Technology has played an enormous role in advancing our vehicle's safety components, especially airbags. If and when you get in a crash, you can have confidence that you will be protected by these puffy devices. Airbags are becoming safer and smarting, saving thousands of lives every year. Today, we will be going over how airbags work and what they do to protect you.
When driving in your vehicle, you and your passenger's bodies have the same momentum as the car. Therefore, when your car abruptly stops (or hits something), your body's momentum keeps going. You will keep moving forward at the same speed unless you have resistance from your seat belt and airbags. Airbags have sensors that detect when your car hits something, and they will inflate to protect your body from flying out of your vehicle. The combination of seat belts and airbags is undeniably powerful in keeping you safe, which is why they are required to be made and checked in every car.
When your sensors pick up a collision, it will trigger an explosive mechanism that fills the nylon airbag with gas, expanding beyond the steering wheel (or dashboard cover in the passenger's seat). The bag can swell down nearly as quickly as it got inflated. Once an airbag is engaged, you will have to get it repaired or replaced before using your car again.
When you go to an auto repair shop to have your airbag repaired, the technician will most likely start with turning off the airbag warning light. When this light comes on, it just means that there's something wrong with your airbag system. If your airbags are recently deployed and can be reset, the technician will simply stuff the airbag back in its place. However, if your airbag is overinflated, broke, or you run a vehicle without a reusable airbag, you will need to have it replaced altogether. This process involves replacing the entire airbag module and installing a new one.
Airbag services should always be done by a professional automotive technician and never at home. If your airbags need to be serviced, you can trust Accomplished Auto in Concord, NH, for the job.