Passenger side Airbag Recall

okay so we started to get letters in the mail a few months ago regards the airbag recall.

 

Because the car is a JDM import the first letter was to let me know they were going back to Japan to check on the service history to find out if it had already been replaced or not.

 

The second letter was confirming that no, the PASSENGER side airbag needed replacement.

 

Now my stupid question is, where is the airbag located ?

 

I also have a 2000 Subaru Outback and its obvious where its located, however on the 2005 Legacy I cannot for the life of me see where it deploys from.

 

This sounds crazy I know but I simply cannot see where it would come from other than jumping out of the glovebox. Yep I feel like an idiot.

It deploys through the dash above the glove box.

There are the words "SRS Airbag" by the side vent but there is no separate cavity or join lines anywhere in the dash above the glovebox for the airbag to deploy from.

It just breaks through the surface - the join lines are invisible and on the inside of the dash.

It just breaks through the surface - the join lines are invisible and on the inside of the dash.

 

Cheers for that so your saying if the passenger airbag ever deploys you have to replace the whole dashboard ?

 

Interesting that the recall involves problems generated from high humidity and bits shattering on deployment. It is therefore the part of the dash that has to come out that is the problem because it shatters ?

 

Interesting.

Yes it destroyes the dash if deployed. No it's not the dash that's being replaced or the issue it's to do with the airbag itself. Takata, the manufacturer of many cars airbags had a issue with their airbags.

 

I think it's the actual charge canister that fails and causes shrapnel.

In my experience, if the airbag deploys, you have to replace the car.

The problem is that the explosive changes properties when it is exposed to humidity becoming more powerful than intended. It was used because it was cheaper.

 

 

And with a more powerful explosion then things gets flying that shouldn't.

 

 

As for when the airbags goes off - unless the car has a high value it's being more expensive to fix it than what it's worth. Won't take many years before the car has fallen in value enough to make it totaled from an airbag explosion. Later model year Subies disables the airbag on the passenger side if that seat is empty as a way to lower the cost.

Thanks for all the info guys.

 

Don't think I will be rushing it back to the dealer to have it done, thats if parts ever become available to even get it done.

 

What like 20 million cars worldwide need them replaced ? apparently we have not yet had a single incident of it being a problem over here so if you factor in all the other things that are more likely to happen during an accident you have to wonder if its worth doing.

 

With the age bracket of the cars affected, there is a chance that most of them will be gone from our roads in the next 5 to 10 years anyway.

 

I think our LTNZ is just going through the motion of sending out letters, I will be very surprised if I get a letter to say contact the dealer your new parts are ready to fit. Will post here again if it actually happens.

So far only one death in Australia. Wanna be NZ's first? Pretty awful way to die.

You'd probably be safer with the airbag disconnected and make sure the passenger wears the seat belt. Just a minor crash could make the airbag blow and it may be worse than no airbag.

 

 

The reality is also that the passenger airbag is primarily for passengers not wearing a belt.

Why bother with the recall when it is free of charge? Make an appointment then go.

Because I'm the only owner and I don't want anybody taking the dash off.

 

Most recalls are more about liability than actual failure.

Most recalls are more about liability than actual failure.

 

And liabilities are calculated directly from actual failures. What's your point?

For what little it's worth I don't think they have to take the dash off, I think they've found a faster, easier way to do the job. I remember reading something about removing the glovebox, and then the center air vents/cubby to reach the inflator that way.. But I still understand your point.

FYI, at least in my case, they did not remove the dash. I was also concerned about them removing the dash and causing more problems.

 

Off the top of my head the major parts removed are the cubby/nav, stereo/radio and glove box. You could take those out yourself if you are worried.

 

After that it looks to just be a couple attachment points for the dash on the passenger side that they disconnect. They lift the dash a bit and are able to slide the old air bag out. And of course re-install in the reverse order.

 

I'm my case they definitely did not do the full service prodecure from the service manual for removing the passenger side air bag. I think it's supposed to be about a 4 hours job if done that way. In my case (I most of those major parts already removed) it only took the tech about 30 minutes to swap in the new air bag.

 

 

It's one thing if it was the drivers air bag and it killed you. It's another to have your car kill the passenger. After thinking about it that way, I went and had mine replaced.

 

I should also mention, again in my case. After getting the recall letter, I talked to my dealer, actually the parts manager and he said he had to order in the airbag. So he ordered it and called me when it was in stock and then I made an appointment to have it installed. Therefore, I wouldn't expect a letter telling you the new airbag is in stock and ready to be installed.

I had the recall done, and the tech was pretty careless and damaged the dash pad in several places. I didn't notice until over a month later, sadly. Kinda hard to go back and point it out that long after the fact.

I think I'm likely to just play the odds that its not going to deploy.

 

It would be one thing if its the drivers side but as the passenger seat is empty 90% of the time, the odds are getting pretty low.

 

Better chance of winning Lotto or having a serious crash that even having the airbag makes no difference.

 

We are short of decent mechanics over here so the chances are that changing it will cause a load of other problems.