Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Airbag replacements

Call us to learn about our complete line of SRS (supplemental restraint system) airbag replacements. Our parts inventory includes factory OEM drivers wheel and passenger dash airbags, side airbags, and knee bolsters airbags, for practically every year, make and model.

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AIRBAG

Airbags are one of the most important safety innovations of recent decades.

  • Airbags provide crucial cushioning for people during a crash. They're normally hidden but inflate instantly when a crash begins.
  • Front airbags have been required in all new passenger vehicles since the 1999 model year.
  • Side airbags aren't specifically mandated, but nearly all manufacturers include them as standard equipment in order to meet federal side protection requirements.
Both front and side airbags save lives.

  • Front airbags reduce driver fatalities in frontal crashes by 29 percent and fatalities of front-seat passengers age 13 and older by 32 percent.
  • Side airbags that protect the head reduce a car driver's risk of death in driver-side crashes by 37 percent and an SUV driver's risk by 52 percent.
Engineers keep finding new ways to use airbags.

  • Rear-window curtain airbags are designed to protect people in back seats in rear-end crashes.
  • Far-side airbags keep drivers and front-seat passengers from hitting each other in a crash.
  • Inflatable safety belts are aimed at reducing rear-seat chest injuries.

How front and side airbags work

Airbags are inflatable cushions built into a vehicle that protect occupants from hitting the vehicle interior or objects outside the vehicle (for example, other vehicles or trees) during a collision.

Airbags are inflatable cushions built into a vehicle that protect occupants from hitting the vehicle interior or objects outside the vehicle (for example, other vehicles or trees) during a collision.


Front airbags

Since the 1999 model year, the federal government has required automakers to install driver and passenger airbags for frontal impact protection in all cars, light trucks and vans.

Front airbags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal crashes to prevent a person's head and chest from contacting hard structures in the vehicle.

They offer the most protection when occupants are wearing safety belts and sitting properly in the seat but are designed to provide protection for all occupants.

Newer airbags have a safety belt sensor and use an algorithm to decide whether to deploy the bag in a given crash, depending on whether people are using safety belts.

Typically, a front airbag will deploy for unbelted occupants when the crash is the equivalent of an impact into a rigid wall at 10-12 mph. Most airbags will deploy at a higher threshold — about 16 mph — for belted occupants because the belts alone are likely to provide adequate protection up to these moderate speeds.

Front airbags may deploy to help protect occupants in side impacts if there is sufficient forward movement during the crash.

The driver airbag is located in the steering wheel. The passenger airbag is located in the dashboard.


Side airbags

Head- and chest-protecting side airbags are designed to inflate inside crashes to prevent people's heads and chests from contacting intruding parts of vehicle side structure, a striking vehicle or an object such as a tree or pole. Side airbags cushion and spread the load of impacts to prevent any part of the body from sustaining concentrated impact forces.

A head-protecting side airbag is particularly important because it may be the only thing between the occupant's head and the striking vehicle, since window glass can shatter in a crash.

Because of the small space between an occupant and the side of the vehicle, side airbags must deploy very quickly, typically within the first 10-20 milliseconds of a side crash. Deployment thresholds can be as low as 8 mph for narrow object crashes (e.g., trees and poles) and 18 mph for the more widely distributed side impacts (vehicle-to-vehicle crashes). Side airbags also deploy in certain types of frontal crashes.

A federal regulation on side-impact protection requires a certain level of head and torso protection for all occupants. While it doesn't specifically mandate side airbags, the required protection is typically achieved with them. As of the 2014 model year, virtually all new passenger vehicles must comply with this regulation. As a result, the vast majority of passenger vehicles come with side airbags as standard equipment.


Different types of side airbag systems

Combination airbag

A combination airbag, deploying from the seatback, provides protection for the head and torso.

Head-protecting curtain airbag

A head-protecting curtain airbag, which deploys from the roof rail, and a seat-mounted torso-protecting airbag

Head-torso-pelvis airbag

A head-protecting curtain airbag and seat-mounted torso and pelvis-protecting airbag

Door- and seat-mounted airbag

A head-protecting curtain airbag deploying from the door and seat-mounted torso and pelvis-protecting airbag


Airbag innovations

Inflatable seat belts

In 2011 Ford rolled out an inflatable seat belt aimed at reducing rear-seat injuries. The inflatable seat belt is intended to enhance protection for adults and for children using booster seats or seat belts alone. In a crash, the shoulder belt inflates, distributing crash forces across the torso and chest.

The inflatable belts are currently available as optional equipment in the outboard second-row seating positions of several Ford and Lincoln vehicles. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class comes with standard inflatable belts.


Far-side airbag

Also known as the front-center airbag, the far-side airbag is designed to prevent front passengers from colliding with each other during side-impact crashes and to maintain occupant position in far-side or rollover crashes. General Motors was the first to introduce the front-center airbag in 2013.

