Missing Airbag

[recklessspyder]

Went to the dealer today for a "healthy" check up. Dealer found that the front passenger door was missing an airbag. The car was in a previous accident before I bought it and they put a resistor in between the wires to trick the airbag ecu. Dealer wants $700 to put new bag in with harness. Look like I can get a new one online for less the $200. I've had the door panels off plenty of times so I'm familiar with getting my hands dirty. Once the airbag was installed, I would have to cut the resistor and tape up the wires.

1. Since this is a safety item....would you guys do it or have the certified dealer take care of it
2. I need to find someone to sue over this.....good luck though as the car was only titled by a leasing company.....
3. Any other thoughts? The dealer wants to check the rest of the bag at 2.5 hours...I'll probably let them do that too.

[LightWerkz]

Id just put it in yourself. That sucks what they found though, thats not right.

[dkl]

I would just have the dealer install it and have them inpect it for proper operation. If someone is cunning enough to put in a resistor to fool the system, who knows what other re-wiring he/she may have also done. The $500 difference, IMHO, is not worth the safety of you or your family's lives.

[dsm2925]

Originally Posted by recklessspyder

Went to the dealer today for a "healthy" check up. Dealer found that the front passenger door was missing an airbag. The car was in a previous accident before I bought it and they put a resistor in between the wires to trick the airbag ecu. Dealer wants $700 to put new bag in with harness. Look like I can get a new one online for less the $200. I've had the door panels off plenty of times so I'm familiar with getting my hands dirty. Once the airbag was installed, I would have to cut the resistor and tape up the wires.

1. Since this is a safety item....would you guys do it or have the certified dealer take care of it
2. I need to find someone to sue over this.....good luck though as the car was only titled by a leasing company.....
3. Any other thoughts? The dealer wants to check the rest of the bag at 2.5 hours...I'll probably let them do that too.

do as much homework as you can and when you feel comfortable with the knowledge - do it yourself....

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by dkl

I would just have the dealer install it and have them inpect it for proper operation. If someone is cunning enough to put in a resistor to fool the system, who knows what other re-wiring he/she may have also done. The $500 difference, IMHO, is not worth the safety of you or your family's lives.

100% Don't take chances or cut corners.

Where did you buy it?

[Zulu95]

Install yourself and the SRS Check system will tell you if it is working or not. Keep the resistor handy!
Buy a Peake SRS Code reader/reset tool.

[Weasel]

They cut the wires too? If that's the case and you want to try it yourself... you need to get the OEM plug and wires and properly crimp and heat shrink that to the remaining wires. The OEM plug is important as the connector on the airbag has a metal bridge across the terminals to prevent a static discharge from setting it off when it is unplugged, and the connector has to push back that bridge.

And the system is heavily monitored for resistance across the whole circuit, so a proper crimp job is important as well. You would need the correct size non-insulated crimps and the proper crimpers for that style crimps, and some good heat shrink to fully insulate the crimps. You can get the crimpers from harbor freight, radio shack, etc. for less than $20, and the plug/wires/crimps/heatshrink from the dealer.

[recklessspyder]

I'm having the dealer do it....oh and now they found the passenger rear curtain air bag had the same 'work' done to it.

To answer a few of the comments/questions....the connectors are still there, they cut into the wire an inch before and wired the resistor in.

Anyone on here a NY lawyer? That's where this hack job took place...before the car went to a NE dealership and then to me in WI.