I came by this article on yahoo http://autos.yahoo.com/repair/results/ques138.html about aftermarket airbag units (Airbags contained in a aftermarket steering wheel, to be swapped into a car which didn't have air bags in the first place). Anyone know if these are available for the Fiero?

The only question would be if there is a deployment module this or one can be calibrated for the Fiero's weight and size along with any other factors in the Firo design that would affect the installation/deployment of the airbag. In plain english...I dunno. I personally don't like air bags, but that's just personal preference. Our new BMW has something like 8 different airbags in it, geez, I hope they all never deploy at one time.

Mike

I dont think that I would trustan after market air bag ?

do any G M wheels with the bags fit in to fiero's unit. how hard is it wire computer to control them,are computers for air bags stand alone or in the main cpu of donor car.

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Question wonder and be wierd

A big GM airbag steering wheel sure would look ugly on our little steering columns. Maybe a Miata steering wheel?? But why would you want to put airbags in a car that wasn't designed for airbags?

hey adrift did you end up getting a fiero? if you need any parts or even a decent 4cyl let me know..

quote Originally posted by Adrift: I came by this article on yahoo http://autos.yahoo.com/repair/results/ques138.html about aftermarket airbag units (Airbags contained in a aftermarket steering wheel, to be swapped into a car which didn't have air bags in the first place). Anyone know if these are available for the Fiero?

I would NOT put aftermarket airbags on the Fiero. Anyway given the case such an airbag would cost you more $$$$$$ (more then the fiero probably). Unless you have one that is worth 10K plus (due to this and that).

WHY I kinda like being alive and hope to stay that way for a while!!!
ever drive in Miami????
between the old folkes and the real crazzy kids we have the greatest number of nondrivers driving and looking to sue

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Question wonder and be wierd

Well.... The obvious warning... Airbag modules are extremely dangerous. There are special procedures for handling and transporting them. Most people don't follow them... Very bad idea. Detonation of an unmounted air bag unit can be fatal.

I really don't recomend you try this but here's an idea of some of the things involved. There's no way I'd trust an aftermarket bag. I'm not even sure such a thing is legal.

You would have to change the whole steering column to add driver side airbag. There's no way to do passenger side without major dash rework.

That I can tell.... the sensors are looking for an impact. Inotherwords they don't care about the car weight as much as how fast the sensor itself is decelerated. They have their own internal mass accelerometer. With the installed base of airbags today, finding a sensor for Fiero's weight shouldn't be too hard.

Airbags are a nice idea but there's no easy way to do this.

Airbag wire and connectors are specially made to keep the chance of corrosion to near zero. Keep in mind you are working with explosives control systems. Very touchy stuff. Get it wrong and you hope all that happens is the air bag deploys in an unocuppied car. Have it fail while you are driving and well....

[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 09-07-2001).]

um, let me get this straight, you want to put a GUN AIMED AT YOUR HEAD in your car?

Because that's what an airbag is, an explosive.

Quite frankly, our passanger compartments are just too small for them, Min-nonfatal-Distance for airbag deployment is 12" in most cases.

Many people sit closer than 12", they will be KILLED by the bag itself when it deploys.

You would have to be crazy to do this to a car and not have the resources (and nessicary restrictions and grueling test requirements) of an auto manufactuer.

Now ABS brakes (defeatable for track use of course) on the other hand, would be a great thing to have!

Best!
Ben.

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Ben Cannon
88 Formula, T-top Metalic Red
88 Formula, Silver
87 Coupe, Metalic Red
"Every Man Dies, not every man really Lives"
-Mel Gibson, "Braveheart"

I don't want to say they are unnecessary, but I don't think you really would need an airbag in a Fiero. These cars are VERY safe in front end collisions.

This past February, I was driving my dads 87 coupe on the highway (needed to get parts for my daily driver, so I borrowed it). A green Taurus wagon passed me in the left lane, laid on his brakes and spun out... went sideways to the highway right in front of me. I managed to hit the brakes, but still nailed him while doing at least 45... probably more. It was nearly instantanious!

That Fiero turned his car into a horseshoe! It was totalled! I was fine (so was the other driver... it was the passenger side I hit). The Fiero suffered about a one inch reduction in length, but from the outside didn't even look too worse for ware. My point is the car's design will take a large impact and won't beat up the driver too bad. I had a sore neck the next day from some wiplash, but really didn't feel too bad. The only thing an airbag could have done was give me some brushburns, or cause bigger injuries and increase repair costs.

BTW, the car is still alive. My uncle has it now, has straightened the frame and is about to paint it yellow (he's an awesome automotive painter!) My dad traded it to him for a clutch job in his 85 SE 2m6.

Airbags are designed into the specific car that they are going to fit. Just putting an airbag equipped steering wheel into a car is probably more dangerous than hitting a brick wall head on without one. The size, air capacity and inflation time are all calibrated to specific cars based on seating position and ergonomics of the car in general. Just wear your seatbelt and drive carefully. Just my 2 cents worth.

Mike

well sure you got fit the bag to the car
can't use a caddy unit but GM make little ones to, most fiero parts came from the same parts bin as other GM cars and alot inter- changes
and junk yards are the key to cheap mods.
i think a few hundred is a real target if lucky at a pick-pull jy. the hunting is 1/2 the fun.

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Question wonder and be wierd

It's not impossible to physically install an air bag, however the sensors that are necessary to set the bag off would not be right for the Fiero. Each sensor is "tuned" to the vehicle style it was designed for. You cannot swap it into another car and expect teh same results. Plus, you cannot cut & splice any of the air bag wiring, (That's a big no-no!) so you'll end up with miles of extra wiring stuffed under the dash, the front hood, etc.

And then you will always have to ask your self - did I miss anything? Is this thing going to work? Are you willing to play Russian Roulette to find out the answer? Don't worry about safety too much. I was hit by a drunk driver head on, and I was traveling at 80 when it happened. Other than a severe case of whiplash, I walked away without any major injuries.

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Boomtastic