[Holliday H. Obrecht III]

I finally solved the airbag switch problem this weekend. I installed a passenger side airbag switch in my new red 5-sp Insight, 03-781. (See also my post on mods. in the Modifications Forum). I wired in a switch I purchased from a company called AOI Electrical, Inc. It is their US-1 passenger switch for $199. The installation took a few hours, but was not difficult. The hardest part was getting enough wire slack to splice in the switch harness wiring. I removed the glove box and the trim piece around the radio to gain access. Followed the instuctions and wiring diagram exactly. I spliced into the positive (yellow) wire of the power point for power and used a nearby bolt under the airbag plug as a ground. Cable tied all the wiring (with strain relief--an aircraft wiring trick) down so no rattles or broken wires later. Works great. Took my 4 year old (in a booster seat) for a ride right after. He loved his first ride in "Daddy's new red car"!

 

[Hambone]

I had mine done this past weekend by an installer for $340, which considering you said the parts you purchased were $199 I don't feel too bad about. I like to work with mechanical bits but shy away from doing anything electrical myself, so having someone come to my apartment to do the install was worth the extra $140 I paid. In any case, its nice to have the option of the switch so we can continue to enjoy our Insights! I look forward to being able to take my son for a ride in the Insight in the future, although for me that's probably a little longer away (he's due to arrive July 28th)!

 

[amplifiedmouse]

maybe i'm just naive, but whats the big deal about an airbag kill switch?

 

[Hambone]

maybe i'm just naive, but whats the big deal about an airbag kill switch?

Without the switch, in a state such as Maryland where I live, it would be illegal to drive with a child in the front seat. Plus, especially when the kids are young and still in car seats, its very dangerous to have a rear-facing child seat positioned right in front of an active airbag. The switch allows the airbag to be deactivated when children or a child-seat is in the passenger seat of the Insight, reducing potential risks. As the Insight is the only car I have, and I'm expecting a child in July, I need the functionality of having the passenger airbag decativated so I can transport my child in the car. At the same time, when an adult is in the passenger seat, I can reactivate the passenger airbag, affording them greater protection. Simply deactivating the airbag permanantly would not allow adults the greater level of protection, and simply pulling the fuse for the SRS would deactivate both airbags, which is something else I didn't want. The switch, for me at least, allows me the best of all choices.

 

[amplifiedmouse]

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh it all makes sense now. i forgot that thats how kids seats face in the car. thanks for explaining that.

 

[Armin]

$199!!!???

I understand the need for the kill switch, but not why it has to be that expensive! Surely, all the trouble is with the installation: which wires to cut, where to locate the switch, etc. But the switch itself can only open or close a wire, right? Am I missing something?

Holiday, do you have any more details on the switch that would explain it's price?

Thanks!

 

[Hambone]

Re: $199!!!???

I understand the need for the kill switch, but not why it has to be that expensive!

Armin, I'd imagine it has more to do with having a captive market rather than the costs of the items involved. You're exactly right, all the switch is essentially doing is opening or closing the signal path between the crash detection sensors and the airbag detonators, so it shouldn't be that expensive. But, since Honda won't provide parts, there are definitely some number of us who want this done, and we can't (well, I can't anyways) manufacture the parts themselves, they're going to price these devices at a level as high as the market can stand. You can see from the previous posts what apparently the market is on these.

 

[Holliday H. Obrecht III]

airbag switch complexity

Armin,

You raise a very good question. Before I installed the switch, I took it apart to see what was inside the "black switch box". Nothing to it--no fancy electronics--just a key operated switch but some pretty complex wiring to that switch. This is what I paid for--for someone else to figure out this wiring. I shopped around and this was the cheapest switch I could find.

Holliday

 

[Armin]

I see

Oh, so it's a kit including installation instructions etc. That makes more sense, now!