Deployed Airbag

[Heather Walden]

I have a 1990 Dodge Spirit. A friend purchased it from an auction
site that sold various cars, salvaged and whatnot. I need to know, if
there is a LAW in the State of Oregon that states you HAVE to repair
and replace the Airbag. I know its very very very expensive to
replace with a dealer. I dont see a real need myself for an airbag,
most of my cars I prefer to have are older than 1990 anyways, and
never have an airbag. I need to know what my options are, except
going to Doge to replace it. Its been cut off for now, its sitting on
the passenger floor

The DMV told my roomate something about a waiver, but couldnt remember
what it was about. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[mic canic]

first check with your insurance company. they might not insure the car
second some cars that have a airbag that goes off need things like the
steering column replaced and sometimes steering wheels, they might be
damaged from the airbag going off esp. the older ones that were really
powerful
it's clearly spelled out in the service manual

 

[SMoo]

$100 from a wrecking yard..

http://www.car-part.com/cgi-bin/sea...price&userUID=0&userBroker=&iKey=&userPage=75

 

[Kirk Matheson]

There is no such law, no.


Much, much less expensive from a wrecking yard. I walked past 30 or 40 of
them the other day -- blue, maroon, dark grey, light grey, tan, black.

Me, I've put an FK19-KD5 (steering wheel center pad, non-airbag, light
quartz color) in all three of my Spirits, each of which has a grey
interior. They're available in the other colors, too. About $35 from the
dealer, easy to install yourself.

Then just remove the bulb from the dashboard "AIR BAG" indicator light,
and you're all set.


Prepare for the more self-righteous and ill-informed types to preach blood
and guts to you...

DS

I have seen several articles warning about the use salvage airbags. I
don't understand why this would be the case so long as they are
carefully removed and stored away from rain, snow, etc.

-Kirk Matheson

 

[Daniel J. Stern]

I have seen several articles warning about the use salvage airbags. I
don't understand why this would be the case so long as they are
carefully removed and stored away from rain, snow, etc.

It is the case because it (a) sells magazines and newspapers, and (b)
sells new airbags.

DS

 

[Mike Romain]

It is the case because it (a) sells magazines and newspapers, and (b)
sells new airbags.

DS

From what I have read, usually the places that sell salvage also sell
repacked ones and their quality control for the explosive charge is
somewhat lacking....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

 

[Ted Mittelstaedt]

From what I have read, usually the places that sell salvage also sell
repacked ones and their quality control for the explosive charge is
somewhat lacking....

I've never seen a wrecking yard that sold repacked air bags. I
cannot imagine one stupid enough to do so, the liability would
be hideous. I have seen plenty of _deployed_ airbags in
wrecking yards.

Frankly I think this repacked airbag thing is a scare tactic. Check on
Ebay, for automobiles older than 3-4 years, there are tons of
used airbags, most selling for under $100. It would cost more
money than what the airbag was worth to repack it. It is only the
very newest models where the airbag prices for used ones are in
the stratosphere, and where sufficient incentive exists for someone
to attempt to repack one. And these are 1-3 year old vehicles -
and please, how many people driving such vehicles around AREN'T
carrying comprehensive insurance? Do you think that the insurance
companies paying out on a body claim are going to stand for the
body shop to use a repacked airbag?

It seems to me that most places that sell salvage have little financial
incentive to sell a repacked airbag. Rather, the only places that
have real incentive to get involved in this are crooked bodyshops
that specialize in buying totaled vehicles and fixing them up then
washing the title and passing them off as new, unwrecked
vehicles. And as what they are doing is criminal already, it would
not be surprising if all their suppliers were criminals as well. As
has been said before, it is difficult for these evil people to know
when they are in league with each other and when they are
cheating each other.

Ted

 

[Mike Romain]

I've never seen a wrecking yard that sold repacked air bags. I
cannot imagine one stupid enough to do so, the liability would
be hideous. I have seen plenty of _deployed_ airbags in
wrecking yards.

Frankly I think this repacked airbag thing is a scare tactic. Check on
Ebay, for automobiles older than 3-4 years, there are tons of
used airbags, most selling for under $100. It would cost more
money than what the airbag was worth to repack it. It is only the
very newest models where the airbag prices for used ones are in
the stratosphere, and where sufficient incentive exists for someone
to attempt to repack one. And these are 1-3 year old vehicles -
and please, how many people driving such vehicles around AREN'T
carrying comprehensive insurance?

Do you think that the insurance

companies paying out on a body claim are going to stand for the
body shop to use a repacked airbag?

As a matter of fact, yes. They just had to make a law forbidding that
up here in Canada.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

 

[John Ings]

I've never seen a wrecking yard that sold repacked air bags. I
cannot imagine one stupid enough to do so, the liability would
be hideous. I have seen plenty of _deployed_ airbags in
wrecking yards.

Frankly I think this repacked airbag thing is a scare tactic. Check on
Ebay, for automobiles older than 3-4 years, there are tons of
used airbags, most selling for under $100. It would cost more
money than what the airbag was worth to repack it. It is only the
very newest models where the airbag prices for used ones are in
the stratosphere, and where sufficient incentive exists for someone
to attempt to repack one. And these are 1-3 year old vehicles -
and please, how many people driving such vehicles around AREN'T
carrying comprehensive insurance? Do you think that the insurance
companies paying out on a body claim are going to stand for the
body shop to use a repacked airbag?

It seems to me that most places that sell salvage have little financial
incentive to sell a repacked airbag. Rather, the only places that
have real incentive to get involved in this are crooked bodyshops
that specialize in buying totaled vehicles and fixing them up then
washing the title and passing them off as new, unwrecked
vehicles. And as what they are doing is criminal already, it would
not be surprising if all their suppliers were criminals as well. As
has been said before, it is difficult for these evil people to know
when they are in league with each other and when they are
cheating each other.

"Tests were conducted recently on products made by Quebec's only two
known producers of rebuilt airbags: Coussins Gonflables Demers Inc.
and National Sacs Gonflables Inc.

"The companies have installed defective replacement airbags in 10,000
cars, mostly Quebec and Ontario but some in Manitoba and the
Maritimes.

"Court documents say when tests were performed, the airbags exploded,
and small pieces of plastic and metal were sent flying at very high
speeds.

"Quebec has applied for a legal injunction barring the companies from
making the airbags."

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2001/11/27/Consumers/airbags_011127



"Only a small number of motorists have removed dangerous defective
airbags from their vehicles since the Quebec and Ontario governments
issued warnings.

"Quebec yesterday 'reissued' its recall to motorists, repair shops
and dealers after confirming a poor response to its November warning
and demonstrating how the defective rebuilt airbags can seriously
injure drivers and vehicle occupants.

Ontario issued its airbag warning last month.

The Quebec government revealed earlier it has data showing a Ste. Foy,
Que., company had sold more than 11,400 defective rebuilt airbags for
about 7,500 vehicles since January, 1998.

More than half of 4,000 airbags sold outside of Quebec ended up in
Ontario.

Jean Desroches, chief of vehicle safety and engineering for the Quebec
government's public auto insurance arm, said the response since
November is "clearly insufficient."

http://www.highbeam.com/library/doc0.asp?docid=1P1:51341276&refid=ink_overture_fin_news&inkttag=s