Air Bag MOT Time,

Rev Jules · 27th January 2023, 15:42

I have often wondered why Airbags are not considered at MOT time, should they not be replaced they same as tyres when they are past their sell by date.???

Rev.

Raven Black · 27th January 2023, 15:49

Hi our Rev, keeping well I hope, yes they are, we owned cars with airbags in the US and they recommended regular servicing. Every 2 years I seem to remember.

Rev Jules · 27th January 2023, 15:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raven Black

Hi our Rev, keeping well I hope, yes they are, we owned cars with airbags in the US and they recommended regular servicing. Every 2 years I seem to remember.

Hi Jennifer, yes fine hope you are too, I have never been asked if my Airbags have been serviced.

Rev.

stevestrat · 27th January 2023, 16:11

Pointless exercise, any “new” airbags are going to be around the same vintage as the ones they are replacing.

SCP440 · 27th January 2023, 17:15

A couple of years ago I had a spare Airbag from a steering wheel I had bought for a Saab, the airbag had a date of about 25 years previous. I set it up in an old tyre and with some long wires to a battery ( 20 ft ).

As soon as I touched the battery with the leads it went off and there was a cloud of talcum powder, the neighbour put his head over the fence and asked what had happened. It had inflated properly and in my view it would have worked if I had used it properly.

What can go wrong? You have a very small explosive charge that is tested for conductivity every time you start your car.

Hopefully we will never need to use them.

Rogue · 27th January 2023, 17:30

And the below is what 17 year old airbags in the seat look like when they go off

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6VapWj7qzk

FLYING BANANA · 27th January 2023, 18:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rev Jules

Hi Jennifer, yes fine hope you are too, I have never been asked if my Airbags have been serviced.

Rev.

It would cost you too much money to pay out seeing as you are a poor Reverend.

stevestrat · 28th January 2023, 09:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by FLYING BANANA

It would cost you too much money to pay out seeing as you are a poor Reverend.

Need to sell the lead off the church roof . . . . again.

Southern Star · 28th January 2023, 14:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevestrat

Pointless exercise, any “new” airbags are going to be around the same vintage as the ones they are replacing.

I've heard this before but wonder if they are model-specific or a generic part which is in constant production?

SCP440 · 28th January 2023, 16:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Southern Star

I've heard this before but wonder if they are model-specific or a generic part which is in constant production?

Most airbags are car specific, I understand there are some that are shared between models from some manufacturers like Alfa, Maserati and Ferrari for example but I doubt an airbag made for anything currently would fit our cars.

Getting a new one made would be very expensive. A lot of cars that have a crash when airbags are deployed are often written off due to the expense of the new ones and the damage they do when they deploy. A mate was looking at a written off Peugeot RCZ that had been involved in a minor shunt and some of the airbags had gone off. The damage to the car would have been failry easily fixed but the airbags and damage they had caused made it uneconomical to repair even using used parts.

27th January 2023, 15:42	#1
Rev Jules This is my second home Rover 75 Tourer+ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Radcliffe on Trent Posts: 10,718 Thanks: 7,308 Thanked 3,929 Times in 2,051 Posts	Air Bag MOT Time, I have often wondered why Airbags are not considered at MOT time, should they not be replaced they same as tyres when they are past their sell by date.??? Rev.

27th January 2023, 15:49	#2
Raven Black Gets stuck in Rover 75 saloon Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Horley Posts: 889 Thanks: 703 Thanked 267 Times in 198 Posts	mot Hi our Rev, keeping well I hope, yes they are, we owned cars with airbags in the US and they recommended regular servicing. Every 2 years I seem to remember. __________________ 2002 Connie SE CDTi Raven Black saloon 1978 MGBGT Brooklands Green

27th January 2023, 16:11	#4
stevestrat This is my second home ZT260 #243 (resting) Join Date: May 2010 Location: Prestonpans Posts: 22,568 Thanks: 650 Thanked 4,624 Times in 3,358 Posts	Pointless exercise, any “new” airbags are going to be around the same vintage as the ones they are replacing. __________________ Steve T4 Location Map

27th January 2023, 17:30	#6
Rogue I really should get out more....... 75 CDT SE 160 Saloon Join Date: May 2017 Location: Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich Posts: 2,694 Thanks: 1,386 Thanked 1,096 Times in 774 Posts	And the below is what 17 year old airbags in the seat look like when they go off https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6VapWj7qzk __________________ Glutton for punishment --- Previously ... 2.6 SD1 x 2, 3.5 SD1, 820S, 820Si x2, 216 Gsi, 220T saloon, 414, 45 1.4 x2 and now a Cowley 75 CDT

27th January 2023, 17:15	#5
SCP440 I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T 260 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Witney Posts: 2,508 Thanks: 6 Thanked 910 Times in 571 Posts	A couple of years ago I had a spare Airbag from a steering wheel I had bought for a Saab, the airbag had a date of about 25 years previous. I set it up in an old tyre and with some long wires to a battery ( 20 ft ). As soon as I touched the battery with the leads it went off and there was a cloud of talcum powder, the neighbour put his head over the fence and asked what had happened. It had inflated properly and in my view it would have worked if I had used it properly. What can go wrong? You have a very small explosive charge that is tested for conductivity every time you start your car. Hopefully we will never need to use them.