Technical Airbag on a non airbag model ?
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Technical Airbag on a non airbag model ?
If you had a spare car with an airbag next to yours, then you could take the airbag bits from it and fit them to yours, so the simple answer is "yes.. it is possible".
On the other hand, you will need quite a few components which might make it impractical.
Apart from the airbag and steering wheel/cover itself you will need wiring to it. This might be already in the wiring loom as an unused plug or you might need the special bit of wiring with it in there.
There will be an "ECU" for the airbag (although the Seicento is quite early technology, so it may have just a more simple collision sensor). This lives somewhere inside the car, usually under the dashboard or under the console ahead of the gear lever. You will need to wire that to the car's power source and also make sure it's connected to the airbag wiring.
I don't know if the Seicento airbag model had different clocks to the non-airbag version... but if the airbag came later your clocks might not have the fault light built in. Hopefully the clocks will be the same as the airbag model but with a light that just doesn't do anything.
I dunno why you reallyt need an airbag light but it might be compulsory for your local version of the annual MOT test. It should illuminate with the ignition and then go out. I guess if you wire in the airbag and the sensor/ECU, this bit will be quite simple.
Ralf S.
On the other hand, you will need quite a few components which might make it impractical.
Apart from the airbag and steering wheel/cover itself you will need wiring to it. This might be already in the wiring loom as an unused plug or you might need the special bit of wiring with it in there.
There will be an "ECU" for the airbag (although the Seicento is quite early technology, so it may have just a more simple collision sensor). This lives somewhere inside the car, usually under the dashboard or under the console ahead of the gear lever. You will need to wire that to the car's power source and also make sure it's connected to the airbag wiring.
I don't know if the Seicento airbag model had different clocks to the non-airbag version... but if the airbag came later your clocks might not have the fault light built in. Hopefully the clocks will be the same as the airbag model but with a light that just doesn't do anything.
I dunno why you reallyt need an airbag light but it might be compulsory for your local version of the annual MOT test. It should illuminate with the ignition and then go out. I guess if you wire in the airbag and the sensor/ECU, this bit will be quite simple.
Ralf S.
Remove airbag centre from your existing wheel and fit a huge spike.
You will drive more carefully.
D
You will drive more carefully.
D
dante giacosa
Member
:d
I'm going to say: Please do not try to retrofit an airbag.
They are not something you really want to be trying to fit, especially if you want it to work when needed.
Also, and actually far worse, is the possibility of it triggering when it isn't needed.
They are not something you really want to be trying to fit, especially if you want it to work when needed.
Also, and actually far worse, is the possibility of it triggering when it isn't needed.
I second Dave, don't do it.
Airbags are part of a dynamc system. There may structural differences between the air-bag and non-airbag models. This could be differnt bumper insert or subitle differnes like different pre-creases to provide controlled deformation. The steering column my be different too. I'm not saying there is differences in the Sei, but you can't know for sure.
Robert G8RPI.
Airbags are part of a dynamc system. There may structural differences between the air-bag and non-airbag models. This could be differnt bumper insert or subitle differnes like different pre-creases to provide controlled deformation. The steering column my be different too. I'm not saying there is differences in the Sei, but you can't know for sure.
Robert G8RPI.
I had a 97 Cinq and i'm sure the steering wheel air bag was entirely stand alone with no wiring - but I cant recall for sure.
Most of these old airbags are beyond their 'service life' anyway.
Most of these old airbags are beyond their 'service life' anyway.
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I’m sure the Cinq. Didn’t have an airbag.
The late cars had the Sei. Airbag wheel, but without an airbag fitted.
The late cars had the Sei. Airbag wheel, but without an airbag fitted.
The airbag is activated by a simple g-meter... basically it goes off if you hit something that makes the car decellerate more than it could just using the brakes.
The rest of the car ought to be the same as the non-airbag version. I'm not sure that the Cinq/Seicento was ever so sophisticated that Fiat decided to re-engineer it extensively to add crash sensors, or make it more compatible with the airbag (sounds unlikely given the airbag technology at the time and the fact that the model was about to be replaced by the 500 soon anyway).
I also doubt that the airbag version had pre-tensioning seat-belts, which these days augment the airbag. If it had them, and you fit an airbag, then fit those too.
So I'm not sure it's the end of the world, if you fit an airbag. It's very unlikely to go off by accident since the g-meter controls it and it takes a hefty old shove that's likely going to hurt already, before the airbag is tripped.
You won't ever know for sure that it'll fire... you only need to miss one bit of wiring, or have a slightly moody g-meter for it to not work (which is why it's handy to have the light on the dashboard working) but it can't do any harm to have something that *might* work.
But it's probably better to just recognise the car is old tech' and about as strong as a wet cardboard box...and just take it a bit easy/avoid any trees/trucks and stay away from motorways.
If that bag ever fired, you're going to be in severe trouble... I can only think it might save your teeth. The rest of you will be fixed by the NHS for free.. but teeth are expensive.
Ralf S.
The rest of the car ought to be the same as the non-airbag version. I'm not sure that the Cinq/Seicento was ever so sophisticated that Fiat decided to re-engineer it extensively to add crash sensors, or make it more compatible with the airbag (sounds unlikely given the airbag technology at the time and the fact that the model was about to be replaced by the 500 soon anyway).
I also doubt that the airbag version had pre-tensioning seat-belts, which these days augment the airbag. If it had them, and you fit an airbag, then fit those too.
So I'm not sure it's the end of the world, if you fit an airbag. It's very unlikely to go off by accident since the g-meter controls it and it takes a hefty old shove that's likely going to hurt already, before the airbag is tripped.
You won't ever know for sure that it'll fire... you only need to miss one bit of wiring, or have a slightly moody g-meter for it to not work (which is why it's handy to have the light on the dashboard working) but it can't do any harm to have something that *might* work.
But it's probably better to just recognise the car is old tech' and about as strong as a wet cardboard box...and just take it a bit easy/avoid any trees/trucks and stay away from motorways.
If that bag ever fired, you're going to be in severe trouble... I can only think it might save your teeth. The rest of you will be fixed by the NHS for free.. but teeth are expensive.
Ralf S.
If that bag ever fired, you're going to be in severe trouble... I can only think it might save your teeth. The rest of you will be fixed by the NHS for free.. but teeth are expensive.
Ralf S.
OP might not have an NHS
D
