What is an airbag?
Airbags are one of the most important innovations in vehicle safety ever. From 1987 to 2017, airbags have saved 50,457 lives. Most people don’t even think about them until they’re in an accident.
If your car has been in a severe crash and an airbag has deployed, or you’ve bought a car with an airbag that has deployed, you’ll need to replace the airbag, and it’s not cheap. Since you are not replacing a single part, it is important to know the total cost of replacing an airbag to avoid any financial unpleasantness. Before we discuss the average cost of replacing an airbag, let’s talk about airbags.
A vehicle airbag is a type of restraint system that is used in conjunction with seat belts to protect the head and torso of a vehicle driver and passengers during a frontal or side impact collision. Airbags are more accurately known as Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS).
Passenger cars have had frontal airbags since 1998, and pickup trucks, SUVs, and vans since 1999. Side airbags are part of the standard package for many manufacturers, but are still optional on some vehicles currently manufactured.
After a crash, depending on which airbags are deployed, various parts need to be checked, including the front airbag sensors, airbag ECU, driver airbag, passenger airbag, front seatbelt pretensioners, dashboard (some models have the passenger airbag mounted on the dashboard), and in some cases the steering wheel itself.
How do airbags work?
Airbags rapidly inflate with a controlled explosion during a moderate to severe impact and deflate when they come into contact with a person’s head or body.
The crash is detected by an impact sensor, which converts the reduction in acceleration into an electrical signal that is sent to the airbag ECU. This computer then tells the airbags to deploy.
During a crash, a sudden stop due to inertia (resistance to changes in motion, such as changes in direction or speed) can result in serious injury to the driver and passengers.
Seat belts help keep the driver and passengers’ bodies restrained, but their heads need something to keep them from hitting the dashboard or windshield. That’s where frontal airbags come in. Secondary airbags elsewhere cushion the blow for different parts of the body. The following video will help you understand how airbags work:
Components of an Airbag System
1. Driver and passenger airbags (may be in the steering wheel, dashboard, or sometimes in the doors and seats)
2. Clock spring
3. Impact sensor
4. Detonator
5. SRS warning light
6. Passenger seat switch
7. Pyrotechnic gas generator
8. ECU
9. Belt tensioner
All of these components are interconnected within the airbag system. When the airbag deploys, it usually results in damage to all associated components, including the airbag itself, the impact sensor, the clock spring, and the seatbelt tensioner. The ECU should also be replaced or reset if possible.
Although not necessarily part of the SRS system, depending on which airbag deployed, the steering wheel, parts of the dash, or seats may need to be replaced or repaired at this time.
