Adapting car seat covers for side air bags

[Spinney]

TL;DR - can I just cut a slit in the relevant side?

Full question:
I've bought a set of cheap car seat covers from Argos (yes, remembered to use the CC link!), to allow me to get in the car on the odd occasion when I'm sopping wet or muddy without dirtying/wetting the seats. They're basically a shaped bag that slides down over the seat back, with an extra elasticated but for the base of the seat.

They say on them not to use if the car has side air bags fitted in the seats, which mine has.
One option is to chop off most of the bit that goes around the vertical part of the seat.
But I'm wondering if I can just cut a slit down the outer side instead, or make a hole of some kind. How big a hole would be needed to let the airbag out if it went off?
No real clue on the seat itself, all there is is a little thing like a clothing label that says 'airbag' - I guess some of the stitching must come apart if the thing goes off?

 

[screenman]

You are correct in the stitching part, a different thread is used in the area. Could you not just lay them over the top rather than fit them.

 

[Spinney]

You are correct in the stitching part, a different thread is used in the area. Could you not just lay them over the top rather than fit them.

That's one option, yes. I could fiddle with the top as well, so it went around the head restraint to hold it in position.

 

[I like Skol]

What are the chances of your seat airbags ever being deployed? What are the chances of them deploying on the odd occasion you have your temporary covers fitted?

Some people just love to worry

 

[green1]

What are the chances of your seat airbags ever being deployed? What are the chances of them deploying on the odd occasion you have your temporary covers fitted?

Some people just love to worry

The chances may be remote but the consequences are severe. There are explosives involved.

Personally if the covers aren't designed for air bags I'd either devise a way to fit them (elastic loops top and bottom?) that isnt going to effect airbag operation or I'd get suitable covers.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Cut and fit velcro..id expect an airbag to punch its way through anyway..they are quite powerful

 

[Spinney]

The chances may be remote but the consequences are severe. There are explosives involved.

Personally if the covers aren't designed for air bags I'd either devise a way to fit them (elastic loops top and bottom?) that isnt going to effect airbag operation or I'd get suitable covers.

That's probably what I'll end up doing. I'm too mean to fork out for the more expensive ones for the limited use I have for them, and most of the dearer ones I found weren't waterproof - they were more for improving the appearance or comfort fo the seats, not for stopping them getting wet.

 

[classic33]

https://itstillruns.com/modify-side-air-bag-seats-7972216.html

Or can you "remove" the area where the airbag would deploy, folding back the material you cut to reinforce the area?

 

[Spinney]

Probably. It's not clear where the airbag comes out though. I might just end up doing what I like Skol suggested and not worrying about it for the few times I use them.

 

[PaulSB]

Can you return these? I keep a piece of polythene sheet large enough to cover the seat and back in the boot. I also carry an old fitted bed sheet to put over the polythene which keeps the polythene in place, absorbs some moisture and prevents slipping on the seat.

Job done for virtually nil cost and no airbag issues.

 

[Spinney]

They only cost a tenner for the pair...

 

[screenman]

I use and old bath towel when I need to cover the seats.

 

[Levo-Lon]

I use heavy duty van covers when im going on the MTB in wet conditions.
But where i go it gets, well very muddy.

It only takes a moment to pop them on ..no real problem ,i hate dirty car seats

 

[biggs682]

odds are that if any of the air bags deploy the car will be written off

The cover might alter the way the air bag deploys but they go off with such force it would just blast its way through the cover , but it might also take some of the initial thrust away and not be so effective as should be in normal use