Hi all,

I have a 2005 TDCI Focus and I need to disable the front pasenger airbag. I understand that to do this a switch has to be fitted to the glove compartment of the car and that the car needs to be plugged in to a diagnostic machine. Is this a Ford dealer only job or could a decent independent do it (especially the electronic/diagnostic side of it).

Thanks.

The Switch itself is £23.24

The Switch itself is £23.24

Thanks for that, price of the switch seems ok, if it is a dealer only job I can imagine the cost of fitting, diagnostics etc. will be substantial. Makes you think why Ford can't just fit one as standard, my other car has a airbag deactivation switch fitted as standard and its a bit of a hassle to have one retrofitted to the Focus.

Thanks for that, price of the switch seems ok, if it is a dealer only job I can imagine the cost of fitting, diagnostics etc. will be substantial. Makes you think why Ford can't just fit one as standard, my other car has a airbag deactivation switch fitted as standard and its a bit of a hassle to have one retrofitted to the Focus.

i was thinking the same...for when the car seat was in the front.

all my other cars have had deactivation switches or with the vag it was easy doing it through the obd plug shame really as it means the fronts are useless if you have a kid,which kind of defeats the point of a family car.

Couldn't agree more artscot, a family car with a very unfamily feature. Design oversight or Ford giving their dealers an opportunity to make some good money!

Couldn't agree more artscot, a family car with a very unfamily feature. Design oversight or Ford giving their dealers an opportunity to make some good money!

ide go for the money option myself as almost every car with additional aitbags has a switch somewhere so that you can use it for the kids etc no idea what it would cost but diagnostics at 80 quid the switch at 20 odds and then the labour which for ford techs will be major no doubt you could easily pay 150quid for something that should have been standard anyway

Approx £150 was the figure I had in mind in terms of cost. But I've got no choice but to pay it, new baby due in a few months so its gonna have to get done.

Approx £150 was the figure I had in mind in terms of cost. But I've got no choice but to pay it, new baby due in a few months so its gonna have to get done.

your baby weighs up to 10 kgs, she needs to be in a rear-facing seat. These are known as Group 0, Group 0+ or stage one car seats, but they are most easily remembered as infant carriers. Most infant carriers currently available on the market are classified as Group 0+ (a good option as your baby travels facing the rear of the car for longer, giving his head and neck vital support). As long as the crown of your baby's head does not stick up above the top of his seat and he doesn't weigh more than 10 kgs in a Group 0 seat, or 13 kgs in a Group 0+ seat, he should stay facing backwards for as long as possible. See our article for more information on the best time to move your baby out of an infant carrier and into a forward-facing seat.

i wouldnt advise putting the child in the front from a safety point of view and accident point of view definately not have a small suction mirror fitted to the inside of the rear window so you can see in youre mirror what the kids up to

Good advice there, Mrs is reluctant to have baby in the back when she is driving alone but I shall show her your post in an attempt to convince her that the baby will be ok in the back and safety implications as well. Thanks.

Good advice there, Mrs is reluctant to have baby in the back when she is driving alone but I shall show her your post in an attempt to convince her that the baby will be ok in the back and safety implications as well. Thanks.

well we had went to one of these safety things where they check the seats fitted correct etc run by the local police and people had them in the front of cars and it was advised to put them into the rear of the car as theres less chance of serious rear end damage basically the rear of any car is stronger than the front and theres less chance of glass injury etc and it was they who advised these small suction cup mirrors that way you see whats happening behind you and how the child is at the same time i thought it was good advice tghey showed pics of rear/side and front impacts and the damage to the interior etc from them and the rear on a collision was unmarked whereas a front end there was deformed dash passenger and front windows smashed etc which is all more risk for the baby safety was my primary concern and i must admit im glad i chose the rear not the front

sorry to dig an old thread up...but ive just been removing my blower resistor pack (guide to follow) as some speeds were not working...anyways I found a sneaky little connection taped up...IIRC it has 3 wires coming from it... black orange/ black white/black... and its attached to the passenger airbag circuit...my thinking its there so ford can push the switch in place, connect it up to the wire and activate using IDS.... Cheeky sods lol

If it's black and red then yes it's the loom for the passenger airbag disabling switch.

Definitely a dealer enabled option.

Yeah, it was just taped to the harness...Basically remove the glove box and look up.

Ive seen the activation option when I have been playing around with my IDS.