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Would it be legal to install a steering wheel with an airbag installed to a car that has no airbag capability or airbag control unit?

Is it true an unconnected airbag could still deploy?

Chuck

This is an interesting question and one with a few grey areas around it to be honest.

Legally it is possible, in my opinion, to fit a steering wheel which has an airbag included to a vehicle not wired for such a component. I do not recommend it however for several reasons.

If a WoF inspector was to sight the SRS (airbag) label on the steering wheel and then noticed there was no dash warning light operating, they could reject the vehicle instantly. The inspector would be within their rights to assume the car is fitted with an airbag that is connected to an on-board control unit and sensors.

The onus would then fall on you to supply evidence the car was never fitted with an airbag from new and to explain the reason why you have added one that is not connected. It would then be up to the inspector as to how much information they would require before reversing their decision (if they decided they should).

The other concern is the potential to misrepresent the car if it were to be sold in the future. A potential buyer could make an assumption the car is fitted with a working airbag by sighting the steering wheel label.

Deployment of the airbag is highly unlikely unless an electrical feed was provided to the airbag connector itself.

I am not sure why you would bother contemplating such a move to be honest.