driver.
 
The airbag cannot save lives when it is disabled by the seat sensor!
The passenger seat does not adjust up at all.
I'm trying to force the passenger airbag to ALWAYS be on (some cars actually allow this with a key/switch on the dash).
Since the driver airbag is always active, the GF is going to use the pillow when driving because the seat will not adjust to her comfort level and I am not having the dealer change that because I am the primary driver.
 
tzr916 said:
The airbag cannot save lives when it is disabled by the seat sensor!
The passenger seat does not adjust up at all.
I'm trying to force the passenger airbag to ALWAYS be on (some cars actually allow this with a key/switch on the dash).
Since the driver airbag is always active, the GF is going to use the pillow when driving because the seat will not adjust to her comfort level and I am not having the dealer change that because I am the primary driver.
Click to expand...

The seat is elevated by pulling upwards on the horizontal button (this is the same button which when pushed in a forward direction will move the seat forward) . If you raise the seat your 5'2" girlfriend's eyes will be well above the steering wheel. My wife is 5'3" and her eyes are about a foot above the steering wheel.I am 6' and if I raise the seat (to its highest position) my head would be touching the interior headliner.
Please forget about modifying the air bag system. This would be unnecessary as well as unsafe. If for some reason you are not able to understand how to raise the CX-5 seat then take your car to a dealer and they will show you how do do it. Hope this helps.
 
You are confused. Get off the driver seat discussion. That has been solved.

It's the passenger seat that cannot be adjusted up. It's the passenger airbag that is not always on because of the damn sensor that cannot be bypassed.
 
tzr916 said:
You are confused. Get off the driver seat discussion. That has been solved.

It's the passenger seat that cannot be adjusted up. It's the passenger airbag that is not always on because of the damn sensor that cannot be bypassed.
Click to expand...

I've got a 2016 GT w/ Tech also, and my passenger seat definitely has a height adjustment lever. it's right there next to the recline lever. Try it out.
 
tzr916 said:
GF is 5'2", she sits on a pillow to bring her up to see over the dash/steering wheel. But sitting on the pillow triggers the Airbag Disable detection. I feel this is a safety issue. When she sits in the passenger seat, she is not protected by Airbag! And I don't know if this happens when she drives the car.

Does the Airbag disable detection also affect the drivers seat?

Is there any way to disable the detection so that the airbags are always on?
Click to expand...

To OP, my wife uses this style pillow intended to relieve sciatica. She is 5-1ish. No problems with triggering Airbag Disable detection thingy whether driver seat or front passenger seat in our experience. Hope that helps.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)
 
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