Should airbags be replaced?

An observation not talked about much at all. My general understanding is they need examination/possible replacement after 10 yrs, most of our 3rd gens are somewhere between 19-almost 25 yrs, yikes!

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.
 
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Air Bag replacements.

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.
 
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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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I just replaced the drivers seat belt in the '98 4runner we have. I was surprised that it was available, and reasonably priced.
Replaced because it had the classic slow/no retraction.
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
 
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.
 
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.


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. :)
 
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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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. :)


In your engine bay diagnostic port take a wire to use as a jump wire and plug into AB and TC port. Turn key on to ACC position. Your cruise control light will have a seizure. Your air bag light will go on for 6 seconds doing it's normal self check. It will then do 1 second blinks for however many times, rest 2.5 seconds, then blink 1 second interval again, then 4 seconds off. This tells you your two digit code, then you need to look that code up.

Example: blink 6 times, off 2.5 seconds, blink 4 times, off 4 seconds is code 64.

You may have more then one code. So after the 4 seconds off it may start the second code...

Example: blink 6 times, off 2.5 seconds, blink 4 times, off 4 seconds, blink 3 times, off 2.5, blink 2 times, off 4 seconds. Codes 64 and 32


So watch it until the first code repeats...

Once you start attempting to fix...disconnect negative terminal so you don't cause your bags to deploy while checking connections.

Once you fix the problem you need to clear the code. IT WILL NOT CLEAR ON ITS OWN!

Obd2 from dealer is best...make a friend in the repair section, bring him beer and hope he doesn't charge you...

Other wise with key in acc position using 2 long wire. Plug one into tc port and one into ab port. Starting with the tc port alternate grounding them on a body ground for 1 second intervals allowing .2 seconds between switching. Tc needs to be grounded 3 times and on the last one hold for a few seconds.
 
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

It was also freyed in a couple spots, so beyond just cleaning. I should have mentioned that...Add the fact that this '98 4runner is designated as my kids 1st car, so I wanted a new one for cheap peace of mind.

I've been through the cleaning routine and had some success with the retractor spring in our '97 years ago. Still on original seatbelts (and airbags!) in that one.
 
Been interesting.
Seat belts no problem we good.
Airbags we roll till there aren't any good ones, go old school.
What the hell I drove 24 yr before they were mandated.
 
Been interesting.
Seat belts no problem we good.
Airbags we roll till there aren't any good ones, go old school.
What the hell I drove 24 yr before they were mandated.

I remember riding in cars before BELTS were mandated. My mother's first car with belts was a '74 Mercedes. She never used them. One day we (her kids) made her put it on. Over objection she did. Once we arrived, she had no idea how to get it off. We all got out of the car and left her stuck there.
 
Some classic cars don't even have seat belts. While Air bags were not required until 1990. Just how it was.

From the consensus of this thread it looks like the Air Bags are non issue no repair no replace unless the system has issues then it should be repaired.

Also the Air bag system is just like the ABS its older system that requires the diagnostic engine connector to get the error codes out of the system.
 
My mother's first car with belts was a '74 Mercedes. She never used them. One day we (her kids) made her put it on. Over objection she did. Once we arrived, she had no idea how to get it off. We all got out of the car and left her stuck there.

That's funny n mean lol at the same time, my bro n sis n I would have needed to spend a night or two at friend's.
Belt latch's back then were not as intuitive as they are now for sure.
 
I have 2 classic cars. So I do on occasion drive rides with only lap belts.

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