Does anyone have a picture of where the side airbags are deployed from? I'm looking at my leather seats and see a tag that says airbag, and I understand MINI promotes them as being in the seat--saying it moves with you when you adjust them. But I was just wondering where they blow from? Do they burst the seat seams? Do they come from between the seat backs? I just don't see where they come from.

To me its kinda like the A pillars that say Airbag on them, but upon removing the covers found no sign of an airbag--which I understand drops down from the headliner.

Anyone?

 

They should burst the seams on the seat.


The Airbag labels are intended to indicate to Fire/EMS that the Airbag or critical circuitry/parts exist in that column. So if we cut that pillar, we may accidentally activate an airbag if it has not already deployed. Very bad juju if you happen to be the paramedic with your head in the car between the airbag and the occupant.

MacGuruTx

 

Good point, thanks! It's just one of those "gotta know" questions about my MINI.

 

From
http://autos.msn.com/advice/article....18924&src=News
"A side airbag is mounted inside the outer edge of a front seatback and deploys alongside the side of the seat. Depending on its size, it can provide protection to a person's chest or a person's head and chest.

Vehicles with the side airbag as standard equipment include the 2003 Acura RSX, 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle and the 2003 MINI Cooper."

Example of deployed side airbag (not a MINI)

Dummies taking a nap on curtain airbags.


Another example of a side airbag deployed (not a MINI)

 

The side airbags which come from the seat look like roundish 'hamburger bun'-like cushions. The side curtain airbag for head protection deploy from above the headliner between the headliner edge and the trim (it pushes the headliner out of the trim and comes out from that space). A bit of the bag is in the A-pillar too. The charges that inflate the bags arent in the A-pillars (there is no room), but are in the back, roughly behind the back seats in the side panels. You can see them when you take off the boot cubby access door and look forward, there is a silver canister with a yellow label. Those airbags look like long, rectangular flat things that resemble air mattresses for stick people.

 

This cutaway drawing shows the side seat airbag next to the steering wheel airbag-


Here is the actual two front airbags deployed

 

Strange that the second image doesn't show--Must be bandwidth issues. I linked to it from the post, but it worked intermittently. I downloaded the file and attached it to this post.



I'm wondering though, when I get out of my car, I often put pressure ( I lean on it or push off with my hands) on that bolster part of the seat--where apparently the airbag is contained. I wonder if that's a bad thing.

Richard

 

Just the thread I needed to find today!

I've recently started using a suction cup mount for my GPS and have located it just to the right of the A pillar.

Yesterday I became concerned that an airbag deployment might implant the GPS into my skull, but these pictures assure me that I am ok with this location. . .