Changing to a non airbag 993 steering, Legality

[Wozy68]

I've been informed that an MOT centre should fail a car that was originally fitted with an airbag that has since had a non airbag fitted. I appreciate that an MOT centre may normally not pick up on the fact an older car like a 993 came with an airbag and many people don't have a problem passing.

However, what are the insurance complications? I know many fit RS wheels etc etc,
but then surely the insurance company need to be notified as the car has been altered from original specification. So telling them, bascially means that the car is illegal.

I'm the unlucky one who would install an RS wheel, but will then have an accident and then have hassle with the insurance company, so how do people get around this, or really shouldn't I be bothered?

[g7jhp]

You'll need to declare the modification to your insurance company upfront anyway, so they won't have an issue.

[OlberJ]

It's a modification to the car so you must inform your insurance company.

The MOT thing is only an issue if it lights up an air bag light on the dash. New rules mean that the dash lights must come on and then extinguish after a moment.

If they stay on, or the MOT tester knows that it hasn't come on at all, then they can fail that.

[Wozy68]

Ok thanks for that, so next question is, can you make the light come on and then go off to satisfy an MOT tester?

[g7jhp]

Better to find a sympathetic MOT tester. No airbag, no light needed.

[nxi20]

Wozy68 said:

Ok thanks for that, so next question is, can you make the light come on and then go off to satisfy an MOT tester?

Putting a 2.7 ohm resistor in the circuit instead of the airbag will fool the system into thinking the airbag is still there. Needs to be a fairly meaty one; I used the 5W wire-wound ones.

[david hockney]

The key is to definitely find a local sympathetic MOT station.
My nearest OPC failed my 993's MOT on the grounds that the new steering wheel
did not have an airbag..very tedious...it would have cost a fortune for a new Porsche steering
wheel + labour at the OPC.
Luckily my local MOT interpreted the airbag guidelines differently and it passed no problem.

[OlberJ]

Is there new airbag guidelines too now? I was under the impression it was just the warning lights?