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My thought would be that unless the air-bag was set off accidentally, the impact which would be required to deploy the airbag would be enough to write-off many a car anyway, or at least the bodywork/suspension/wheel/steering/bumper/airbag replacement cost would outweigh by far the cost of a new dash.
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Sorry I dont understand here, what are you trying to claim on warranty?
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The outline of the airbag compartment is now clearly visible under the dashboard trim, which it wasn't before and clearly shouldn't be, or why conceal it in the first place? There are now visible creases (staight lines) in the trim, which show the outline of the compartment.
Going back to the comment on accidental operation of the airbag, I believe this is not unknown, so again this would require replacement of the complete upper dashboard moulding. In addition, are these installations free from faults otherwise, which could possibly be identified by the car's computer, or diagnostic check equipment? Again, rectification would require removal of the upper dashboard.
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Going back to the comment on accidental operation of the airbag, I believe this is not unknown
Remind me never to get a car with airbags then! :-P
Seriously though, I thought this was only possible if someone is playing about with the electrics or inertia sensors, in which case it would probably be a garage doing this and hence they would have to pay for the new dash, not you. If they are going off during normal driving or when parked I would have thought that would be potentially highly dangerous.
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Vauxhall Astra 98 on..you can see the outline , and it would "spoil" the dash if it were deployed.
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Xsara Picasso is the same.
As for the expense, if you're in a collision serious enough to trigger the airbags, the cost of the dash replacement is unlikely to add a significant proportion to the repair costs!
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Xsara Picasso is the same. As for the expense, if you're in a collision serious enough to trigger the airbags, the cost of the dash replacement is unlikely to add a significant proportion to the repair costs!
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Yes I would accept that would be the case, in the event of a major bodywork repair, but it is still an unecessary expense. I wonder how much a new dash section would cost, plus the cost of fitting it. It's hardly likely to be cheap I would have thought. Also, it is quite likely, in my experience, that it wouldn't be fitted to an acceptable standard.
In addition, as I stated earlier, the cost of just removing removing and replacing that dashboard section, just to deal with any fault with the airbag installation, wouldn't be likely to be insignificant either.
As for the idea that someone would have to be messing about with the electrics to trigger it off, I am sure I have read of instances where they have been triggered spontaneously. It would surely not be out of the question if there was a fault in the control system somewhere. As for a garage accepting that they would have been to blame, if they had been working on the car, well how many would lie down and roll over on such a contentious issue?
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Thankfully, I haven't been in a vehicle to assess the damage when an airbag is discharged, but I wonder whether the passenger bags located behind their own covers also cause damage to the surrounding dash when they go off - thereby requiring more than just a new airbag and cover anyway?
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Yes, I've been able to see the (faint) outline of the bag's whereabouts on the dash from new. It doesn't really bother me now, although initially I felt it made the dash look a bit cheap. Having said that, though, I think it's only really noticeable from the driver's seat so it's not likely to offend anyone apart from me!
Regarding the issue of having to get the dash replaced if the bag blows, I think I'd be delighted to be in the happy position of paying for that - or rather seeing my insurance do it. Infinitely better to being six feet under with or without an airbag!
I guess it's just another example of French design philosophy - they don't see trim on a car as a thing to get too excited about. My C5 has the (plastic) wood trim, which to be fair, isn't all that bad, but I can't think of many French cars that even go as far as mock wood at all! They much prefer storage, practicality and versatility.
Graeme
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I think the way cars are manufactured nowadays makes airbag depletion coincidential with bodywork write-off. A car can get written off without having the airbag go off due to crumple zones, etc. Also, a lot of manufacurers have airbags fitted into the seats and pillars - just imagine the carnage such things do to leather!
Another point with regards to replacement cost of dash, in a lot of instances the garage labour costs to remove/replace the dash, especially through a main dealer via insurance, will outstrip the cost of a new dash. It's like having a heater matrix replaced! Or you could always get one from the scrappie...
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