Buying a Used Car? Check the Airbags First

When you need a new car, it is often tempting to buy a used one. After all, you get to save thousands of dollars and can get the vehicle on the road sooner. But there are still certain caveats with which to deal. Since the car is used, it may not run quite as well as a new set of wheels. There’s already mileage on it as well. 

Another issue to consider is the airbags. Airbags are a huge safety feature of cars, but if you plan on buying used, you need to check them before forking over the cash or signing on the dotted line.

How Do Airbags Work?

Just like seat belts, airbags are meant to serve as a safety feature in cars to soften the impact’s force during an accident. When a vehicle gets into a moderate to severe crash, its electronic control unit receives a signal that allows the airbags to deploy. 

Airbags are located at the front of the vehicle to protect the driver and passenger from accidents when another vehicle strikes the car from the front, back, or sides. 

Unfortunately, when you buy a used car, you may not always get a fair and reputable seller. In some cases, you cannot know for sure whether the airbags have been deployed previously. 

How to Check the Airbags to Ensure Safety 

If you choose to buy a used car instead of a brand new one, you must check the airbags before purchasing the car. There are two ways you can do this:

• Check to ensure that the driver is at least 10 inches away from the steering wheel while in the driver’s seat. If you are too close to the airbags, you may suffer severe injuries when they deploy. The front airbags are in a special compartment in the steering wheel. Sit in the driver’s seat and measure the distance between the steering wheel and your breastbone. It shouldn’t be less than 10 inches. However, if it is less than that, adjust the seat to ensure at least 10 inches of distance while still being able to reach the floor pedals.
• If the steering wheel is adjustable, it should be tilted downward toward your chest instead of your head and neck. If you can do it, tilt the steering wheel down. This allows for the airbags to be deployed towards your chest instead of your head or neck.

Besides, you should also always ask the seller hard questions. Don’t be shy about asking for specific details about prior accidents the previous owner was involved in while driving the car and about how the airbags responded. 

You may be able to get a history of the airbags from other sources as well. If the seller allows you to take the car for a test drive, you can also take it to a mechanic and have an expert check things out. In addition to inspecting the vehicle itself, mechanics can also check the airbags and tell you whether they have previously been deployed or not. 

Be Wary of Airbag Fraud 

Unfortunately, fraud comes in many different forms. Airbag fraud is only one of them. Buying a used car means you should know the truth about the vehicle’s airbags. Unfortunate victims have suffered serious injuries or even death as a result of non-existent airbags in used cars. 

For instance, according to NBC, a nursing assistant was killed in 2003 after getting into an accident with airbags missing from her used vehicle. Instead of replacing the airbags, the dealer had created a fake cover on the dash. 

Other victims who survived collisions learned that they didn’t have airbags in their cars. Instead, their airbag compartments were filled with items such as a newspaper or packing peanuts. Others found nothing in their airbag compartments. 

Faulty Airbags Could be A Problem Too

In recent years, hundreds of thousands of vehicles were recalled due to defective airbags. The largest automotive recall in the world is now the Takata recall. Many of those airbags had a manufacturing defect to their inflators that caused them to explode upon deployment after being exposed to too much moisture or heat.

As a result, Takata airbags killed people instead of saving them in accidents. Millions of cars have been recalled worldwide. You can check out whether an older vehicle was affected by the recall on NHTSA’s official website.

Also, if you were injured by a faulty airbag, you may have grounds for a defective product lawsuit (more details in the link). The Takata recall affected many vehicles, from Subarus, Hondas, and Mazdas to BMWs, Fords, and Chryslers. Talk to a defective product lawyer to help you build a strong case against the airbag manufacturer if a recalled product injured you or has led to a loved one’s death.

 Author Bio – Michelle Eddy

Michelle Eddy is a staunch consumer advocate, fresh libertarian convert, and proud mother of three. Besides her legal career, she enjoys blogging about topics related to her expertise and life experiences, like parenting, child development, education, and law. In her writings, Michelle places emphasis on helping people to fight for their rights. She also works as a collaborative editor for Laborde Earles Law Firm. Her favorite quote is: “Sir, we are outnumbered 10 to 1″. “Then, it is a fair fight”.