If an airbag deploys is the car totaled?
Hey buddy! Do you know that Airbags are a crucial safety feature that can potentially save your life in the event of a fatal car accident? But what happens to your car if an airbag deploys? Are you faced with a total loss after that nasty accident, and the need to purchase a new vehicle, or can your car be safely repaired?
Read more: What happens when your car is totaled but still drivable? -car totaled but still drivable
This very question may be a common concern for car owners, and the answer may not be straightforward. In this article, I’ll exactly explore the factors that determine whether a car is totaled if an airbag deploys, and look at everything you can do if you find yourself in this situation. ready? let’s dive in!
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What happens when airbags deploy?
Your car’s Airbags are designed to go off automatically if the sensors detect moderate to severe car collisions or accidents.
During the collision impact, the airbags will deploy, and rapidily get inflated with air to help keep you fixed into one position during the impact to prevent injuries.
Further reading: Totaled car meaning in car insurance.
Without Airbags, you will be thrown about during the collision and this increases the risks of suffering severe or fatal injuries. According to statistics, Airbags, and more likely the frontal have been found to reduce car accident death by more than 28-35%.
Following deployment of your car’s Airbags, they should be able to deflate very quickly to allow you or your passengers to quickly move out of the car wreck.
Additionally, there could be a loud noise, and dust or powder will likely fly over or fill the cabin of your car once your car’s airbags go off during the auto accident.
Can you drive a car once the airbags have deployed?
Yes, it could be technically possible to drive a car once the airbags have been deployed, but it is not recommendable. In many states, the law prohibits driving a car with deployed airbags.
Airbags are designed to go off due to moderate-severe collisions and this implies that you could have been involved in a severe accident that could have damaged your car making it unsafe for driving.
“The car accident or collision that damaged your car could have damaged the car frame or any other vital parts hence not safe for driving”, says John, a Car Mechanic.
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According to James a car accident attorney in Los Engels, “driving a car with deployed airbags is illegal in some states and the driver that does so could face penalties and or pay fines”.
How to start car after airbags deploy?
According to John, “starting a car after airbags have deployed is not as simple as turning the key”.
“This is because the collision that deployed the airbags could have also damaged your car’s electrical system preventing the car from starting”, says John.
According to this experienced mechanic, there are some things you will need to check or do before attempting to start a vehicle whose airbags went off. Here are some steps you can take to start a car after the airbags have deployed:
1. Inspect your vehicle first. Probably there are damaged parts like leaking fluids that may prevent your car from starting.
2. Check the batteries. Your car will not start if the batteries are damaged or disconnected.
3. Reset the airbags system first. This system may need to be reset first before the car is started. You may need a diagnostic tool that communicates with the onboard computer of your car.
4. Check fuses. You will need to replace or repair the fuse box if the fuses were blown off during the collision.
5. If the car has power and the airbags have been reset, failure to start implies a more serious problem. You may need to have it checked by a technician.
Can a car be repaired if the airbags are deployed?
Whether or not a car is repaired if the airbags deploy depends on the extent of damage to other parts and systems. Yes, there is a possibility of the car being repaired other than getting totaled.
However, you should know that airbags are installed once and can not be repaired. You only need to install new airbags but not repair or install refurbished ones.
The insurance company will declare your car totaled depending on the extent of damages, and the cost to repair it in relation to what your car is worth in the current market value. I explain this later in the article.
Can airbags be replaced after deployed?
Yes, Airbags can only be replaced after they are deployed and this is the only thing that the law requires. It’s against the law in all states to try to repair the deployed airbags or install refurbished ones.
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“Replacing airbags is a hard and complex process that should be performed by a qualified technician. The replacement process typically involves removing the old airbags, installing new ones, and then resetting the airbag system using a diagnostic device that can communicate with the car’s onboard computer”, says Michael a top Mechanic.
“It is also important to remember that it can be costly to replace the airbags and the price will depend on the severity of the collision, where you buy your airbags, and how many deployed airbags you need to replace”, concluded Michael.
When do side airbags deploy?
Well, I have already lightly touched on this earlier in this article. what you need to know is that some cars have frontal airbags and car-sided airbags.
Car frontal airbags will go off once the sensors in front of the car are triggered, whereas sensors in the side of the car trigger the airbags in the side of the car.
If your car incurs side-impact collisions or roll-overs, the sensors in the side of your car will trigger off the side airbags and hence they will get deployed.
However, you need to understand that deployment of frontal or side airbags depends on the strength of the collision but is not totally dependent on whether the sensors are triggered or not.
A severe frontal collision too will cause the side airbags to deploy and similarly, your frontal airbags will automatically go off due to severe side-impact collisions.
Should I buy a car if the airbags have been deployed?
Your decision to buy or not to buy a car that had deployed airbags should be guided by facts like the severity of the collision, the age and condition of the car, and finally the cost to repair the car.
If the airbags deployed due to minor collisions and it may cost less to repair the car, then buying that car is not a bad choice but remember, it could cost you around $700-$1000 to buy new airbags before footing labor costs.
On the other hand, if the car was involved in a severe accident that damaged its major parts, I would argue you desist from buying such a car because you may never safely repair that car if it does not cost a lot in repairs.
What determines if a car is totaled?
Factors that determine if your car is totaled or not include the following:
- Current market value of your car, is also known as the Actual cash value.
- State you live in
- Severity of damages and
- Current state/condition of your car
Here is an example. Your car will most likely be totaled if it’s old, has a large mileage, has significant tear and wear, and costs much more to repair it than it’s worth.
Additionally, policies regarding writing off cars (declaring cars totaled) vary from state to state. Below is another example.
Assume the insurance company determines the actual value of your car to be $10,000. In some states, your car will be totaled if the total repair costs exceed $7,000, whereas, in other states, your car will be totaled if repair costs go beyond $8,000.
Is a car automatically totaled if the airbags deploy?
The answer is both a NO and a Yes. In other words, whether a car is automatically totaled if airbags deploy depends on the extent of damages and how much it costs to repair the car without forgetting airbags replacement.
The simple answer is, No, the deployment of an airbag doesn’t automatically mean that the car is totaled. It depends on the extent of damage and repair costs.
Your car whose airbags are deployed will be totaled if it costs more to repair than its actual cash value or market value. It will also be totaled if it’s old, has large mileage, and has lots of tear and wear. In most states, your car will be totaled if repair costs exceed 70% of its current market value.
Why are cars considered totaled when airbags deploy?
Cars are considered totaled when airbags deploy just because the collision or accident that caused the airbags to deploy most likely damaged the car beyond repair.
I already told you that airbags are designed to deploy majorly in moderate-to-severe car accidents. If your car was involved in a severe accident and had its airbags deployed, then most likely it will be declared a total loss by the insurance company.
Conclusion.
if an airbag deploys is the car totaled?
In conclusion, even if your automobile’s airbag deploys following a collision, your car may not necessarily be a total loss. Airbags can be replaced and are made to deploy to prevent injury to you and your passengers.
Although replacing airbags can be expensive, doing so is frequently less expensive than replacing a totaled vehicle. However, if the damage to your car is severe, your insurance provider can declare it a total loss.
In the end, it will depend on how bad the collision was and how much your automobile is worth.
