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How to deactivate the passenger airbag - and why you might need to

When should you disable the front passenger airbag?

THE AIRBAG IS one of the most important safety features in a vehicle. However, there are times when you should disable the passenger side airbag:

  • When you’re travelling with a baby in a rear-facing child seat in the front passenger seat. It is illegal to use a rearward-facing child car seat in a passenger seat protected by an airbag. The deployment of an airbag where a rearward-facing baby seat is in place can cause serious injury to the child or even death.
  • When a passenger has an unusual medical condition and a medical professional has deemed it safer for the passenger to ride with the passenger-side airbag deactivated.
  • You can also deactivate the airbag when the seat is empty.

In most cars there will be a useful reminder sticker behind the front passenger visor.

Shutterstock / Artic_photo Shutterstock / Artic_photo / Artic_photo

Activating and deactivating the passenger airbag

Not every model by every manufacturer has the same system or the same steps to disable the passenger airbag. You need to read the manufacturer’s manual which will give you all the steps that need to be taken.

But the passenger airbag can be deactivated if the car is equipped with a Passenger Airbag Cut Off Switch (PACOS).

In most cases, to disable the airbag you need to have the ignition switched off to avoid any possible malfunctions.

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The PACOS is usually located in the passenger side of the dash board. It may be on the dashboard itself, in the glovebox or on the side of the dash so that you need to open the passenger door to access the switch.

The switch will have two positions ‘on’ and ‘off’.

To move the switch from one position to another you need a special key that you insert into the switch and turn.

There is usually a confirmation that the airbag is deactivated with the illumination of one of the control lights in the dashboard.

Shutterstock Shutterstock

You must check that the airbag can actually be deactivated. Not all automobiles offer this option, especially older vehicles.

If the car is not equipped with a switch to activate/deactivate the passenger airbag, the airbag will always be activated.

Some manufacturers, such as Mazda and Mercedes, have an automatic airbag disabling system. These cars disable the airbag automatically depending on conditions, for example when the passenger seat is empty.

If you can’t deactivate the passenger airbag it is recommended that all children travel in the rear seats.

Remember, DO NOT deactivate the front passenger airbag if you’re using a front facing child seat.

Note, if the passenger airbag is deactivated, sometimes the electric seatbelt tensioner on the passenger side will also be deactivated.

There is a penalty for drivers who place a rearward-facing child car seat in the front where there is an active airbag. You may receive at least three penalty points on your driving licence if caught.

Remember to re-activate the airbag whenever the seat is going to be occupied by a passenger.

READ: 7 new cars from the Geneva Motor Show that you can buy soon >

READ: One litre or two: How big an engine do I really need in my car? >

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    Mute Celtic Eagle
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 7:47 AM

    It’s called democracy Joe, even if you don’t like their politics. I’m sure they don’t like your politics either. No one is perfect.

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    Mute Brendan
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 8:06 AM

    @Celtic Eagle: it’s not democracy when Trump lies to people about the outcome of elections.

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    Mute Marcus Suridius
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 8:10 AM

    @Celtic Eagle: storming the captial because you didn’t like the result is democracy?

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    Mute 2thFairy
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 8:12 AM

    @Celtic Eagle: you are wrong. A demographic society is not based on lies or instilling fear. It’s not a green light to be aggressive. It’s about having the freedom to be safe, make your own choices and be respectful about differing opinions.

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    Mute 2thFairy
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 8:15 AM

    @2thFairy: #democratic.

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    Mute Damien Leahy
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 10:13 AM

    @Brendan: how did hillary Clinton get put forward for president even though she lost every vote to bernie sanders

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    Mute bmul
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 10:17 AM

    @Damien Leahy: but she didn’t did she

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    Mute jl
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 11:11 AM

    @bmul: she did. In alot of states it was rigged for her in the democratic primaries

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    Mute Damien Leahy
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 11:22 AM

    @bmul: did she not run for president against trump

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    Mute Diaspora'd
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 4:23 PM

    @Damien Leahy: I am trying to make sense of your post.

    I am not a big fan of Hillary Clinton and I voted for Bernie in the Democratic primaries. But it’s not correct to say that “she lost every vote to Bernie Saunders”. It was obvious the DNC favored Clinton but on the whole she won based on the same rules that Democratic Primaries had been run on for decades.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries

    The superdelegate vote system and rules have since been changed. I wish the rules on the electoral college system could be changed so a candidate like Trump in 2016 couldn’t be elected President after getting less votes overall than Clinton did

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    Mute The Ghost of Dublin
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    Sep 3rd 2022, 2:18 AM

    @jl: that’s not true, at all. You’re lapping up conspiracy theories because you don’t like the truth.

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    Mute JedBartlett
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 8:06 AM

    “Prime time speech” that wasn’t carried live by any of the top 3 networks in the states. He also has to speak over protestors, why isn’t that mentioned in the article?

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    Mute Seamus Quaide
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 7:29 AM

    It’s like half of America are crackers and Trump has hypnotised them

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    Mute Trevor W
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 8:31 AM

    The place is in bits in fairness.

