Dear mapleleafer,

May this find you well. The SIPS airbag is a contact detonation device, just like most land mines.

It is triggered, when the door - inside of which is a large white plastic block - is driven against the side of the seat, into which is mounted a trigger device (a detonator).

The plastic block serves as a striker. It hits the trigger device, and causes it to fire. Flame from the detonator reaches the airbag via a tube. The flame causes the bag to deploy. No electricity is required to activate this system.

I installed in a '93 940, seats from a '97 960, with the SIPS system. I transferred into the 940s doors, the white plastic SIPS blocks, without which the bags would not be triggered in time, or most likely, at all.

Because this modification creates something not tested by Volvo's engineers (unlike a powered passenger seat, which Volvo did produce/test), I hesitate to recommend that anyone do this modification. I cannot be sure that it will actually work in a car, not originally equipped with the SIPS system.

I hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook