Does the '04 xc70 have an ows for the front pax airbag?

outrigger777 · Post by **outrigger777** » 11 May 2011, 14:07

My daughter has a 2004 xc70 with the rear child's seat. She needs to know how many kids she can get in her car, so she can determine which school car pool she can get in. We're talkin' kindergarteners and 1st graders. My 2006 xc90 has an ows for the front passenger airbag, which turns off the airbag if the occupant is under a certain weight. My 90 manual "recommends' no one under 4'7" be seated there. However her '04 70 manual has a highlighted warning that under no circumstance should any one under that height sit in the front passenger seat. Does anyone know if the '04 xc70 has an ows, or if there an easy way to turn the passenger side airbag off and on?

Post by **JRL** » 11 May 2011, 20:40

What's an "ows"?

Post by **kcodyjr** » 11 May 2011, 21:13

Occupant Weight Sensor.

I'd believe the manual; unless you have the dealership disable the front passenger airbag, I wouldn't do it. There's also the belt height issue to consider, and the side airbags; it may be unwise to seat a person shorter than 4'7" even without the airbag.

You say she has the 3rd row seat? Then, I count 5 youngsters as a maximum load; it comes immediately to mind that she'll really appreciate having the front seat to put her purse on, and the absence of little fingers playing with buttons...

Post by **jimmy57** » 11 May 2011, 21:46

The OWS/PAD system came out on the 04.5 S40/V50 and was a phase in later on others. 2004 XC70 would not have it. The 2005 year model that system got added to many more
There is a passsenger airbag disable switch offered when the DOT or NHTSA (forget which has the authority) approves it. Volvo controls the parts and the software that enables it very closely.

outrigger777 · Post by **outrigger777** » 12 May 2011, 00:18

Thanks for the responses. It's just that she can get in a carpool with one extra driver if she can carry 6 kids. When I saw my '06 xc90 only 'recommends' that people under 4'7" not ride in the front pax seat because of the ows, we dug her manual out to see if it said the same thing. It didn't, so I thought I'd post to see if there a quick and easy way to disable the bag. Based on what I'm seeing here, and what her mechanic said, we agree it's probably not a good idea. She'll just have to settle on the car pool with one less driver. Thanks again.