Removal or Pedestrian Safety Bonnet Charges

Just got myself a 25th Anni and will be doing track days with it.

unlike the Mk3.5 I had before, this mk3.75 has the pedestrian safety bonnet, which is the last thing I want to set off without actually hitting a pedestrain!

Is there a way to code them out so it can be removed permenantly?

If you take them off your car is no longer type approved. Can I suggest that if you wish to do this that you do not mention this on a public forum.

Are you going to use it on public roads as well?  If you are  you should think twice before doing that because as it’s an OEM safety feature you could invalidate your insurance and leave yourself open to prosecution and lawsuits if you do collide with a pedestrian.

Thanks for pointing out the legalities of permanently removing them.

TBH, I am happy to keep them but would just like to have them disabled for track days.

Anyway of accomplishing this?

I guess I could ultimately un-plug them for the track days but no doubt even after I replug them in, I’ll be left with a Dash Warning light that will have to be coded out.

Modifying any part on a car affects the “type approval”. It only really affects owners seeking to export their car elsewhere in the EU. There is no compunction on owners to present their car at the MOT in a standard condition, nor to revert the car to a standard condition in a sale. I don’t know if these cars display a warning light in the event of an error. The MOT doesn’t cover inspection of these systems. There might be discussions in the event of a claim against you, but you might be in the same conversation if the spokes on your Philippine aftermarket wheels snapped, and you plowed into said pedestrian.

I suppose like removal of any explosive parts, you need to take proper precautions.

The active bonnet and associated issues were discussed recently in a long thread.

This feature is something that would seriously put me off buying a car.

I hope you find a way to disable it because if this went off on the track as it has on the public road for an unintended reason, it could easily cause the problems it was designed to avoid.

Most accidents,  minor or serious do not involve pedestrians but will activate the active bonnet at enormous cost to you and your insurance company.

If we seek to avoid all pedestrian injury by motor vehicles, the best way is to avoid any contact - more cycle paths, footpaths, pedestrianised areas, etc.

 

Hi 

ive already done this for track day purposes 

check out the link below 

 

https://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/yaf_postst105235_DHS-on-mk3-75.aspx

Thanks mate! A perfectly workable solution! I’ve seen a wide range of 3ohm resistors, any idea of what Wattage I require?

 

 

Don’t crash on your track day - simples.

If the Active bonnet was accurate enough to detect a genuine pedestrian impact before deploying, this post would not have been posted.  But as Googling has shown, there is a history of the Active bonnet firing on occasions where no pedestrian or even contact has been made.

Some people treat a track day as an opportunity to push their car to a higher limit that cannot be legally attained on the road… I am past that point and am pushing myself to a higher level. I am not stupid enough to do this on the road, hence choose the track day to hone my skills.  When pushing the limits of the car, you will undoubtedly have spins and offs. These spins, especially when over the rumble strip and onto the grass can be very jolty, with the history of the active bonnet, I just want to make sure the bonnet doesn’t deploy.   

 

I was thinking that a 25th Anni was a bit precious to put around the track but then you are more likely to have a prank on the road I guess!  What number is it, think mine was 988.

 

A car is to be driven! A track day is not a race, so you can only be as stupid as your right foot. Although I am pushing myself to learn more skill, I’m no way a beginner…  

 

For me this is my slowest car on my drive… But its a fun car, so I’m gonna have some fun! Also, coming from owning a 210bhp Mk2 for over 15years, this Anni is like a sunday drive.

 

I just purchased mine and its #876.  1 previous owner, 19k miles, FMSH, like new condition, un-marked leather seats which is a very rare find. 

 

 

 

 

Just buy cheap low wattage ones, get a few spares. If the system triggers there will be 12volts across the resistor so in theory you would need a 48 watt resistor to take the power. In practice if it triggers your 1/4 or 1/2 watt resistor will just burn out like a fuse.

We’ve just converted our Eunos into an Exocet just waiting for the paperwork from the DVLA and then time to have some fun!

Do you trailer to the track day?

 

Hi

as already said but just for confirmation just use standard small circuit board resistors “little brown ones with strips ??” 

 Happy track days 

 

I could not have put it better myself ??

Oh no, mine was always road legal! I’m not that hard core!

 

I’ve seen some ready made ones on ebay. They are 27ohm but have a fuse on them too, which combined makes the 30ohm resistance.  Rather than buy these at ÂŁ2.75ea, I’m gonna head into maplins and get some 27ohm before they close up for good and solder them to some 2amp blade fuses, so I am copying the ebay ones.  As I have all the stuff except for the resistor (10p ea maplins) its going to cost me more in fuel cost to get to maplins that make the bypass!

 

I guess what I’m asking is if you always drive the same car to and from the track and whether you have had any issues with that, breakdown wise or broken wise :stuck_out_tongue: