Airbag deployment due to an accident does not mean your car is automatically totaled.
However, the cost to repair your airbags in addition to the cost of repairing damage to your vehicle sustained from an accident can result in a totaled car.
In this blog post, we will explore if your car is totaled in the event your airbags get deployed, including:
- What happens after a car accident when your airbags get deployed.
- How much it costs to fix a deployed airbag?
- The differences between passenger airbags and driver airbags
- If you can repair airbags yourself?
Let’s take a look at what to expect if you’ve been involved in a car accident that resulted in deployed airbags.
Does Airbag Deployment Total A Car
The answer is no. Airbag deployment does not necessarily mean that your car is automatically totaled.
Additionally, you can replace deployed airbags. This will have to be done by a qualified professional, however, and it won’t be cheap.
Can You Fix Airbags Yourself?
Once airbags are deployed, returning them is not just a case of stuffing them into the airbag module like forcing a duvet into an overstuffed cupboard. You should work with a certified mechanic to fix your airbags.
Also, speak to your car insurance representative about the estimated cost to repair your car airbags.
He or she can help you determine whether it’s worth it to fix the deployed airbag or to claim a total loss on your vehicle. This may depend upon the nature of the accident and will want to know if there was a collision event, or did your car deploy your airbags for some other reason?
You, your mechanic, and your insurance agent can figure out the best course of action for you. Whether you replace your vehicle or fix your deployed airbag is a choice only you can make.
How Much Does It Cost To Replace Airbags After An Accident?
When you fix an airbag, you’re not only fixing an airbag. About a dozen components to the airbag deployment system will need to be inspected and, usually, replaced. Not to mention any other damage that occurred from the accident.
Airbag-related components that will need repair include:
- Pyrotechnic inflators
- Igniter
- Clockspring
- The actual airbags
- Passenger seat switch
- Impact sensors
- Steering wheel
- Dashboard
- Other related components
Your certified mechanic will have to check and repair or replace each and every one of these components before your airbags will work properly again.
You can expect to pay upwards of $2,000 for each airbag that needs to be repaired. That does not include the cost of labor in most cases. If both your driver and passenger-side airbags were deployed, the repair costs could easily exceed the value of your vehicle.
Again, you’ll want to evaluate your own personal financial and insurance situation to determine whether it’s best to total the car or fix the deployed airbag.
Is It Worth Fixing A Car With Airbags Deployed
Yes, it is worth fixing your car’s airbags after they have been deployed.
If your airbag isn’t functional, your car will likely not pass your state’s required safety inspection. That may mean you’ll be unable to register your vehicle. Therefore, you cannot legally drive your car.
More importantly, airbags save lives. So, if your airbag has deployed, it’s imperative that you fix it for your safety and the safety of your passengers. If you’re in an accident and your vehicle does not have airbags, your risk of injury or death rises by 30%.
It may seem that fixing your airbags is an unnecessary and expensive undertaking, but it’s essential for both legal and safety reasons. If you can’t afford to replace your airbags it’s best to explore options available to you through your insurance company.
In most cases, the cost of airbag replacement is covered by your collision policy. In some cases, however, the insurer will write your car off as a total loss.
Summary: Does Airbag Deployment Total A Car?
No, just because your airbags were deployed does not mean that your car is totaled.
If you’re involved in an accident, speak with your insurance company about whether replacing your airbags is worth it in the long run, or if you should call your vehicle a total loss.
