Corvette: Dealer problem

In <A4Okb.2315$starband.net>, "Les Benn" <net> writes: 

Les,
I think you have to present a small
grandchild (or maybe a reasonable facsimile
--perhaps a car seat will do) to justify
getting the switch -- or is there something
peculiar to the '98 that makes the switch
a no-no?

Regards, "Mike"
-- mikeellison3xxxatzzzyahoo.com --

Mike my son and/or Daughter usually go with me to the dealer. one is 4 the
other is 6. Obviously the dealer could figure out that the front airbag is a
hazard to either one. I know of no reason a switch can not be installed
since it is a GM retrofit part.

I guess I will have to either get the switch installed or the air bag
completely removed.

"Mike" <mikeellison3|x|@|x|yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:zVQkb.100502$.. 
<net> writes: 
was 
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For 
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I've been retired from a Chevy dealership for over three years, so
things may have changed. At that time, even though the switch was
available from GM, every dealer that I knew would refuse to install the
switches due to legal liability considerations. It doesn't matter that
some GM trucks etc have the switches installed at the factory. In
today's litigation crazy society, the dealers won't take a chance.

GM doesn't require dealers to offer the installation service, so it's up
to the individual dealer to do as they wish.

For what it's worth, completely removing the air bag is a whole 'nuther
bucket of worms, legal and otherwise...error codes etc. Most legitimate
shops, independent or dealer, wouldn't touch the job.

Unfortunate. My four year old is starting to like my C5 with the "Growling"
exhaust. I think they started putting the switch in mid 2000 since I see
some that have it and some that don't. I have seen "destructions" on the
Corvetteforum.com I think... It didn't look very complicated for what its
worth. I haven't done mine yet but depending on when he decided he wants to
ride in it, I intend to put one in. As a side note-- Porsche sold me a $400
booster seat which disconnects the passenger side air bag when the booster
seat is in. (Probably about $350 worth of profit/labor in that job...)

-Stan
2000 C5 Coupe

<net> wrote in message
newsublic.lawson.webtv.net... 

In <7dUkb.710$starband.net>, "Les Benn" <net> writes: 
Hi again Les,

Yeah, granddaughter (age 4) has been totally fascinated
with 'vettes ! She likes the one with the red interior most
of all but I think the big factor is having to sit in the front
seat. She usually suggests that, "Grandma, Mom, Dad and
her older sister can come with us -- they can sit back
there." (Pointing to the cargo deck.) However, she also
likes motorcycles -- I see this as a real problem in nine or
ten years !!!

Back to topic however. Turns out my first, "shot from the
hip" wasn't too cool. The 'thought police' are into this
thing gangbusters. The NHTSA maintains a database by VIN
of all vehicles that have been modified--your tax dollars in
action! Point of concern is that the last update on that
database was in 1999 -- didn't research why they quit.

Here's the 'thought police' site on the airbag switch
thing:
<< http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/airbags/brochure/ >>

There is plenty of background and lots of links at:
<< http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/airbags/ >> (There is
a 'final ruling' here with all the legalese--I only
glanced.) Also a general 1-800 number that might
be a good starting point -- use fake name and
address for the first call, lest you have the FBI
inspecting your car the next day. {{;-[

Here's the NHTSA request form with mailing address
Note that it expires next January--so who knows what
the thought police will do for their next act.
<< http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/airbags/brochure/Req_Form.html >>

Here's the Chevy number to call:
Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center
1-800-222-1020
NHTSA says they are supposed to identify a dealer who will be
willing to do the job. (After the federal government has blessed
your case. -- I see the 4 year old being age 10 by the time you
are finished. I'd also suspect they've hired Microsoft Customer
Support to tell you there's a new model out there with variable
force airbags or to buy an SUV with a rear seat!)

There are a couple of outfits in Maryland (google that) that
offer aftermarket switches and have a list of authorized
installers. Either way, the starting point appears to be the NHTSA.

It's disappointing that the service dept at the dealership
wasted everyone's time on this.

Regards, "Mike"
-- mikeellison3xxxatzzzyahoo.com --

I checked out the site. They build a good case for just forgetting the
switch thing all together. Here's a quote:

[As of November 1, 1997, NHTSA has confirmed that 49 young children have
died, all on the passenger side. 38 adults have died -- 35 drivers and 3
passengers

What were the specific circumstances of the children's deaths?
Almost all of the 49 children who died were improperly restrained or
positioned. 12 were infants under age 1 who were riding in rear-facing
infant seats in front of the passenger air bag. When placed in the front
seat, a rear-facing infant seat places an infant's head within a very few
inches of the passenger air bag. In this position, an infant is almost
certain to be injured if the air bag deploys. Rear-facing infant seats must
ALWAYS be placed in the back seat.

The other 37 children ranged in age from 1 to 9 years; most were 7 or under.
Twenty nine of them were totally unrestrained. This includes 4 children who
were sitting on the laps of other occupants. The remaining 8 children
included some who were riding with their shoulder belts behind them and some
who were wearing lap and shoulder belts, but who also should have been in
booster seats because of their small size and weight. Booster seat use could
have improved shoulder belt fit and performance. These various factors
allowed the 37 children to get too close to the air bag when it began to
inflate.

]

So, with the children:

12 were infants in rear facing seats. (Duh)

29!?! were totally unrestrained.

4 were sitting on laps of other occupants.

8 had shoulder belts behind them with/without booster seats.



Bottom line, and correct me if I'm wrong, since 1997 (6 years!) there were 8
child fatalities due to air bag deployment and of these eight, we don't know
how many didn't have booster seats, or how many had shoulder belts behind
them. I propose that if your child is seatbelted in a booster seat and is
more than 12 inches away from the airbag (easy to do since kids are small
anyway) that the deployment of the airbag could cause no harm. The
assumption here is that the shoulder belt is in place properly. The Porsche
seat mentioned earlier has a strap that runs from the shoulder belt to the
lap belt to keep it from getting up too high on the neck. It's also
adjustable for length.



-Stan





"Mike" <mikeellison3|x|@|x|yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:FOalb.103522$..
 
<net> writes: 
the 
is a 

Let me see if I have this correct. a 9 year old should be in a booster seat
in a Corvette. My kids wear their seat belts. I don't need to have them
killed by the NHTSA regulations.
"sbright" <com> wrote in message
news:com... 
must 
under. 
who 
some 
could 
8 
know 
Porsche 

Les Benn wrote: 

I never put any of my children in my Corvettes. The car itself is just not
safe in an impact. Kids belong in SUV's. Big friggin SUV's.


--
________________________________
Klecko's Komrades. All the way in 2003