Removable Steering Wheel - Airbag Issues?

Thinking about beefing up security a little bit - back when I had a Vauxhall Nova (Yes, yes I know), the car could be stolen in 5 seconds flat with a single flathead screwdriver, so I installed a removable steering wheel - Snap Off IIRC.  This foiled at least one thief - I left the car in a railway station car park and took the steering wheel with me.  I came back to find the drivers door frame bent, door unlocked, but car still there.  I just pushed the door frame back in place, put the steering wheel back on and went home.  So I'm keen on doing the same with the VX220 - however I'm aware this might be a problem with the airbag - I presume it's rather unsafe to carry around a steering wheel with a live airbag inside so it might be best to replace the steering wheel entirely?  Does the airbag actually help in an accident, considering the S2 Elise don't have an airbag?  Should I just take the airbag out of the steering wheel?  Or would it be best to consider different methods to secure the car like a Stoplock Pro?  Safety is a priority over security, obviously.

Many thanks!

Your VX does have a very effective immobiliser that the Nova didn’t. It’s virtually impossible to drive off with the car running without a coded key. Much more likely a key would be stolen first, or as has happened before (a very rare case) the car could be towed or trailered off (steering wheel or not). You can fit a removable wheel boss and swap the steering wheel for pretty much any aftermarket one, but I quite like the idea of having an airbag.

Edited by ayresyy, 19 December 2018 - 06:20 PM.

Ghost immobiliser

Does the airbag help, I´m sure of it. And you shouldnt carry around a steering wheel

with and airbag module on.

 

Br, Per

the factory ECU immobiliser must be pretty good because I have never heard of anybody removing it from the software

 

Therefore the chances of someone starting your vx220 without a 'paired' key is pretty much zero

 

Also the airbag wiring will not work with a removable steering adaptor.

Wire in a random switch to the dash starter button, then mount it somewhere odd where only you know.

 

If you're leaving it for a while, fit a basic battery isolator which just unscrews in 2 sec.

 

Not the most advanced technology (and more for you piece of mind than anything else), but along with the standard immob, likely enough to p*ss off a potential thief.

 

 

Good answers, thanks everyone. The reason why I ask is that a month ago, a friend had his Fiat 500 Abarth stolen by someone using a plug-in gimmick to bypass the factory immobiliser, so he's keen on secondary security measures.

Won't be considering the removable steering case wheel idea, but will definitely consider the other ideas you all suggested, thank you!

Fit a Ghost immobiliser and they won't start even WITH a paired key

Fit a Ghost immobiliser and they won't start even WITH a paired key

 
Yeah, my M135i was knicked earlier in the year when they broke in to my mums house and took the key. I guess Ghost Immob would have been useful then..!