Front seat airbags - where do they deploy from?

Tough question, is there anything in the manual?

If you want to see how they deploy have a look here, 3 videos near the bottom of the page
http://www.wetokole.com/seatcover/safety.html

 

Maybe the attached PDF file for assembling/disassembling Prius seats might be of some help (see especially page SE-3 which shows where the airbag cannister/device and the airbag sensor are located) to you and your seat cover maker: [EDIT: Note that I do not know for sure if Australian spec seats are the same.]

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Also, other people who have put aftermarket seat covers on their cars which accomodate front seat side airbags should be able to help.

Later today I'm expecting a delivery of a replacement set of the OEM seat covers. I'll take a close look inside and out of the front seat covers. If I find anything revealing, I'll post my findings.

Pat Sparks - I thought you had sheepskin covers put on yours. Do you have front seat side airbags?

 

when removing front seats
Is it enough to disconnect the 12V battery to prevent air bags exploding?
Assume the car will be unlocked but not 'ready'
What information does the car forget when the battery is disconnected?
:huh:

 

Have a look here, it is from Toyota Australia and shows the airbags deployed, you need to unzip it to see it.
http://streams.toyota.com.au/media/digital...hures/Prius.zip

 

Have a look here, it is from Toyota Australia and shows the airbags deployed, you need to unzip it to see it.
http://streams.toyota.com.au/media/digital...hures/Prius.zip

 

They deploy forward from the side bolsters to get between you and the door and come out of the forward seam which they burst. They stay outside the seat, that is, they do not deploy towards the center of the car. Make sure your sheepskin covers end at the edge of the side bolsters and no strap goes around the side bolsters and you'll be fine (outside side bolster only, there is no airbag in the inside bolster). Yes, if the side airbags deploy you will probably need new seat covers. While it's usually the stitching that breaks, the seat covers, cloth and leather, usually also tears around and between the stitching holes.

Even with the battery disconnected the airbags are dangerous. It is -possible- to set them off with static, though unlikely. Hence all the warnings on them and in the manuals.

 

I think from the tag down

 

here's a shot of my seat cover- you can see where the breakway flap allows the airbag to go through.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hozozco @ Nov 1 2007, 06:31 PM) [snapback]533588[/snapback]</div>

Hi hozozco,

I received the OEM seat covers this evening, and looked at the front seat covers very carefully, inside and out. Unfortunately, from my examination, I cannot determine where the airbag area break-away stitching begins or ends. In fact, I cannot even recognize the break-away stitching because all the stitching looks the same to me ... could it be that all of the stitching is break-away?

I think you should ask your Toyota dealer.

Alternatively, maybe some of the PriusChatters who installed Wet Okole or GT or other aftermarket seat covers can tell you exactly where to locate the sheepskin cut-a-way so that the side airbag can deploy correctly. You might have to create a new thread for this -- clearly stating your question(s) in the thread title. Or search the "seat covers" and "Wet Okole" threads and choose apparently knowledgeable PriusChatters to send a PM (Personal Message) to with your question(s).

Good luck.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Nov 1 2007, 07:18 PM) [snapback]533606[/snapback]</div>

Thanks galaxee. I was going to mention your name for the GT covers and you know who's name for the Wet Okoles, but I didn't want to volunteer specific names.

 

Good thing I checked here because Bozo the clown at the dealership (service department) told me that the side airbag on the 2008 Package #2 deploys from the center post next to the seat, not from the seat itself.