What Does "HPS" Mean?

[rmoore]

A Posting From Ron Moore

BMW calls their side-impact, roof-mounted airbag system "Head Protection System" That is what the HPS means. Unfortunately, they do not say 'airbag'. They only have these three letters with no other explaination.

What is discouraging to me is the assumption that all emergency responders will know that "HPS" actually means " Hey, be careful! There's an airbag in this roofline."

Originally, the airbag ID for the 1998 and 1999 BMWs had a small plastic button on the trim at the top of the A-pillar. The button was imprinted with the letters HPS.

Now, on new BMWs, that same A-pillar has a long trim piece that is labeled with the letters HPS.

Here's the new airbag ID for BMW as seen from the passenger's side.

[rmoore]

You're right. Not much to see from the safety of the doorway.

Now let's take a closer look at that HPS airbag ID.



Go to a BMW dealership and ask to see the HPS airbag ID for yourself.

[Carl Avery]

Ron I whole heartedly agree, Get out there and See what you are facing at 0:dark 30. My Other suggestion is to "Strip before you Rip" that is Look before you Push, Pull or Cut, some times that means removal of barriers to your visual inspections, That is remove Interior Body pannels and molding to see what you are dealing with, When you stop at your BMW Dealer may I suggest stopping in the Body shop if you can,YOU can ask the forman whether you can Expose the HPS or not and some ways to spot it easily

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Carl D. Avery

[Mike McCain]

Ron also posted a warning about the location of the BMW HPS charge container's location. He recomended a lower than normal cut for these vehicles when doing dash roll.
Ron would you repost and if you have one include a dwg. or pict. It took a while for me to figure out your location before and I do not want to try to explain the location.

A previous post mentioned going to a BMW dealer on a look see, this is a great idea. While you are at a BMW dealer also look at their ROPS (roll over protection system) they use in their convertable line.

[This message has been edited by Mike McCain (edited November 05, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Mike McCain (edited November 05, 2000).]