Dangerous airbags. WOW read one
 

Read this thread http://site.aol.com/autos/article/5.adp

Wow, after I read this I am now sort of scrared driving my 420 and 560 respectively with airbags. Has anyone had airbags pop out on them for no reason while driving in a benz? My 420 is 18yrs old and my 560 is 14 yrs old. The airbags in those cars are way past the recomended air bag replacement. WOW! Replacing the airbags with new ones and new control units mean big bucks...

Wow, when I was looking for a 84-85 Mercedes S-Class, I was really wanting one with the airbag option. The 85' 380SE I bought does not have the option. After reading that, I am glad that it does not.

My old 90' Lexus LS400 had a sticker on the sunvisor that said the system needed service "10 years" after date of manufacture. This was also the label in my old 93' Toyota Camry LE V6 sedan.

Well if you can't get em replaced, remember to keep your hands at 10 and 2 o'clock on the wheel at all times, and don't wear spikey jewelry!

thx for the tip! As my car gets older, although with low mileage and great condition, i am always afraid that something bad might go wrong with it, for ex- the airbags deploying for no reason and without any warning!

There was a guy @ work the other day complaining about airbags. He said that whenever he gets a car with airbags, that he "stabs" the steering wheel hub (airbag) with a knife! :silly: I was busy and did not get a chance to tell him that they sell for about $1000 each for most cars. :uhoh:

The air bags in MB's before 2000 are rated for 15 YEARS of service!

THE only MB's that I have seen with abnormal air bag deployment came from BROKEN flex disc & the DRIVESHAFT hitting the tunnel OR broken MOTOR mounts and or their arms that allow the trans to hit the tunnel.

Once these airbags start popping on their own, the lawyers will have a field day. I can't remember signing any disclaimer when I bought my Benzes that relieved MB from any liability from a malfunctioning air bag. I'm not a big fan of sueing, but for an airbag to blow while you are going down the road at 70 MPH, and you kill a family of 6 or whatever,,, I'll bet a lot of manufacturers will come up with a fix real quick.

That's interesting. My '85 380SE was originally a Kentucky car, and I wasn't aware the steering wheel airbag and seatbelt restraint system was optional (mine has the full SRS system).
However, the procedure to deactivate the airbag isn't at all complicated. Junkyard guys do this all the time. If anyone is concerned, just remove it.
I do agree that this will be a worsening problem for future old car owners though, MB or otherwise. IMO, just another example of the downside of regulatory efforts to save us from ourselves.

I have heard that Volvo has an on-going study on air bag life. They recently determined that the air bags used for their test were still functional and safe after 20 years. The test is conducted at regular time intervals and supposedly there have not been any failures since the start of the test. Of course this does not test the sensors, wiring, or other electronics. As was mentioned earlier in this thread, I believe Mercedes has certified their older ones safe for up to 15 years. It will be interesting to see if they increase the certification. A new replacement for my 1990 300E is almost $3,000!

You've hit on it.

Yes, you can count on our legal system to entice manufacturers to do the right thing--something we should all be thankful for.

Merc has at least once extended the airbag life and you could get replacment stickers saying so. It's not like they're ignoring anything.

Expect a campaign from manufacturers when this problem does get serious. Now, I'm not worried.

From what I know about these, the systems involved are really well thought out in terms of failure modes and are designed to fail "unfirable", and turn the SRS light on. I'd say that the chances of it not going off when you need it are a lot higher than having it go off unexpectedly.

I have faith in the system that MB designed, and frankly have more pressing things to worry about.

I have never heard of a MB's air bags just blowing for no reason.

if your afraid of it popping on you while driving get a small cheap pillow some duct tape and go happy.. duct tape the pillow on the center of the stearing wheel so incase it dose pop it stays inside the steering wheel and not in your face.. but dont get in any accidents the pillow wont save you

Just stabbing through the airbag - whilst making sure it won't inflate - is not going to stop the detonation, which if it did fail and go off while tootling down the highway is sure enough of a bang to scaare the crap out of you and probably have an accident anyway!!!

That said, I think these systems are pretty reliable - doesn't stop urban myths.

Note

"Well if you can't get em replaced, remember to keep your hands at 10 and 2 o'clock on the wheel at all times, and don't wear spikey jewelry"

The rules are different now- 10 and 2 o'clock is pre-air bags. Now, if you were in drivers education class- it's 9 and 3 or 8 and 4 o'clock.

I've contemplated this one for a while- my car is an 1986 which puts the airbag past it's 20 year life. How "fresh" would a new airbag be?

Michael

Not sure I want my hands firing into the door panel at 9 and 3 or 8 and 4, shifter too at 8 and 4. Rather have them break the glass and hit the mirror. Less broken bones that way!

As for the older air bags. They will still fire but they may not inflate the bag due to dry rot of the bag. But I have never seen that as of yet. Then again I try not to make my bags fire in any cars..... Plus I wear my seatbelt always so hopefully will not have to worry about hitting the bag too much....

The idea is backed with data...

