Deactivate passenger airbags

[dizzyhytes]

Hi, I'm buying a 2012 E84 X1 Sdrive20IA but I can't figure out how to disable the front and side passenger airbags.  I have to do it as I have a young child who rides rear facing in the front seat next to me.  He cannot be left at the back as he tends to undo himself and it's really dangerous, as well as very distracting and dangerous for me as a driver.  When he's in the front, he's fine.

I am reading that it might be weight activated but for sure it will be activated if that's the case as the car seat plus child weighs a lot.  The car is perfect in every other way.  Please can you help?  Can I get my mechanic to disable it?

[snrbrtsn]

Morning & welcome

I have attached a video, allbeit it's a BMW 3 gt, however the switches are in the same place throughout the range

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1Dexo1fyf08

Id try and work your child on the getting used to habits, there is buckle guards on the market, it is said to be safer having kids buckled up in the back! Perhaps with the aid of distracting means, we used video monitors and played dvds to take his mind of the momentary isolation.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Seat-Belt-Buck ... 1778632517

[dizzyhytes]

Thank you so much for the video and the advice on the buckleguard.  I found the hidden airbag key inside the car key, but there doesn't seem to be the airbag keyhole in the spot at the side of the glove compartment as shown in the video.  I'll go have another look tomorrow when it's light.

I'll also buy one of those buckleguards as they look very useful. I didn't know they even made things like that! Regarding the issue of whether they should sit at the back or the front of the car, and front or back facing, I am a fan of the Swedish approach, which is that they should always sit back-facing, and that the safest place to have them (provding the airbags have been switched off), is in the front, not at the back as many other countries propose. 

In Hong Kong, they don't even have child seat laws at all, and most people carry their infants in their arms, sitting in the front seat...!

Back seat or front, I just want to make sure he doesn't un-buckle himself so this is great advice...thanks again!

[X5Sport]

The switch had to be ordered as an option at build - as it still is on many cars.  I had to add it to the X6, and the last 4 Škodas I gave bought.