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    Mute Kevin McCourt
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 11:16 AM

    He used the words maga, threat and violence so many times in this speech. It was a platform to allocate blame and not take personal responsibility. Maga = boogieman. He’s attempting a bit of brainwashing for his own cult. How can a political leader condemn 70+ million residents of his country as a dangerous, fascist threat? What about the literal dangerous, fascist threat of BLM and Antifa who his party support in their violence and destruction? He’s playing make believe

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    Mute Con Cussed
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 11:34 AM

    @Kevin McCourt: “..fascist threat of BLM and Antifa who his party support in their violence and destruction”. You partly educated or just blind?

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    Mute A$AP Ragnick
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 3:02 PM

    @Kevin McCourt: its not 70 million though is it, there are probably plenty of normal well adjusted americans who vote republican because they always have, akin to people with ff and fg here. Then there is a sizable minoroty ofnutjobs who hang on his every word, and to who he can do no wrong even in the face of overwhelming evidence. They are the ones who biden is referring to.

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    Mute Will
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 3:09 PM

    @Con Cussed: The BLM and Antifa riots caused untold damage to property and businesses. They declared autonomous zones in major cities, the very definition of sedition. Dozens of people were murdered during these riots.
    Yet we are to believe that Jan 6 was the real threat.
    Americans are waking up to this hypocrisy and Biden’s divisive speech will not have helped the Democrats one bit come November.

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    Mute Diaspora'd
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 4:41 PM

    @Will: The BLM movement didn’t attempt to stop the transfer of power, Trump’s MAGA rally rioters on January 6th did. And yes, anyone of any political identity should be jailed when committing crimes.

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    Mute The Ghost of Dublin
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    Sep 3rd 2022, 2:20 AM

    @Kevin McCourt: clearly you did not listen to the entire speech. He talked about working together, and unity. The maggots were only mentioned briefly. Did it trigger you?

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    Mute Kevin McCourt
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    Sep 3rd 2022, 3:11 PM

    @The Ghost of Dublin: You sound a touch triggered yourself. He mentioned a lot, a contradicting politician is nothing new. I care less about who they want to persecute on their own soil, I find the whole thing to be akin to a soap opera. It’s the confession through projection and theatre of it that amaze me. It’s interesting to see what happens when domestic policy is high priority. Similar disaster and as many lies as when foreign policy was king.

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    Mute l
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 8:41 AM

    And now, right or wrong, he’s validated the claim the FBI are hunting Trump..

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    Mute bmul
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 10:16 AM

    @l: isn’t that what the FBI does hunt criminals

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    Mute Colm O' Shea
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 7:29 AM

    While he may be 100% right, don’t think it’s going to have any benefit to calling it out. The MAGA heads are just going to use his speech to keep pushing their agenda. It’s going to polarise opinion and Republicans who may have voted Democrats are going to be turned off

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    Mute 2thFairy
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 8:13 AM

    @Colm O’ Shea: I don’t think he was talking to them. Their brains are fried and not recoverable.

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    Mute Colm O' Shea
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 12:24 PM

    @2thFairy: maybe not but the point still stands that the GOP will jump on bidens words and use them as a rally cry for their base

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    Mute The Ghost of Dublin
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    Sep 3rd 2022, 2:22 AM

    @Colm O’ Shea: the GOP will do anything to retain power. And I do mean anything.

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    Mute Irish big fellow
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 9:08 AM

    MAGA is like a fascist outfit and is looking more like pre WW2 Germany.

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    Mute Martin O Connell
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 8:20 AM

    It’s life Joe, but not as we know it. Different isn’t always a bad thing.

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    Mute John Quill
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 7:54 AM

    I’ve often think Lincoln should have cut losses and let them have their racist little country.

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    Mute Podge
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 10:34 AM

    @John Quill: I never understand the implications that Trump supporters are all just racist. It’s provably false as statistically Trump could not have won in 2016 without a large number of voters who previously voted for Obama.

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    Mute Neil Feirtèir
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 1:20 PM

    @Podge: in 2016 you can give voters the benefit of the doubt.
    Anyone who voted a 2nd time for Trump you cannot.
    It basically endorsed his ideas and behaviour.

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    Mute Al Fresco
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 11:29 PM

    @Podge: I think trump cheated and won in 2016 and trump cheated and lost in 2020.:

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    Mute The Ghost of Dublin
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    Sep 3rd 2022, 2:23 AM

    @Podge: they are so racist they don’t even think it’s wrong to think the way they do.

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    Mute Verners Tess
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    Sep 2nd 2022, 8:34 PM

    Fair play to Trump. Like him or dislike him, he has rattled the cages of those in power. He has upset their cosy cartel a little and they don’t like it.

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    Mute The Ghost of Dublin
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    Sep 3rd 2022, 2:24 AM

    @Verners Tess: Trump is a criminal and anyone rooting for him is, as well.

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    Mute Verners Tess
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    Sep 5th 2022, 1:33 AM

    @The Ghost of Dublin: Please explain?

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