CHECK THE PILLOW

Insecure security

We can only at an authorized service center install airbags and check, whether they are operational. Photo by Robert Quiatek

Automotive technicians and representatives of authorized service centers agree not to purchase used airbags from advertisements or on the market. Specialists also advise - when buying a used car equipped with gas cushions, visit an authorized service center to check the operation of the safety system. There are often unfair attempts to sell a car equipped only with a dummy airbag or with a defective gas bag deployment system (indicator lamps signaling malfunction are often turned off in such a case). If you want to have a real sense of security while using the car, let's conduct a service test beforehand to ensure that the entire system is operational. The cost of this type of analysis ranges from PLN 100 to PLN 200.

Airbag sellers on the car market are not very fond of this. However, it is enough to ask about the possibility of buying them, and it turns out that there is no problem with it. We can find even more offers on the Internet. However, before we are tempted by the seller's suggestions, let's consider whether it is worth risking your safety.

Gas pillows available on car exchanges, popularly known as airbags, usually look quite attractive, and their good condition and low price often make you buy it. It turns out, however, that the sense of security gained in this way is very deceptive, and specialists warn that installing a gas cushion of unknown origin may do more harm than good.

In the case of gas cushions removed from other cars, we do not know the history of the equipment purchased. Such a pillow could be wet, stored in unfavorable conditions, and even removed from an already crashed car. It is not possible to correctly assess such equipment, and when using the car with the "exchange" airbag installed, we cannot be sure that in a crisis situation it will work as expected

Marek Styp-Rekowski, director of the REKMAR Automotive Technology and Traffic Experts Bureau in Gdańsk

- In a car we can distinguish certain groups of components with different importance for its safe operation. Airbags belong to the group of the most important ones, and saving on the security system is something I strongly advise against. Gas cushions sold on exchanges and advertisements are often damaged. Without a specialist analysis, it is impossible to assess whether such equipment is functional, under what conditions it was previously stored, and whether everything is fine with it. By deciding to install it, we risk our own safety.

Car manufacturers do not provide for retail sales of equipment that requires specialized assembly. That is why officially distributed airbags are available only in service stations and offered with professional assembly and warranty.

Gas cushion replacement

After a closer look at the manual for a car equipped with airbags, we can often say that the manufacturer recommends replacing them after a certain time. Usually it is a period of 10 - 15 years, and the need for replacement is dictated by concerns about the efficiency of the airbag release system after such a long period. However, car repair shop employees admit that drivers are extremely rarely asked to replace their airbags due to their age. Such an operation is costly and in the case of cars equipped with several airbags, it can amount to several thousand zlotys. Fortunately, manufacturers of new cars are slowly moving away from similar recommendations. The good news is that airbags do not require additional maintenance, although to be sure it is worth checking their operation from time to time in a specialized service.

Watch out for the indicator light

Cars equipped with a gas cushion have special indicator lamps on the dashboard. Remember that the appearance of any warning signal is a clear sign that there is something wrong with the system that protects our safety. It does not matter if the lamp lights up, for example, only momentarily and only in certain situations. The appearance of this type of signaling should encourage us to visit the workshop and test the efficiency of the entire system