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Side Air Bags are Standard for 2018 Wrangler

WaltA

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For air bags that deploy from the seat back, what happens if you put seat covers on your seat then? does it eliminate the benefits of side airbags, or does the air bag just rip right through the seat cover?
Hopefully, one chooses seat covers designed to easily break open (a break-away seam) when the side air bags inflate.
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I don't know how much faith to put in this, but someone mentioned a while ago, that the curtain air bags will be in the doors, and inflate up rather than the typical down.
If true, you'd basically be losing part of your air bag protection by removing the doors. With maybe only the side airbags deploying from the seats remaining.
 

The Great Grape Ape

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If true, you'd basically be losing part of your air bag protection by removing the doors. With maybe only the side airbags deploying from the seats remaining.
I agree, but the thinking may be 'optional side curtains if door are retained' is better than none?

Also IIHS doesn't test with doors off, but they also don't test optional side airbags currently on Wrangler.
So,making hpthem standard and in doors bother gets a higher PR/marketing rating, and is better than not doing it just because of the minority (including me) who take the doors off.

It's also questionable how 'less effective' airbags are with doors off without structures to confine them, so I wonder if even incorporating them inly in A/B-pillar and seat would offer much more protection (sure better than nothing, but barely or significantly?). So might as well design for the common and most effective use-case?

Just random thoughts, I still want at least in seat for 'some protection' with doors off, but that may be the thinking/challenges. :idea:
 

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They won't be in the doors. They'll be in the seat or pillar or both.

There would be way too much liability in being able to remove them.
 

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WaltA

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They won't be in the doors. They'll be in the seat or pillar or both.

There would be way too much liability in being able to remove them.
Most (all?) other applications I have seen for side curtain air bags, are in the roof. However, on the Wrangler, that is removable too (just like the doors). The JK already has side air bags in the seats so where do you think they could add the curtain air bags?

Also, with the doors removed, the curtain air bags wouldn't work very well anyway since their purpose is to protect the occupants (heads?) from things like the hard door glass.
 

The Great Grape Ape

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They won't be in the doors. They'll be in the seat or pillar or both.

There would be way too much liability in being able to remove them.
I don't disagree, as I said earlier, my guess is seat+A for front and then B for back.

Although, I think liability in this case would be very limited, and similar to the current liability of 'how cuz I wuz more unsafe when I took the doors off?' or 'hey why didn't y'alI tell me I would fall out my truck when I took the doors off?' (didn't you wear your seat belt?) 'seat belts are for p*$$ie..!'

I just think that again if they did add them to the doors and it didn't make the doors 100lbs then there might be sound reasoning for it, but more about perceptions snd testing than utility. I still think it's less likely, but possible.

To which, another knock against them in doors beyond just the aforementioned weight issue, is the idea of other door options like soft doors and those keyhole Switchback doors which are rumoured, and I would get.

Putting them in the seat and pillar means door options are easier to accomodate, and cheaper also.
 

CGNJeep

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Another "included" feature that will drive the price of the Wranglers beyond a lot of peoples price point.... keep it simple at the base and offer the options for people who are willing to spend 50K + on a Jeep Wrangler. It's a great safety feature but some of us are willing to die a little younger just to be able to drive a Jeep;)
 

The Great Grape Ape

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Another "included" feature that will drive the price of the Wranglers beyond a lot of peoples price point... keep it simple at the base and offer the options for people who are willing to spend 50K.
Not really, the impact according to the study on the first page state that the Auto Mfr said it would cost $31 per vehicle in 2011, so likely still well less than $50 per vehicle now.

There are dozens of other updates of existing features which are gonna cost way more than that, and you only get to $50K from base $22/24K by pimping your ride, not from these features.


It's a great safety feature but some of us are willing to die a little younger just to be able to drive a Jeep;)
Can't be Jeepin' if ya' ain't livin' !
So Work Harder and Jeep Longer !! :like: :jk: :rock:
 

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Not really, the impact according to the study on the first page state that the Auto Mfr said it would cost $31 per vehicle in 2011, so likely still well less than $50 per vehicle now.

There are dozens of other updates of existing features which are gonna cost way more than that, and you only get to $50K from base $22/24K by pimping your ride, not from these features.

Can't be Jeepin' if ya' ain't livin' !
So Work Harder and Jeep Longer !! :like: :jk: :rock:
But I can't go on 6 week roadtrips twice a year if I'm working harder! Less workin' = more Jeepin' !!:devil:

All joking aside I'm glad the airbags won't be driving up the prices.
 

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bugreg

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Does this mean that the JKs will have this during their overlap manufacturing time?
 

WaltA

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Does this mean that the JKs will have this during their overlap manufacturing time?
From what I have heard, are the side air bags that go into the front seats, which has been optional on the JK's for years, will now be standard for 2018 JK's.
 

DanW

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Most (all?) other applications I have seen for side curtain air bags, are in the roof. However, on the Wrangler, that is removable too (just like the doors). The JK already has side air bags in the seats so where do you think they could add the curtain air bags?

Also, with the doors removed, the curtain air bags wouldn't work very well anyway since their purpose is to protect the occupants (heads?) from things like the hard door glass.
I'll be shocked if they put airbags in removable doors. They will be dependent on a proper elecrical connection to the Jeep. The liability of that connection not being properly made and the airbag failing to deploy would be enormous.
 

DanW

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I'll be shocked if they put airbags in removable doors. They will be dependent on a proper elecrical connection to the Jeep. The liability of that connection not being properly made and the airbag failing to deploy would be enormous.
I'm still not convinced we'll see them, but you could put them in the A-pillar, in the upper part of the seat back, or in an enclosure along the sport bar. It could be done. They won't do it in the doors.
 
 



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