With your hands at 2 and 10 O'clock the airback inflates and throws your arms into your face.
I always liked the "strong feel" of the 2 and 10 O'clock position.



Not a good thing...

Just called my friendly dealership...

$2200 list, $1700 or so wholesale for me. YUCK!


Michael

So, my question is...I have a 90 300E and when is the last time they made the air bag for this car? 92 when they went to a new model. I could be buying a new airbag that has sat on the shelf for fifteen years right?!? 3000 for another airbag that will blow up in my face. I am wearing my football helmet from now on and I think I will have my girl steer from the passanger side incase it goes. I guess that takes out fun time if she is steering instead of shifting. I should sue just for that fact in itself. Ha
Chris

I don't concern myself with them as I always wear a seatbelt and don't know what good they will do me in an accident if I am belted in, but lets say that absolute airbag paranoia has set in, and airbags wind up disabled. Has anyone tried to replace the passenger side bag with a glovebox?
I really liked having a glovebox in my '89 W124, my '92 has an airbag instead.

I think that model was made until 1995. Changed to the new model in 96'.

Yep, yours has it as an option then. I think it was about a $1000 option on the 84-85 models. Not too many of the 300SD or 380SE had them. It was more often seen in the 500SEL and 500SEC, but even in those, it was optional. It was also optional in the 84-85 190E and 190D. It was not available on the 84-85 300D, 300TD, 300CD or even the 380SL convertible. ALL had them for 86'. I think ABS was also optional in 84-85. Mine does have that option however.

That is what deployed the bagon my 560...before I bought it of course.

Also, when driving an air bag equipped vehicle, current instruction is to use the 4 and 8 position (some as high as 3 and 9). This prevents you arms from being blown into your face, or breaking your arms/wrists on deployment.

I need to "correct" some of the information on my previous post.

According to my 1985 Mercedes S-Class sales brochure, driver airbag was standard on the 500SEL and 500SEC beginning in 1985, but was optional on the 84' 500SEL/500SEC. It was still optional however even in 85', on the 300SD and 380SE. I also found out in that brochure that ABS became standard for 1985 on all of the S-Class models, but it was optional across the board in 1984.

Also found out that airbag was optional in the late 85' 380SL convertibles, according to the brochure.

Hey 86, I was referring to the airbag not the model. Most companies use parts up until they run out, lose the contract for manufacture. So most likely the airbag for my 90 may not have been made since 92. That is what concerns me. If I buy something new, that is exactly what I expect, new not ten years old unused. There is probably another airbag that fits from another make that fits without the price. But, with any airbag, the price is never cheap. Just not enough for me to worry about with an airbag going off prematurly.
Chris

I think there's been more than a few accidents since 1992.

I'd guess your airbag would be less than a year old. That's a question for your MB parts person.

It lists for $2200

Michael

Just another scare-tactic story to garner readership. We all take accepted risks every day of our lives. I think I'm going to leave my 20 year old bag alone and maybe, someday, we will be introduced. Until that time, I'm going to keep flying commercial jets, drinking milk past its expiration date and using condoms for birth control.

Oh, and as for stabbing your airbag, wouldn't that put the hole where the hot exhaust gasses come out in your facial region? I'd rather have a broken nose than a face full of super heated gas any day.

I had to laugh when I read this. All I could envision was the air bag deploying after a bump and a car full of feathers!!!

You guys are making me very glad that I drive pre-airbag cars.:)

wanna have some fun, set off an airbag...I work in a bodyshop, and we have set off bags just to make noise and see what they do. Wire a 9 volt battery to it and get out of the way. If you put it face-down it will make one hell of a bang and fly up in the air, face -up it just makes a lot of noise.

Oh yeah... sorry. Yeah, they changed that steering wheel in the early 90s if I recall. 93' I think on some.

Yeah, unless they make new ones. I am not sure. I bet it will be big $$$$ either way.

Yes I should have know that. Plus you're supposed to steer in some weird way so your arms don't go across the wheel, ie in front of the air bag.

I have had an airbag blow and my hands went out as they should when a big pillow blows up and fills the space your arms are. I have never ever seen someone hit there fac with there hands. The bag is designed to blow your arms and hands out away from the wheel and you. Unless you have your hand on the air bag I could not see how it is physically possible to blow straight at your face..... But alas there are obviously diferent scenerios....

If the shelf-life is 15 years, then I have 5 years to go before I freak out in a hightened state of panic and run screaming into the streets. 5 years of driving at 40,000 miles a year is 200,000 miles; my '95 currently has 100k miles, so I'll be at around 300,000 at that time - slowly nearing the end of it's life anyway, I'd guess.

Unlike my MB, which sees 4K each year. That means this car should last to the year 2050, and will go through about eight air bags (one on each side)!

Why don't you just remove the drivers side if you think it is an issue?

Probably takes an hour or so...

SO TRUE ...My airbag deployed today driving on the interstate for NO REASON and after that shock wore off.. Pieces of my flex disc blew off,
'just replaced 3 months ago'
I have angels all around me...
Will get it fixed tomorrow...Thanks for this site...