I've been wanting to remove my airbag for a while, because I would like my 7 year old to ride in the front seats with me when we drive together.

I have seen that if a person removed it they would need to put a 1.6K ohm resistor in it's place to trick the computer into thinking it's still there.

What if I put a 2 position selector switch in the circuit where one would normally operate the airbag and the other would be the resistor?

 

Follow the wiring (in a book, or junk yard) for a newer Silverado, see if you can get one of the airbag switches off of that. But for pete's sake, BE CAREFUL!! I know that there is a way to disarm the airbags, but I'm not sure.
I think you go from the fuse box, follow the way up to the bag solenoid itself, then disconnect the AB. But, DON"T QUOTE ME!! If you have dual airbags, that pasenger side one WILL shatter the windshield, and they go off with the force of a 20ga shotgun!.....Watch out!! I wouldn't advise messing with the AB's unless you KNOW what you're doing.

 

Hey, lastly, I din't want to come across as yelling in my response. But I don't like airbags either. I just want you to know, personally, I think it's like messing with a bomb.

 

Thanks for the info - and you are right to be coming across that way.......I find the idea of screwing with it kinda scary myself, and I'm an electrician.

Would be nice to have an actual chevy made switch from a Silverado!

 

I was thinking if you wanted to so this go get you one of the switches out of a pickup truck. My dads 97 Chevy truck has one, so you don't need to go find a new truck to get one.

 

Do you know anyone that works at a dealership?

If I recall correctly, they are required to disable airbags at customer's request for any vehicle where it is impossible for the child to ride in the back seat (2-seaters, pickups, etc) So you know it *can* be done.

My question is why the airbag has to be disabled for a 7 year old?

 

Would it work to just put the seat back as far as it can go? His face will be a good 3 feet from the dash that way.

 

Sorry, I can't provide any helpful info, but I have the same problem with my 4.5 year old Son... He loves to ride in the Camaro with me and what the hell fun is the back seat when 'Shotgun' is available??? What I do is pull the airbag fuse when he's with me, of course losing my own airbag... I'd love to see you find a solution to this.

Moving the seat all the way back is kind of a gamble... Without his booster seat, it would probably be OK, but my son isn't quite big enough for the seat belt to fit him right without a booster seat yet, so with his booster seat I worry that he might be too close even with the seat all the way back. Thing is, there's no way to know without an actual wreck, and of course we don't want to learn what works and what doesn't by trial and error or wrecks!

I also have a '97, and would be grateful if you would share your wiring expertise with me if/when you get this worked out. I'm not an electrician, but I've been through enough wiring harnesses and worked with enough electronics (I can use a multimeter... otherwise completely unqualified! ) that I would feel confident doing this myself.

Good Luck! I'll be watching this post!

Paul

 

If you want to do this this is the info you will need. The coil in the bag measures 1.9 ohms. The electrical connector for the passenger air bag is directly behind the glove box and is yellow. When you are using the resistor it is important that the bag be totally disconnected from both wires and the air bag leads shorted together to avoid a static charge building up which could set off the bag.