What Could Go Wrong with Your Car's Airbag & How to Stay Safe

Airbags save a life. Having this particular safety feature in your vehicle in good condition is crucial. Why? There are several reasons airbags can fail, and that’s what we’ll discuss in this post. 

Before we get into the common causes of airbag failure, you should first know how they work. During an accident, the vehicle will decelerate suddenly, which is bad for the people inside because they will continue to move at the same velocity until they hit something solid. A seatbelt mitigates the rapidness of it all at some point, but it can only do so much. This is where airbags come to play. 

Airbags are made of nylon that is folded into a cubby. All over the vehicle, accelerometers detect sudden rates of deceleration that indicate an impact. These accelerometers are linked to a small explosive device that produces a sudden release of nitrogen gas. The gas fills the airbag and inflates it to blow. 

Now, some things can go wrong with your airbags, which you need to know when you keep reading below.

What Could Go Wrong? 

You are aware that there have been several vehicle recalls due to airbag defects. This is because it happens—airbags can fail. For one, some airbags have faulty wiring because of improper installation; therefore, the airbags cannot deploy. 

Even though a vehicle isn’t recalled, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing wrong at all. Other things can go awry, such as the sensor might only deploy one airbag, or the airbag could release a second too late. 

You must remember that airbags don’t always protect people in the same way. According to a study, a person’s height may be a factor in airbag effectiveness. It found that people between 5’3” and 5’11” can benefit from an airbag because they’re effective, while those shorter than 5’3” can be harmed by an airbag. 

When airbags fail, they can cause serious and life-threatening injuries. That’s why it’s important to observe safety protocols. 

How to Stay Safe

You never know what could go wrong, especially if you don’t visit a car shop and let a professional check your vehicle for safety measures regularly. With that, it pays to know how to stay safe in your car. 

One of the most important things to do is always wear your seat belt. It will tighten around you to prevent your head and body from moving forward and hitting the steering wheel, dashboard, or other things in the car. On that note, if you have children inside the vehicle, make sure their seatbelts can properly restrain them. 

You can have an airbag on-off switch installed as well to keep you and your passengers safe inside the vehicle at all times. 

Check Your Airbags Today

If you notice issues with your airbag, like the airbag light blinking at you every time you power up your vehicle, don’t shrug it off. Make sure you have your airbag checked right away. Otherwise, you could end up with more problems in the future, especially if you collide with another vehicle or hit a property on the road. It’s always better to be safe than sorry! 

Do you need an SRS airbag module reset? Repair My SRS can help you with that. We provide our services nationwide. Contact us today!