Is it legal to change the airbag steering wheel?

[zpeed]

My car is an 2006 w/ airbag. Is it legal to change the stock steering wheel to an after market steering wheel without an airbag?

[sperry]

I don't think it's illegal, but if you are injured in a wreck you may have an issue with your insurance denying you coverage since you disabled a safety device.

That said, I removed the airbag in my WRX and my Miata in favor of a removable racing steering wheel. But neither of them are my daily driver, and I have additional safety gear (seat, rollbar, harness) in the cars. For me, it was a matter of being able to get in/out of the car that made me go with the racing wheel... the smaller size is just a nice benefit.

[sybir]

I have AAA, I asked them before I removed the wheel in the wagon, and they said it wouldn't affect my coverage or claims as long as a primary restraint was in use since it's supplemental (AKA, wear your seatbelt and you're fine) - my agent actually mentioned that not having to replace a bag in a minor accident in an older car means they have less fiscal liability so they're good with it. My passenger bag is still in, and according to the diagnostics, would still trigger.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by sybir

I have AAA, I asked them before I removed the wheel in the wagon, and they said it wouldn't affect my coverage or claims as long as a primary restraint was in use since it's supplemental (AKA, wear your seatbelt and you're fine) - my agent actually mentioned that not having to replace a bag in a minor accident in an older car means they have less fiscal liability so they're good with it. My passenger bag is still in, and according to the diagnostics, would still trigger.

Good news, I guess.

I'm just so jaded that I wouldn't be surprised if they denied anyway and made you fight them before paying up. Did you get anything from them in writing about the no-airbag?

[Kevin M]

I imagine cheap companies would fight you. The better service ones like AAA, Allstate and Farmers would probably not give you grief.

[Kevin M]

Then again, my experience has always been that when someone else's insurance is paying me, they're polite and helpful. Getting money out of my own insurance company has been a less enjoyable experience at times.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Kevin M

Then again, my experience has always been that when someone else's insurance is paying me, they're polite and helpful. Getting money out of my own insurance company has been a less enjoyable experience at times.

I had to deal with Viking/Sentry insurance when my neighbor hit me. They were so bad to deal with that Shaber Ave. autobody refused to fix my truck just because they didn't want to have to deal with the insurance company haggling with them. The ins. company guy I talked to that finally cut me a check after I wrote a scathing letter to them actually told me "you know, you could have just gone through your own insurance company". Go fuck yourself you asshat... I shouldn't have to claim with my ins. company in order to get you to do your job.

And don't get me started on Lisa's health insurance and the amount of dicking us around they're doing in terms of covering her time off from work after the baby.

Fucking insurance companies. It should be illegal to make a profit off of the misery of others. They're quick to take your money, but you have to assemble a legal team when it comes time to get them to pay back on a claim.

/rage

[Kevin M]

"Someone else's insurance" has always been AAA or Allstate. For sure, I do not have a statistically significant sample size when it comes to collecting insurance.

And I'm with you on health insurance. The entire system here is broken, unless you're one of the 26 asshats collecting all the fat checks at the end. Or wealthy enough that you don't have to buy insurance and deal with it.

[sybir]

Originally Posted by sperry

Good news, I guess.

I'm just so jaded that I wouldn't be surprised if they denied anyway and made you fight them before paying up. Did you get anything from them in writing about the no-airbag?

It's in my contract, yeah.

[Double Phister]

It used to be illegal to remove a functioning airbag without approval from the feds/NHTSA (usually becasue of a disablility that made it more dangerous to have the airbag). This was granted on a case by case basis. Last I read it was going to be allowed for a shop to do it if you filled out some forms and aknowledged you were informed of the risks. I'd not worry about it. Do what you want.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Double Phister

It used to be illegal to remove a functioning airbag without approval from the feds/NHTSA (usually becasue of a disablility that made it more dangerous to have the airbag). This was granted on a case by case basis. Last I read it was going to be allowed for a shop to do it if you filled out some forms and aknowledged you were informed of the risks. I'd not worry about it. Do what you want.

That's cool. As soon as you unplug the airbag, it's no longer "functioning", so then you should be fine to remove it. Amirite?

[sybir]

I was under the impression that shops would not do it for liability reasons, regardless of paperwork, but owners were allowed to do so without restriction, as there aren't laws or vehicle codes requiring an airbag in a driven vehicle, just requirements for new cars to come with them.

You can legislate seatbelt use in a vehicle that came with one, but that law came into effect what, 30-40 years after all new cars had them federally mandated? You can still drive a 1929 model T with no seatbelts legally - at least in CA, it's every passenger with a seatbelt in their position in the vehicle that has to wear it. Bolt seats in the back of a van, or sit in the back of a truck with a shell on it, you don't need anything.

Note that I'm not saying it's wise not to wear a belt - just that there's no law pertaining to continued operation of supplemental restraint systems. If I get an airbag light, you can't force me to pay $2-5k for a new component or system (potentially) and I can address it as I want, just like you can't force me to correct a CEL in a specific way (smog laws aside).