Do I Need to Replace My Airbags?
Though many owner’s manuals suggest an airbag be replaced after a certain number of years, few consumers actually do this. And the reason is understandable–replacing an airbag can cost $1,000 or more. In its November 2013 issue, Consumer Reports stated “there doesn’t seem to be much need to [replace old air bags]. The Insurance for Highway Safety crash-tested two of the first air bag-equipped cars (from 1973) and found that the air bag inflated as designed.”
Also, almost every vehicle equipped with an airbag has a diagnostic function and an SRS indicator light that signals when there is a problem with an airbag. If an airbag warning light comes on in your vehicle, it’s important to get your vehicle inspected. In GM cars, the self-diagnostic function checks the system 10 times a second, says Brian Everest, GM’s senior consultant for major accident reconstruction.
Edmunds has also offered some interesting information in this article regarding modern airbags. The modern era of airbags is defined “as the period starting in the late 1980s, when federal legislation was proposed to make airbags mandatory. Dual airbags were required on all new cars beginning with the 1998 model year. Light trucks followed a year later.
Edmunds contacted Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, and all confirmed that their current airbags will last the life of the vehicle. Replacement labels and recommended dealer inspections are largely a thing of the past, carmakers say.”
Airbag Tips for Consumers
If the SRS light in your car has come on or gone dark, take the car to the dealer as soon as possible. Unlike seatbelts, which sometimes have lifetime warranties (as in Honda vehicles, for example) car airbags only are covered by the new-car limited warranty.
If you have an airbag-equipped car from the late 1980s to mid-1990s, make sure you check the owner’s manual to see if the automaker calls for an airbag replacement or inspection. If you don’t know where the manual is, our story, “How To Find Your Car’s Owner’s Manual Online,” can help you track it down. Other places to check for airbag information are on the driver-side door jamb and on the back of the sun visors.
Make sure you check the SRS light on a used car when inspecting it for purchase. Make sure you also check the seams of the airbag modules to see if anything looks misshapen or out of place.
NHTSA has warned that since 2009, authentic-looking but extremely dangerous counterfeit airbags from China have been illegally imported to the U.S., where they have been offered for sale online and might have been installed as replacement airbags by some unscrupulous collision repair shops. Car owners should be cautious both in choosing a collision repair shop and in confirming the source of parts used in the repair, NHTSA warns.
The only replacement airbag that can be guaranteed to be safe is an original equipment unit purchased from the automaker through a new-car dealership. There are no legitimate “aftermarket” airbags from third-party suppliers, experts say. But automotive recyclers retrieve never-deployed airbags from scrapped autos and sell them as replacement parts to collision repair shops. It’s perfectly legal, but some critics say the practice can be dangerous and caution consumers to shop carefully.”