Passenger airbags and reinstatement

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Sun 29 Jul 2007 13:39
Passenger airbags and reinstatement - ukbeefy
I have wondered looking at a lot of cars which have passenger airbags concealed under a smooth dashboard surface that is continuous (rather than looking like they are in a separate box/cassette with a "door" or flap that opens) does it mean that if it goes off the entire dashboard has to be replaced?

Or have they engineered it so that a new "skin surface" can be attached over the dashboard structure?

I'd imagine otherwise even fairly low speed shunts could end up with a massive bill just to reinstate the airbags and dashboard.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 29 Jul 2007 13:41
Passenger airbags and reinstatement - Pugugly {P}
I've always wanted to know that as well.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 29 Jul 2007 13:47
Passenger airbags and reinstatement - Altea Ego
Dash replacement. Which is why an airbag deployment can write off a car.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 29 Jul 2007 13:57
Passenger airbags and reinstatement - ukbeefy
that was what I was wondering as you can see especially for second hand vehs with 2 airbags or also side airbags that the chance of it being scrapped is massively higher. How low a speed crash does it have to be before an airbag does not deploy?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 29 Jul 2007 14:08
Passenger airbags and reinstatement - Altea Ego
Speed does not come into it really. There are many sensors and decelerometers on a modern car used to trigger an airbag(s) deployment.

When I crashed the laguna airbags ripped the dash apart, the steering wheel hub, the R/H seat side and the R/H headlining.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 29 Jul 2007 14:20
Passenger airbags and reinstatement - jc2
There are usually weakened areas under the dashboard and also in the steering wheel hub designed to give way when the bag deploys.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 29 Jul 2007 14:38
Passenger airbags and reinstatement - Altea Ego
Indeed there are, but there is only one surface covering that cant be repaired.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 29 Jul 2007 14:40
Passenger airbags and reinstatement - Zippy123
Beauty over practicality.

But then again, I never did like the cassette type of airbag. They looked ugly.

The cost of repairs would be a pain for an older car and yes, probably does lead to write offs, but better the car than the person!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 29 Jul 2007 14:48
Passenger airbags and reinstatement - Altea Ego
Its comes into play on most cars these days. A two or three year old car could well be written off by airbag deployment. At 1500+ quid to replace a set of bags, a dash, some seats the headlining, it does not take much other mechanical damage to tip it over the edge
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 30 Jul 2007 12:07
Passenger airbags and reinstatement - Blue {P}
Any impact hard enough to depoly the airbags will often, but not always, be enough to write the car off on it's own. If you trawl through salvage websites there are lots of written off vehicles there that *haven't* had the bags deploy.

I always take the view that if I'm going to crash that badly I want to see more "bangs for my buck" so the more airbags the better :-)

Blue
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

From which small car to buy at which price point to the best UK-built cars, our Top 10s have the lot. Click now for your shortlist.

Unsure of what to buy? Our Top 10s are here to help you....

Will you have to pay the low emissions charge?

Use our ULEZ checker to find out if your vehicle is subject to ULEZ charges. Simply enter your number plate into the Honest John ULEZ checker to see if you will have to pay to enter the London Ultra Low Emission Zone.

Check your vehicle