The different color of the panels on the airbags, the gaps between them and the flashing of the control lamp on the instrument panel may indicate that passive safety systems are working, models can be installed instead of airbags in normal places. Alexey Ruzanov, technical director of the Fit Service international network of automobile services, announced this in an interview with socialbites.ca.
“The airbags are covered with plastic plugs with special markings or the inscription Airbag. Examine each element with this assignment. If it differs in color from the neighboring plastic, the element has protrusions or visible gaps, most likely the pillows were “hit” during an accident and replaced with dummies,” Ruzanov said.
Another indirect way to check if the airbag has deployed is to look at the date stamped on the seat belts. It must match the vehicle’s manufacture date. If there is no match, the car has been in an accident. The specialist explained that in the event of an accident, the belts work and are fixed in their position, only after that they can be changed. And since this is happening, there is no doubt that the bullets of the pillows are also “shot”.
The third way is a light on the instrument panel: when the driver turns on the ignition, all control signals for malfunctions light up on the panel. There is also a signal written “Airbag”.
“If all is well with the pillows, this icon should light up and go out 5 seconds after the others, but if the process goes differently, for example, the light goes out at the same time as the other, then there is probably no pillow, but the craftsmen would work with electronics,” Ruzanov said.
According to the expert, if dummies are installed on the purchased car instead of airbags, the cost of restoration can cost tens of thousands of rubles. At the same time, you will have to install with original spare parts – cheap analogues often do not work, the specialist explained.
Formerly Alexey Ruzanov said “Gazeta.ru” says that a car climate control system that was not maintained before the summer may not be able to cope with the dust on the road.