It seems most of the 2002 Prius features can be added onto the 2001 ie; cruise control and navigation. Do you think there is any way a side airbag could be put into a 2001? I assume not but just asking...<br><br>Ann

As has been discussed here numerous times, side air bags will not be available for installation on 2001 US Prius cars. There are apparently too many financial and liability disincentives for Toyota, its dealers and customers for this to ever happen. Of course, one should never say "never", but it's 99.9999999% certain that side air bags will never be available for the '01 US Prius.<br><br>Of course, it's very unfortunate that the 2001 US Prius didn't include side air bags in the first place (like many other "modern" cars), and it's equally unfortunate that it'll be another 5+ months before they are available in the 2002 US Prius.<br><br>Disclaimer: The above paragraph should not be construed as a criticism of Toyota. Since Toyota does not make mistakes, and since they do not admit publicly to mistakes they have made, and since many of Toyota's fans believe it will encourage Toyota to do better if we mindlessly cheer them on even when they screw up ... then there's obviously no point in criticizing them. So, this is not criticism, nooooooo.<br><br>(The above should not be construed as ironic or sarcastic humor. It is IMHO only.)<br><br>- Peter<br>(Toyota: Make more hybrids!!!)

Well, I've mentioned it before, and maybe it's just me, but I'm very glad that side bags were not forced upon the 2001 Prius.<br><br>Robert Snyder<br>NJ-PIKACHU

Okay, I'll bite. Why? Do you not want to be forced to buy them or do you have some information about their safety or lack thereof?

As I said, I'm going on my own personal opinions about side air bags. I have not studied them carefully and don't intend to start now. I initially disliked being forced to buy airbags because they primarily help people too stupid to wear their seatbelts. But now that it's been revealed that airbags kill kids (and I just so happen to have two that I'd really rather not see killed), I particularly resent being forced to buy additional explosive devices for my car.<br><br>I understand that many people feel side air bags provide them with a lot more safety, so I have no problem with allowing them to buy them. And I understand the economics that when almost everyone wants to buy them they'll be standard and I won't have the option to not have them anymore. I'm just glad that time hasn't yet arrived.<br><br>Just from looking at what side bags would do I suspect that there's a thin margin between side crashes that won't injure passengers much even without side bags and side crashes that will severely injure or kill passengers even with side bags. In otherwords, if the 40 MPH SUV T-Bones me, I'm probably dead, side bags or not. There just isn't a lot of crushable car parts to absorb the energy while the bags are doing their thing.<br><br>The ideal situation is everyone getting the choice to buy side bags or not. My opinion of the next best situation is no bags. Obviously others disagree. They were getting quite vocal about it so I just wanted to point out their's isn't the only opinion.<br><br>I also every once in a while get this irrational wave of fear that the seat belt pretensioner is planning to strangle me some day. Maybe I really am paranoid.<br><br>Robert Snyder<br>NJ-PIKACHU

Ah, yes, I really hated many of the initial implementations of "passive" restraint systems.<br><br>For example motorized shoulder belt with a split lap belt. There at least two faults with those:<br><br> a. They were not as good as basic shoulder/lap belt.<br><br> b. It was much easier to forget to put the lap belt on because the shoulder belt would make it seem that the belt was on.<br><br>First generation air bags were designed to deploy forcefully enough to try to restrain *unbelted* passengers. This contributes to the risk the pose, if they assumed the the occupant was belted they wouldn't be as dangerous.<br><br>Some of the concerns with front air bags and children also exist for side air bags. I believe I saw recommendation that side air bags in rear seats be disabled by default.<br><br>The major manufacturer of automative safety equipment has an interesting website describing their products:<br><br><a href=http://www.autoliv.com target=new>http://www.autoliv.com</a><br><br>Among them will be adaptive systems that do factor in occupant size and use or non use of seat belts.<br><br>Prius content: It's considered pretty certain that a side air bag retrofit will not be available. However I was pondering . . . is it possible for a Prius *with* a side air bag to be involved in accident, have the side air bags deploy *and* not be totalled.<br><br>If so, when the car is repaired, are new side air bags reinstalled? What is preventing this from happening on a non side air bag equipped Prius? Missing wiring harness? The underlying sheet metal is the same. The parts must exist right? I've heard the liability issue brought before but air bag systems are repaired all the time right?<br><br>Of course I would rather have a NAV retrofit kit. . .<br><br> arnold

Robert: I meant to have said in message #6452 that "... it's very unfortunate that the 2001 US Prius didn't

Hi blood!<br><br>Gee, I feel threatened by mandatory seat belt laws, but I'm slightly older than you, eh?<br><br>I never even notice the flashing seatbelt icon anymore.<br><br>Perhaps non-compliance may even save me a hefty ticket when one of Baby's "brains" goes bad and whisks us up to Garden State Parkway speeds when I'm not on the Parkway!<br><br>Relay this message:<br><br>"Pika-Pika."<br><br>"Pi-ka."<br><br>"Chu."<br><br>Jeff

Hi Jeff,<br><br>What? You're older than me? People who live healthy lives are so annoying :-)<br><br>Re: "Perhaps non-compliance may even save me a hefty ticket when one of Baby's "brains" goes bad and whisks us up to Garden State Parkway speeds when I'm not on the Parkway!"<br><br>If you're on I-90, it's likely to get you rear-ended again, not ticketed! Well, they don't allow ferrets in NY, so maybe they don't allow giant lizards in MA. (Local humor, there was a huge fight over ferret legality in NYC recently with many politicians making fools of themselves no matter which side they were on.)<br><br>Relayed the message. Daughter gave me really strange look and said "Daddy, WHAT are you doing". Is that what was supposed to happen?<br><br>Now if I could just stop foolishly poking sticks in the leather seat wasp nest. It's a good thing the HV battery is hidden or I'd probably be tempted to touch that too. Oh wait, you have touched it.<br><br>Robert Snyder<br>NJ-PIKACHU