Last Updated on June 24, 2019 by themechanic
Airbags were previously something that you only saw in luxury vehicles. Now, virtually every vehicle made within the last 10 to 20 years has at least one airbag. This airbag is installed in the driver side of the interior. It is basically a safety restraint which gives you more protection than what a seatbelt can offer. Of course, you’re supposed to always wear your seatbelt when you drive. The airbag just gives you additional bodily protection if you were to get into a car accident.
For instance, let’s say your vehicle collides with another vehicle very quickly. The airbag in your steering wheel hub will automatically inflate upon impact. That way, your head, and upper body won’t get jerked forward from the accident and bang against the steering wheel or dashboard. It will ultimately reduce the chances of you getting a serious injury. Also, many vehicles now have airbags installed in the front passenger side and sometimes even in the rear as well.
Replacement Cost
There are several factors which determine the replacement cost of your airbags. Things like the make and model of your vehicle, the side which has the airbags, and the type of airbags you have all affect the cost. On average, it costs between $200 and $700 to replace each driver-side airbag. The cost to replace each passenger-side airbag is between $400 and $1,000. Knee airbags or side-curtain airbags could cost you more money too.
Be careful if you search online for airbag deals because a lot of those vendors won’t give you any warranty. If they do, it will be a limited warranty which doesn’t last very long. Besides, it is better to get the airbag replacement done at your local auto mechanic, especially if it is the dealership that sold you the vehicle. They’re best equipped to give you quality airbags at an affordable price.
Don’t forget that the prices quoted above were just for the airbags themselves. Unless you’re a trained auto mechanic, you’re probably not going to be knowledgeable enough to replace those airbags on your own. This means you’ll need to hire a mechanic to do the replacement work for you. Since the average mechanic charges about $95 to $105 per hour, you’re looking at a minimum of a few hundred dollars in additional expenses.
Whenever your vehicle has gone through a car accident and its airbags were deployed, they cannot be reused again. You’ll be forced to get new airbags to replace the ones you used. Not only that, but you’ll also need to replace the airbag computer, dashboard, sensors, springs, steering wheel, instrument panel, and possibly even the windshield. With all those replacement costs added together with the cost to replace the airbags, you’re looking at between $1,000 and $6,000 in total expenses.
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Other Considerations
You may be freaking out about the replacement cost, but there is some good news. If you have auto insurance and you’ve been involved in an accident which caused the airbags to inflate, then your insurance policy may cover the airbag replacement expenses. Depending on what type of insurance policy you have, you may only need to pay the deductible fee. The rest of your vehicle repair expenses, including the expense of replacing the airbags, will be covered by your insurance company. Check with your insurance company to see if this is possible.
Once the airbags have been replaced, you may notice the airbag warning light still illuminating on the dashboard. Make sure you have the mechanic reset this light. It is normal for this light to stay on after an accident.
