Adding side curtain air bags?

Hello Tacomaworld,

Love my 07 double cab TRD offroad. Noticed the other day that it doesn't have side airbags... But that this was an "option" starting in 2007.
Would it be possible to add the curtain airbags and deployment sensors to my current truck?
I'm guessing the answer will be no, but maybe someone on here has done it.
Thanks

 

It would be cheaper to trade for a model that had it.

Curtain air bags (or lack thereof) was the #1 reason I sold my last truck and bought this one.

 

It can be done. But vary expensive. Even if you pull the parts from a salvaged truck. Would recomend trading to a newer truck.

 

Wow, I have always been worried not having side air bags. What year did you end up buying? (i don't meant o deviate from the OP) I don't know how to use dm here or I would. I feel like I'm on pins and needles w/my truck every day.

 

I have a 2013.

Its got the SRS curtain and seat air bags.

I was in an accident in 2015 and luckily was in a 2012 Subaru with curtain air bags. If I was in my old truck... I certainly don’t feel like I’d be as physically fine as I am today. I walked away with only needing rotator cuff surgery.

I think its worth the trade out.

 

I hate to sound mean, but I guess these people will never know the feeling of driving a convertible with the top down. Enjoying life has risks. That doesn't mean I'm going to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, but when your number comes up, your number comes up. You can be walking down the sidewalk and get hit by a bus.

 

I think the answer is 'maybe', depending if it was prewired or not. The question is the value of the expense, because bags aren't cheap. Nor are the trim parts they 'blow'.

That I would be shocked to hear.

I think side bags are a fine invention. Maybe even more valuable that front bags. Which I have removed from other older marquees as I don't care for a bomb in my face.

I would suppose that means you are a youngster who's never owned an older vehicle, pre bags and pre electronic nanny's? And you would never ride in a convertible, or on a motor cycle, ATV or similar. And you are reluctant to ride a bicycle? Maybe never fly in a plane or take a ship across the ocean either.

I'm not making fun of you. Just pointing out that while it's good to be reasonable, living your life on 'pins and needles' isn't a fun way to be. And the odds are that even if you do have bags, you may be the kind of personality that will fret over something else.

Like how do I know the bags will deploy when they should, and fast enough? There's no way to test them.

And how do I know they won't go off when they should not?

What is the life expectancy of the bags themselves and the control systems? Will they work flawlessly on a 20 year old vehicle with 400k miles, or do I have to trade every 5 years to keep fresh bags?

So many questions.

 

My 'what is your succession plan?' question to employees who felt indispensable was similar.

Stepping off the curb and getting hit by a beer truck. In a 5,000 employee company, where I had a small role, the 'Billy's Beer Truck Theory' was really spread around.

 

What about the possible millions of defective Takata airbags that propel metal fragments at you when they explosively discharge?

 

@Clearwater Bill Bill, you always make me laugh. When I say pins and needles, I'm talking about mechanical issues. Things breaking as I'm going to work. Yep, I grew up with dirt biking parents, jet skis, etc. Next time I'll be more specific with what I mean. (I'm over 55 btw) Mercury Capri stick was my first car.

 

O so electrical pins and needle bearings.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUWL8-Fkp0g

 

I don’t like driving with the windows down let alone convertibles. Ears hurt and you can’t listen to music.

I get what you mean but I don’t need to assume more risk than necessary. Plus its the safety of my family, not just me.

Death isn’t the fear. Disability and crippling medical costs are my fear. But I work in personal injury so I see the extreme cases on a daily basis and I admit it makes me fear things.

But if it haddent been for the SRS bags... I may not be married today. I get more life enjoyment with my SO than my outdated truck. So its all how you look at it. I enjoy life more not being dead or having my SO dead LOL

 

@PackCon Wow, I can only imagine what you have seen. Thank you for making my eyes open a bit more to our everyday realities of life. Sometimes, I shut it out a lot, and need to be more thankful. On that note, I try to make less left hand turns than I used to. : ) : )