# Auto airbags PM's?



## qst42know (Dec 5, 2008)

I'm scrapping a car and was wondering if there are any PM's in the air bag system. I wouldn't be opening the thing because of the explosives in it but it could be set off by the crash sensor in the front of the vehicle. 

Anything in them?

Anyone scraping these?


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## Never_Evil (Dec 5, 2008)

If you disconnect the battery, you will either greatly reduce or eliminate the possibility of the airbag deploying since it needs electricity for the switches to deploy the bag.


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## qst42know (Dec 5, 2008)

I would guess these would fire anyway by a capacitance charge or battery back up as a crushed car battery provides no voltage. And the service recommendations tell you to handle them as live even while set on the bench. I wouldn't attempt to open one until the charge was fired. They can be deadly.

Keep in mind newer model year airbags sell pretty well if you include the associated parts, sensor, seat belt units, etc..

Anyway I'm going to discharge it and have a look. I'll let you know if I find anything good.


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## Oz (Dec 6, 2008)

Just to put it in perspective should it unintentionally detonate in your hands from static electricity you could lose fingers or a hand, it is a primary.


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## lazersteve (Dec 6, 2008)

The air bag contains sodium azide. Be very careful when handling this material.

Wiki:

Sodium Azide

Steve


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## Lou (Dec 6, 2008)

More concern to me than losing my hand from the explosion is me losing my sight from the caustic smoke it produces.

2NaN3 --> 2Na +3N2

It's the nitrogen gas that makes it dangerous. I don't believe sodium azide is a primary (it just deflagrates when burned), but it is definitely used to make a primary--lead azide. 

The sodium immediately reacts with the oxygen and water vapor in the air to give a mixture of sodium oxide and hydroxide, both of which will blind you in short order. Usually there are scavengers present that kill off any of the dangerous alkali smoke, but it's better to not risk it.

Unless you know what you're doing, do not mess around with the air bag portion of a car.


Lou


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## qst42know (Dec 6, 2008)

Well I didn't have any luck striking the sensor with a hammer and ran out of time to mess with it so it went to the shredder at the scrap yard.

I did however find a source of automobile platinum wire. 

One of the three types of Mass Airflow Sensors use a platinum wire and a heating element to read a temperature differential. Something to watch for when you have your car serviced, ask for the old part back. They are mounted in the tubing between the air cleaner and the intake.

Unfortunately this car had a cheap thermistor.


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## Anonymous (Aug 22, 2009)

I know this is an old post but why let gold go to the scrap yard. You can safely remove an air bag buy reading the manufactures service manual on how to remove the stearing wheel. A "Chiltons" book gives the steps in great detail with pics. Another place to look is in the ABS breaking system.


Cheers,


Frank


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## qst42know (Aug 22, 2009)

I wasn't certain there was any in there to begin with. And then life took over and I had other more priority things to spend my time on.

I suspect there may be some PMs inside as it is a critical application but I have never been inside one. There may well be none. Have you found any gold in auto airbags?


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## Anonymous (Aug 24, 2009)

I'm just starting out so I haven't looked. I do auto repairs, and know we sell both deployed and undeployed bags to a scraper. Next time he comes to pick up I'll ask. I do know there is small amounts of gold in the break system.

Frank


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## Barren Realms 007 (Sep 5, 2009)

Dirty Job's had an episode where they set off an air bag with an old battery connected to the electrical wires coming from the air bag. When they set it off ot blew a metal drum( 55 gal if I'm correct in remebering) about 20'-30' in the air. I would say this could ruin your day.


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## Recyclebiz_com (Sep 22, 2009)

Yes, there is platinum in the air bag system - the ignitor is an explosive coated piece of Pt wire - not valuable enough to justify losing your eyesight , or possibly a limb, over. Some things are just better left to the pros.


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## Anonymous (Feb 23, 2010)

Is it still possible to set off an air bag when there is no battery in the vehicle of a junk yard car? Also; where are these air bag ignitor wires located? i have access to many of these.


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## shadybear (Feb 24, 2010)

I would be interested about that wire also, where it is and how to get it out if anyone
knows. I know the un-exploded bag and steering wheel have a high resell value.


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## aflacglobal (Feb 24, 2010)

Recyclebiz_com said:


> Yes, there is platinum in the air bag system - the ignitor is an explosive coated piece of Pt wire - not valuable enough to justify losing your eyesight , or possibly a limb, over. Some things are just better left to the pros.


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## shadybear (Feb 24, 2010)

I read that already
The question was where is the wire located at, inside the bag ,on the back against the steering wheel, is it destroyed when the bag deploys, what is the best way to remove the Pt wire from a deployed bag if possible.


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## jimdoc (Feb 24, 2010)

My guess would be that the platinum wire is so small and thin, that it would be lost in the blast. I tried looking through an exploded airbag once and gave up on that idea.O2 sensors and catalytic converters are way better to occupy your search time. Also Mapp sensors and other sensors may have small bits of platinum wire.
Jim


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## shadybear (Feb 24, 2010)

That was what i was wondering, I wouldnt try to take apart an un deployed one too crazy and I know there worth more that way. Just wanted to check it out will have to look into the sensors though


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## Anonymous (Feb 24, 2010)

air bags are a high dollar return in recycling however most pick n pull yards take them out to prevent injury or in this new case the one i live by deploy them, so if we can get some accurate info on location i would be more than happy to follow up and show some photos. Im also thinking about giveing some of these wires to someone who will extract the pt form them to find out percentage of content, i am also about ready to give a free cat converter to the best essay or VIDEO on how to recycle these o2 sensors. 
just some food for thought :?:


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## Anonymous (May 3, 2010)

I am new to these forums and this is my first post.
But anyway back to the airbag (Ive been an auto tech for several years) There are 2 contacts on the botom that connect to a clock spring (big coil of wire under steering wheel) if you remove the airbag and bolt it to a car rim wheel (using the mounting bolts on it) and streatch out the clockspring (about 15 feet long) you can connect it to a baterey to set it off then it is safe to dig in. Don't try to dismantel it looking for PMs without first detonating it as the force produced will not only remove a finger or 2 but is enough to kill you. I have safely detonated several as a demonstration and they will jump the steel car rim they are bolted to 2 feet when they go off (airbag facing up on top of the rim). And if you detonate it laying on top of an engine with the hood closed they will allmost break the hood latch. But i dont know if any PMs are in them mostly looked like forged and stamped steel. There may be some gold or something in the ignition circuit as they are designed as a critical part.
Hope this helps


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