Toyota has developed a similar concept aimed at rear-seat passenger protection that deploys from the rear row's center console.

In 2020, EuroNCAP introduced a new side crash test to promote far-side airbags. A far-side airbag is currently available on the Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, Genesis G80 and Genesis GV80.


Panoramic sunroof airbag

In 2017, Hyundai Mobis, an automotive supplier, introduced the first panoramic roof curtain airbag. It is intended to prevent ejection of occupants through the sunroof during rollovers.

NHTSA has identified 260 occupants ejected through sunroofs from 2000-2015 and the problem is expected to grow as panoramic sunroofs become more popular.

Many design challenges delayed the implementation of these kinds of airbags in vehicles. The airbag must properly deploy with the sunroof open or closed and be stored in the headliner without interfering with headroom or visibility.


Seat cushion airbag

Seat cushion airbags are designed to reduce forces on an occupant's chest and abdomen by controlling movement of the occupant's body. Currently, the Toyota Yaris comes equipped with a seat cushion airbag.


Rear seat airbag

Rear seat airbags are being developed to provide head protection for rear passengers. Rear seat airbags are located in the back of the front seat and deploy with less force than traditional airbags. They are only partially inflated, unlike normal, full-powered airbags, so even if the airbags contact objects or child seats, they deflect instead of striking them. Mercedes-Benz is planning to introduce this optional airbag on the next generation of S-Class.


Flexible seating airbag systems

Future vehicles with flexible seating options (reclining seats, campfire configurations, etc.) will require innovative airbag systems for protection. Airbag suppliers are developing seat-mounted airbag systems that provide cocoonlike protection for passengers. Two examples are Autoliv’s Life Cell airbag and Joyson’s Embrace.


Precrash external side airbag system

The external side airbag, developed by ZF, is designed to reduce crash forces on a vehicle during side crashes. This airbag uses precrash sensors to detect an imminent side impact and deploys a large external airbag from under the side sill of the vehicle to cover the driver and rear passenger doors. When inflated, it is approximately the size of a life raft. There are currently no production vehicles with this technology.


External hood airbag

Volvo developed the first hood airbag designed for pedestrian protection. When a collision with a pedestrian is detected, an external airbag deploys from under the hood and covers the hard parts of the windshield and the A-pillar, locations that pedestrians frequently strike. The pedestrian hood airbag is standard on the Volvo V40, available only in Europe, starting with the 2013 model year.


How do airbags work?

Steering Wheel Airbag

The driver's airbag is made up of several components. A cylinder filled with gas, the steel housing, airbag pack and the vinyl airbag cover. When the airbag module receives a deployment signal the igniter switch starts a chemical reaction which then inflates the airbag pack in fractions of a second. See chemistry of airbags.


Steering Wheel Airbag Types

There are many types of driver airbags. The most popular are shown above. The single stage-airbag has a single plug or connector and a dual-stage has two plugs with four wires that lead to a single connector. Also, there are three spoke and four spoke driver side airbags. See illustrations above for an example of the two.

Virtually all new cars have airbags, and they’re saving lives. They’re reducing driver deaths by about 14 percent, and passenger bags reduce deaths by about 11 percent. People who use safety belts may think they don’t need airbags. But they do. Airbags and lap/shoulder belts work together as a system, and one without the other isn’t as effective. Deaths are 12 percent lower among drivers with belts and 9 percent lower among belted passengers.


Car Airbag Replacement Parts (OEM)

Airbag replacement parts for most if not all of the domestic car manufacturers. Our top sellers are Ford, Chevy, GMC and Chrysler. We also specialise in the distribution of foreign cars airbags. Some of our top sellers are Honda, Toyota, VW, Mercedes & Mazda airbags.


The following is a list of the airbag parts that we carry


Domestic Car Airbag Parts

  • Buick Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Cadillac Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Chrysler Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Chevy Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Dodge Airbag Replacement Parts
  • GMC Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Jeep Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Lincoln Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Mercury Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Oldsmobile Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Plymouth Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Pontiac Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Saturn Airbag Replacement Parts

Foreign Car Airbag Parts

  • Acura Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Audi Airbag Replacement Parts
  • BMW Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Daewoo Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Hyundai Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Infiniti Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Isuzu Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Jaguar Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Kia Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Landrover Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Lexus Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Mazda Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Mercedes Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Mitsubishi Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Porsche Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Nissan Airbag Replacement Parts
  • SAAB Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Scion Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Subaru Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Suzuki Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Toyota Airbag Replacement Parts
  • Volvo Airbag Replacement Parts
  • VW Airbag Replacement Parts

FAQ


Are your airbags OEM?

Yes, all the airbags we sell are Original Equipment Manufacturer or OEM.


Are your airbags remanufactured?

No, we do not repair or replace any parts on the airbags we sell. They are all original and exactly what was in your car when you purchased it. The airbags we sell are used because they are from the same year as the ones in your vehicle. As an example. If you own a 1999 Ford Mustang, then we would sell you a non deployed used airbag that was manufactured in 1999. Again, these are the same airbags that were in your car and worked just fine during your accident. If you buy one from the dealer and it has been sitting on the shelf since 1999, then in essence you are purchasing a used airbag.


