Does my 04 have a "black box"?

[Ferris Bueller]

Does my 2004 2wd Ranger have a black box that records my driving date ____ seconds before a crash? If so, where is it and can I disable it?

 

[sniper_101]

Does my 2004 2wd Ranger have a black box that records my driving date ____ seconds before a crash? If so, where is it and can I disable it?

Nope, it's a Ranger, not a 747.

 

[dusto2]

that stuff is held in the rcm,or restraints control module, and yes it is a type of "black box", and no you cant disable it without disabling your whole airbag system. I DO NOT RECOMMEND YOU DO THIS.

 

[Jspafford]

Why would you want to? Planning on totaling the truck for money?

 

[kennykenny]

Why would you want to? Planning on totaling the truck for money?

X2

 

[iqcraig]

Setting it on fire or parking it on the leeward side of a dead tree before a storm are much better ways to commit insurance fraud.

 

[LearjetMinako]

Usually any time some one referes to the "Black Box" for a vehicle, I'll refer them the "Blue Box". Same thing, just references.

It really depends on vehicle make and model. The PCM does store data, so does the ABS and SRS. The SRS modual would probably be the one that stores crash data. If so, its located on the passenger side by the foot panel.

I know Ford did also have a seperate modual that just recorded data over trip cycles. It was sometimes found under the driver's seat. But that was back around 2001.

 

[04 EDGE]

the SRS airbag module on his truck is located on the floor under the center of the dash under/behind the cup holder.

 

[LearjetMinako]

the SRS airbag module on his truck is located on the floor under the center of the dash under/behind the cup holder.

. I know the ABS & Chime module are about in the same area (behind the radio). I didn't realize Ford moved the SRS module on later years. I guess I need to make more field trips to the local pickup junkyard.

 

[Crunchy]

I thought the air bag module saves "specific data" for a certain number of seconds in a crash. This was originally to collect data of air bag usuage for the manufacturers, but manufacturers kept the functionality there.

Last year there was a bad storm down the highway, about 50 cars piled up, many injuries, and as people were being rescued, more cars piled on. In the end there was an uproar cause the crash investigators used the black boxes in every car with an airbag to lay speeding and dangerous driving charges against anyone who was speeding in the storm, or failed to slow down for the emergency vehicles that were stopped alongside the road.

Their investigation techniquies were challenged in court saying the drivers were not aware they were being monitored. The case failed, half the people got tickets, even when while they layed in the hospital.

If I remember correctly, they were able to detect brake and throttle usage, use of blinkers, etc...

 

[dusto2]

oh ya, on alot of these new cars they can detect what you were doing for the 5min before impact; speed throttle position, brake position, gear, and steering input, just to name a few

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

If this stuff gets recorded... how can I check an see what's on there myself? How long after a crash does it hold this data?