Airbag deployment is a major incident in a car owner’s career, and if your airbags have gone off, you’ve probably suffered a major accident first, meaning that more often than not, cars are usually written off afterwards. But does this mean that it’s an automatic write off as soon as your airbags inflate? Scrap Car Comparison guides you through all you need to know.
But first, if you’ve had a major accident and now have to stare at a rather sorry looking beaten up car, then we’re here to make your next step easier. We have a team of experts waiting on hand to find you the very best price for your car, and with certified buyers stationed in all four corners of the country, we’re confident we can get you an unbeatable price, no matter your car’s condition.
If your airbags deploy is your car a write-off?
There’s no rule that explicitly states that a car with deployed airbags is an automatic write-off, but the damages sustained in the accident that caused the airbags to go off will likely be enough for your car to fall into that category. A write-off is when any repair bills outweigh the value of the car itself, deeming it “uneconomical to repair”, as your insurers might tell you.
Does airbag deployment mean it’s now a salvage car?
A salvage car simply refers to an End-of-Life vehicle that has repairable parts, such as a car that isn’t worth repairing in its own right, but may have some components that can be swiped from it to help repair a similar vehicle. As before, a deployed airbag is likely the result of a fairly hefty shunt, so chances are your car will be in the write-off bracket, but whether it’s salvage or not will depend on how badly the internals are damaged, and if anything can be reused from it before it meets the scrap pile.
Is it worth fixing a car with airbags deployed?
You can repair a car that’s airbags have deployed, but – once again – it really depends on the severity of the other damages that your car has endured. Repairing an airbag, though, is anything but a simple job, and repair in this instance really means replace. A deployed airbag must be replaced, and you must have it seen by someone who is authorised to do so – it’s not a job you and your mate can do on your driveway on a Tuesday evening. Taking into account that it’s not an easy job, and that airbags are pretty specialist pieces of kit, don’t expect this to be a cheap fix, either, so it’s worth taking that into account, plus any other repairs needed, before deciding if it’s worth it or not.
How much does it cost to fix deployed airbags?
As always with one of these questions, it’s impossible to give a catch-all figure for this as it will be entirely dependent on what you drive, how old it is, where you get it fixed and any other peripheral issues that might make repairs more difficult. Generally, you can probably expect the airbag portion of your bill – assuming you’re getting any other damages as a result of the deployment repaired, too – to sit around the £200 mark on average.
Does insurance cover airbag replacement?
If your car hasn’t been written off in the accident that caused your airbag to deploy, then your insurance should cover the cost of your airbag being replaced – again this will likely be swallowed up in the overall bottom line figure of your repair work, minus any excess you have agreed on your policy.
At what speed do airbags deploy?
Airbags are incredibly impressive when deployed, and the rate at which they inflate is, of course, much faster than your average inflatable device that you might find at a child’s birthday party. The explosion and subsequent inflation of the airbag takes just 25 milliseconds and measures in at a jaw-dropping 160mph. This rate of inflation is necessary as any slower and they won’t be providing the full protection they require.
Can you scrap a car with deployed airbags?
Of course you can! You can scrap a car in any condition, whether fully intact or literally falling apart, and our experts will be able to find the very best price in your area.
If your car’s airbags have gone off and repairing the damage just isn’t a viable option for you, then Scrap Car Comparison is here to make the next step as simple as possible. Get started today and we’ll get you an unbeatable price in as little as sixty seconds and with collection agents operating across 99% of all UK postcodes, we’ll even come and get it direct from you – absolutely free of charge. All it takes is one phone call and 60 seconds and we’ll find the best quotes for you, so pick up the phone today.
