27 replies to this topic

[DavidN]

Presumably, if the (somewhat small) airbag does deploy and if the car is salvageable, repairing becomes difficult as the parts will be well nigh unobtainable. The same goes for repairing a fault?

[FlyingScot]

Airbags are still available, the rest of the system main components too as it was shared with other vehicles.

FS

[DavidN]

Airbags are still available, the rest of the system main components too as it was shared with other vehicles.

FS

Well that's good to know - long may it continue. (Just in case!)

[Alice Dooper]

Airbags are still available, the rest of the system main components too as it was shared with other vehicles.
FS

Well that's good to know - long may it continue. (Just in case!)

The parts are still out there. Rover raided the parts bin. As far as I remember the sensor / control module under the rear seat was the same as the MG F unit, the same car supplied the steering wheel airbag, though with a different moulding on the centre obviously.

[Steve220]

The airbag on the MGF is slightly elongated if memory serves me right.

[pusb]

Are Mini air bags any good?

 

The Metro one looks pretty useless in the crash test, it misses the driver!

 

[Steve220]

You don't want to see the Mini's NCAP video... it's not the air bag you'd want to worry about, it's the engine coming through the floor next to your feet and then the car folding in half.

[se7enmvu]

My air bag did it's job, gave me a graze but I'd imagine hitting the steering wheel would have been much worse.

Thanks for the info flyingscot

[tiger99]

If you are worried about hitting the wheel, get one from an early MG Metro Turbo. Not sure if it was only Turbo, or all MGs. When TRRL first started testing steering wheels on their own, that one came out top of the first batch tested, with Volvo near the bottom. You might want a double-jointed column too, which despite the difficulty of making up a suitable mounting structure, will remove the other risk, of spline failure, as the lower portion will always be aligned to the rack correctly.

 

I would rather be restrained by a proper belt or harness than rely on airbags, which are mostly there because lots of people in certain countries, one now with an idiot for president, refuse to wear belts. A portion of crashes involve multiple impacts, and in those the airbags do no good.

[pete l]

You don't want to see the Mini's NCAP video... it's not the air bag you'd want to worry about, it's the engine coming through the floor next to your feet and then the car folding in half.

 

Is there an ncap video for the mini ??? I've never found one

[Steve220]

I'll be totally honest, not sure if it was NCAP but was a VERY similar crash test. It basically folds in half.

[MacGyver]

You tube... Classis mini crash test(5sec).
Others are around...

I belive however that the airbag is meant to be used in conjunction with the seat-belts, not instead.
The airbag going off without you wearing it would probably do more damage than good.
Basically in a crash, you would be thrown forwards and the airbag would hit your head at high speed in the opposite direction... Not Good.
My advise: always wear your seat-belts in all situations, specially if you have an airbag!
😀

[FlyingScot]

You tube... Classis mini crash test(5sec).
Others are around...
I belive however that the airbag is meant to be used in conjunction with the seat-belts, not instead.
The airbag going off without you wearing it would probably do more damage than good.
Basically in a crash, you would be thrown forwards and the airbag would hit your head at high speed in the opposite direction... Not Good.
My advise: always wear your seat-belts in all situations, specially if you have an airbag!

Correct.
The system in an MPi has both seat belt pre tensioners and the airbag for that reason. As it senses an impact the seat belt mountings fire and pull the belt tighter then the centre wheel mounted bag unit deploys.

It's a good system......whether it provides any real benefit in a mini is a mute point...

FS