91 Beretta GTZ

Nitro · Post by **Nitro** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 5:16 pm

Ok, here`s a dumb question.
This 91 GTZ,3.1 auto was given to me.
Other than the too high idle problem, which I now think
is the TPS at fault thanks to members on here.
Do these cars come standard with air bags ?
I just noticed on the back of the drivers sun visor a decal
that talks about air bags..
There is nothing on the dash that says air bag.
There is a little box mounted just to right side in front of
the radiator with an arrow pointing forward ??
Could this be an air bag sensor ?
I just do not wish to mess around under the hood and set it off if that is what it is...
I know, probably a real dumb question..
Nitro.

Rodville · Post by **Rodville** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 5:10 pm

There was a re-design to the Beretta interior in 91. Among the things added was a drivers side airbag located in the steering wheel. The black box under the hood is an airbag sensor. There is another one located under the center console between the shifter and e-brake handle.

Nitro · Post by **Nitro** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:21 pm

Rodville, thank you.
Do you know how much of a hit it would take on the Air-Bag sensor to set it off
When I start into fixing this cars problems I do not wish to drop a wrench on or near it and blow out the Air-Bag.
My first chore is to replace the TPS then the alternator, I just noticed the rear bearing has eaten it`s self....
Nitro.

Money pit Beretta · Post by **Money pit Beretta** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 11:23 pm

Hi Nitro, I would think it would have to be a very hard hit to make it go off. Do you have the cover that goes over it and the headlights? I set tools on that cover all the time in that spot. Well let me get to the point, in the 80's when they first came out they were kinda touchy, but now they are much better. I posted this because I'm sure you want to get that TPS done ASAP.

G9T2Z · Post by **G9T2Z** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 12:44 am

I could be wrong but I don't think you could set off an airbag without the car running and moving. I would think that the S.I.R module would have to see ignition and motion before it would trigger the airbag. iirc airbags won't deploy under a certain speed.

Rodville · Post by **Rodville** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 1:23 pm

It needs a direct hit of at least 30MPH to go off. SO I think you are safe working on the car. But if you are still nervous you could always un-hook the negative battery cable and wait ten minutes. That will ensure no false deployments.

Asylum · Post by **Asylum** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 1:30 pm

I have had almost the entire front end off my car without ever having an issue with the airbag, including two engine swaps.

Nothing to worry about.

yellow3800 · Post by **yellow3800** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 9:35 am

Doing engine swaps, the battery voltage is hopefully disconnected to prevent shorting crazy dangling wires, so the sensor will not blow the bag.

SOME LINCOLNS WILL DEPLOY IF YOU SIMPLY JACK THE FRONT END UP such as changing a tire. We've never had this prob in a beretta, and I'm not sure why the lincoln calls for disconnecting battery for this, and it may be to some less extreme such as a flat on the side of a road shouldn't deploy the bag, but if it happened once... nothing to mess with. Just disconnect the battery.

I also know airbags can be deployed if you take a vehicle airborne and it may hit the ground by a foot or two and that can set them off [ford escort].

Personally, I think Ralph Nader is one of the government creatons who tried to implement this as a life-saving device to save stupid people who don't wear their seatbelts while driving. People have been crashing since ever! Seatbelts have stopped high-impact stops in the 60s, so thats good enough for me. I disconnect mine. We don't need to start a debate because side airbags aren't on berettas, and I have yet to see this mod by someone.

Connect with your social network account