Hi! I'm just curious. So; many parts, and the sensors that monitor the parts, break down over the years. You notice when it affects the driving, and happily it seems that many sensors are aimed to malfunction with false positives (e.g., an oil sensor says there's low oil pressure when it's fine; an abs sensor turns the abs on even when the road is dry... better than NOT working when you really needed it, and you blow up your engine or skid past the red light, respectively). So I was wondering. Airbags, really don't get used. The one time you need them, the car is probably totaled anyway, so no one ever repairs them. How do they work? How does the sensor work, that triggers them, and is it simple and foolproof enough that it won't degrade in time? That when you need your airbags, you don't suddenly discover that the sensor broke 10 years ago, just as your head goes through the windshield? Hopefully, they don't actually work with any sensitive electronic sensor at all? I actually am not that worried. But it's a point of valid curiosity; if the mechanism is simple enough to never need inspection; a 30-year-old luxury car that had them might still be operable today?
I'm not much into air ride systems any more. they ride nice but handling is not there cup of tea from the factory. when they do fail, it because the system has a leak and the pump cant keep up. so It deflate slowly until the pump stops working. most times it the pump or the lines to the air bag that fails. the rubber will dry rot just like a tire will. so any cars that have them still and are 10 yrs old or older. look for replacement air bags soon. there not cheep, so that’s why most car are heading to the junk yard when they fail!
I do collision damage estimating as a profession, so I see my share of deployed air bags. Overall, they are VERY reliable. The great majority of vehicles I've seen had airbags go off when they should, and not go off when they shouldn't.
hmm i can only recall 1 airbag problem in ford history...i believe the 2000 escort? a fault in the electrical system could cause it to deploy at random...pretty scary actually. but these have all been fixed by now. it was a mandatory safety recall! bernie.. next time you get to a ford dealership. have them check the oasis on that car. i imagine any and all recalls have been fixed. but it will give you piece of mind.
