Car seat in a mercedes

**jonathant** · 22nd December 2005

My friend needs to turn off the airbag in his mercedes a-class so he can fit a child seat. Mercedes won't help and just tell him to buy a car seat off them which has a chip in it to turn off the airbag. He doesn't want to as there car seats are a few hundred pounds and he already has a car seat. Does anyone know someone who can turn off the airbag in the London area he is happy to pay to get it done. Thanks in advance for your help

**GhettoMoose** · 22nd December 2005

You should not be fitting a car seat in the front, full stop. Why would you want to turn off a car saftey device.

**jonathant** · 22nd December 2005

if you are in the car on your own it is better to have the baby seat in the front. You need to turn the airbag off as is it set off with the car seat fitted it could seriously injure the child.

**zelnik** · 22nd December 2005

Try calling another Mercedes dealership and ask for opinion on the matter.

If not call Mercedes Customer Care line up and enquire if it is possible, sometimes they need to physicaly unplug the passenger airbag and replace it with some "electrical gubbings" to trick the airbag ECU into thinking the passenger airbag is still there. If this is the case knowing Mercedes Labour rates it might be cheaper to buy their car seat.

EDIT: just done a google search and apprantly it's not possible unless you have one of their child seats, get him to check on ebay possibly?

**zelnik** · 22nd December 2005

Originally Posted by GhettoMoose

You should not be fitting a car seat in the front, full stop. Why would you want to turn off a car saftey device.

Because it's the safest way of fixing in a child as very little (in comparison) thought goes into the rear seat passengers and even less for rear seat child seated passengers. All Mercedes cars now come with seat belt pre tensioners in the front only. Which in the event of an accident lock the seat belts which greatly reduces the risk of flying babies.

Also most modern German cars nower days come with a locking/switching device to disable the passenger airbag (and side) for this very reason.

**3mmm4** · 22nd December 2005

y dnt u just go to ur nearsest mother car, and they will advise u on the best way to get round this

**jonathant** · 23rd December 2005

he has spoken to Mercedes they say it is possible to turn it off but they won't do it, he is looking at buying a seat off ebay but would prefer not to have to buy another