Dear Tom and Ray:

Being a musical kind of guy, I often pass the time at long lights by drumming on the steering wheel of my Mercedes C-230 with a pair of drumsticks I keep in the driver's door pocket. Incredibly, my 10-year-old daughter is NOT mortified by this behavior. However, she is convinced that my drumming will cause the airbag to deploy, injuring me. She's also afraid that once I get hit in the face with the air bag, I'll instinctively slam on the gas, and send us careening into an intersection, which will put her in danger.Is her concern justified? -- Michael P.S. I mostly drum on the center part of the wheel where that star and circle thing is embossed. P.P.S. Do you know where I could get a bracket to mount a cymbal on the steering column?

Tom: The answer to both of your questions is no, Michael. You daughter's concern is not justified, and no, we don't know who makes a cymbal stand for a C230 (but the J.C. Whitney catalog is a good bet).

Ray: The airbag sensors, along with the contacts, are located in the front bumper, so there's no way you can trigger them by banging on the steering wheel (even with an enthusiastic rendition of "Wipe Out").

Tom: In fact, many air-bag-equipped cars have now put the horn button back in the center of the steering wheel (where it belongs, I might add), which would be impossible to do if pressure on the steering wheel could set off the air bag. So feel free to keep on drumming, Michael.

Ray: But I have a question for you. How can a musician like you afford a Mercedes?

Tom: I know the answer to that. He's actually a stockbroker who plays in a polka band on the weekends.

Auto repairs can be costly! Save money by ordering Tom and Ray's pamphlet "Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It!" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1997 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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