Are your airbags used?

Yes, we sell them as used because some come from other donor cars. However, we have a proprietary inspection process and each part is inspected to make sure they are in original condition.


What are used airbags?

Our airbags are classified as used because we are not - in the example, a Ford Dealer or Chevy Dealer, etc.. So even though some of our products are new we must label them as used. In addition, we also sell airbags that have been in a car before but never deployed. Nonetheless, every part we sell is an Original Equipment Manufactured part. It is used because time has elapsed, however - so was the airbag in your car that just deployed. So you see - your car's airbags were used as well and they worked fine. What we do as a company, that others don't, is to make sure that the components of the airbags we sell are in original condition. It is our attention to detail that has earned us a top-notch reputation from auto rebuilders worldwide.


Why is my airbag light on or flashing?

The flashing airbag light indicates that the restraint control module, which includes the sensors, has identified a fault in the system and has deactivated the airbag and pretensioners. A scan tool can interrogate the system to identify the specific fault code. In fact, the next time you turn on the key, watch the airbag light and try to determine the "lamp fault code" that is flashing. The "LFC" sequence might help you identify the specific problem with the system. For example, a sequence of one flash followed by six flashes (16) indicates a problem with the passenger-side airbag.


Why are my seat belts locked?

Seat belt pre-tensioners were installed on vehicles starting as early as 1999. These pre-tensioners act in sequence with the airbag system in your car. Therefore, whenever you have been involved in an accident the pretensioners fire off pulling you back in your seat providing a safer distance from the airbags. Seat belt pre-tensioners have a much faster reaction time than the older seat belt versions making for a much safer product. However, once the tensioner is triggered it locks the seat belt straps and they are no longer functional and therefore, must either be rebuilt or replaced.


Can my seat belts be repaired?

Yes, in most cases we can rebuild your original seat belts by replacing your pre-tensioner and replacing the necessary components making your seatbelts fully functional and at a price that is more affordable than a new replacement at the dealer.


Do I have to replace my front impact sensors?

It all depends on the severity of the accident. However, in most cases, the front impact sensors are reusable unless they have been physically damaged or the wire leading to it has been crimped by metal. You can replace all airbag components and if the light is still flashing a sensor code you can test the wire for continuity or replace the sensor if need be. However, in most cases, the impact sensors can be reused.


Where is my car's airbag module located?

The control module is also known as the 591, airbag computer, diagnostic unit, DERM-unit, diagnostic sensor and it is located in many different parts of the car. We have to know the year, make and model of the vehicle to be able to tell you where to look for your module. Nonetheless, if you need help locating the control module in your vehicle simple click this link Airbag Module Location and we will be happy to provide that information free of charge.


Do I have to replace my control module?

The control module is also known as the 591, airbag computer, diagnostic unit, DERM-unit, diagnostic sensor, and some others. However, regardless of what you call it, after an accident the control module must either be replaced or reprogrammed. However, in most Chrysler models the control module will reset itself after you have replaced all the airbags in your vehicle. Therefore, the comments above apply to all other manufacturers.


Can I replace just the drivers' airbag?

First of all, anytime any component of the SRS system in your car is missing the airbag light will indicate that your airbags are not active. Second, leaving an open circuit (connectors not connected) can cause a faulty ground and accidentally activate the airbag that is installed, even while you are driving. Therefore, all of the airbag components must be reinstalled to factory specifications.


Do I have to replace the clockspring?

The clock-spring is also referred to as the coil spring. Its job is to provide electrical continuity as the steering wheel is rotated. When the driver's airbag is deployed the chemical reaction that occurs heats the gas cylinder and the connector from the clock-spring is melted. If this happens, then you have no choice and the clock-spring must be replaced. However, newer style connectors survive the heat transfer and therefore, the clock-spring can be recycled. So, in order to determine whether you need to replace your clock spring or not. You must remove the driver side airbag and see if the connector attached to the airbag cylinder is melted and fused together. Furthermore, all connectors that attach to airbag components have a locking mechanism and therefore, you must remove the lock prior to separating the male and female connectors.


Are the vinyl covers included with my airbags?

The steering wheel airbag always includes the vinyl cover, however, some manufacturers have incorporated the passenger airbag underneath the dash. This type of passenger airbag is referred to as an "Inner bag" and the dash is sold separately from the passenger airbag. Although the majority of passenger airbags do include the cover many new models require that the whole dashboard be replaced.


Is the control module included with my purchase?

As with most companies, all parts are sold separately and the airbag control module is not included with the price of any airbag purchased.


How fast do you have to drive for airbags to deploy?

There is no set answer for this question. What we do know is that you must have both deceleration and impact for airbags to deploy. However, this could occur even at very low rates of speed, such as five miles per hour.