I actually thought about this topic earlier in the year when my airbag light started blinking. Turns out I have an open on right side circuit. I chased it for a minute but stopped when I found out that as long as that light is blinking the airbags won't deploy. Risky I know. But that's when the thought of 21 year old airbags popping and whether I wanted that to happen or not. Is it worth replacing for the cost? Idk. Did I just put a price on my life? Yes. Even if I didnt have a fault in my system, would the 20 plus year old airbags deploy properly? One would hope so. Just cause the lights on and the bags won't deploy from a trigger to the system will that stop the bags from prematurely going off without system activation? I guess only time will tell...

I think you can still buy new seat belts from Toyota if you want to. I just check then out. They start frying etc. Or if cut. I replace them. In my area the sun dosent destroy seat belts as it can in other areas of the world.

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What are you replacing them with ?
Toyota OE bags have been discontinued for 3rd Gens, aftermarket only, no clue as to source per dealer today.

You can - I got one from EB Toyota Parts. They had the best price & in stock / available.
p/n 73220-35471-E0 '98 Limited, Oak color, drivers

Thank you for the verification.

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It seems Scotty Kilmer weighs in in his most recent video. Time stamp 4:55


Mazda Just Changed the Game with This New Rotary Engine - YouTube

10 years ago, I researched that ten-year exam. Here it is:
--SRS light on when key turned...check
--SRS light goes off after a few seconds.....check
--any bulging at steering wheel hub....no.....check
--any bulging on dashboard above glove box....no....check

You're done. That's all they do. They certainly don't take the thing out and inspect the seams.

I'm overdue for my second check. I'll get right on it.

The short of it. Any nondeployed bags available for purchase were made between 1996-02.

15 min call with airbagcenter.com 305-818-1000 you can hear it from someone besides me.

96-02 Bags both $375.00, Module, only needed if your bags deployed $75.00.
Here's the catch. All available bags have been salvaged from titled vehicles, tested as per FSM.
Our choices are retailers like Airbag center, Fleabay, junkyard. Either way your gona have bags 19-24 yr old.
If not deployed and pass test their good period, how they put it.

Great information.

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All you need to do to fix that is clean it.

Pull it all the way out and clamp, scrub with an all-purpose cleaner, let it FULLY dry and you are done. It'll work like the day it was new.

-Charlie

Aging of the airbag (mainly the squib) seems to be a bigger topic now with all the Takata airbag issues. Keep in mind that Takata use a different (cheaper) explosive for their airbags, which aged and caused problems. Our airbags are of a more stable, safer type and should be *better* (though maybe not perfect) with time.

Not something to make you sleep 100% fine, but at least they won't be killing you if they explode.

-Charlie

I asked if anything could deteriorate with age of the assembly, mounts etc. that could be hazardous, reply was no. Guess time will tell won't lose sleep over it I guess.

My airbag light on the tachometer has been blinking for the last 20,000 miles. I need to actually diagnose / chase it down to figure it out.

How'd you determine yours was an open circuit? Is there a way to read an airbag code?

If you can't tell, airbags are far from my interest area.

First thing first: Take the negative battery connection off before checking anything

[ no reason to set off your air bags testing things]


Start the the connector in your glove box and make sure its tight. Verify the steering wheel connections. After that check the connections on the sensors themselves.

I had my flashing once and it was from the glove box connection area not being tight.

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Air bags that are sealed well can last 30 years.