Tech / Special Interest → Automotive > Accident / treating air bag burn?

Re: Accident / treating air bag burn?

My MIL got rear ended and pushed into the car in front of her messing up the hood and lights.

She had it towed to a lot.

It got totaled by the other driver's insurance co.

They wrote her a check.

We drove the car with the bent up hood home. It drove fine.

Took the car to a trusted body shop and 1100 bux later it looks great and they fixed the broken electric windows and replaced the hood and re-attached the headlights and grill.

I was amazed.

4500 bux in the bank minus 1100 for the work and a perfectly serviceable car.

Blob
--
I may have been born yesterday. But it wasn't at night.

Does he have to buy collision? He can get liability and not worry about if it gets wrecked again.

I agree with the others on the pull the parts from a JY for under $200.

If you un-mount your spent air-bags you can see how they were installed and then make it easier to pull the others. Only issue I can see is that the front passenger side bumper mount is probably bent. Nothing that a persuasion bar can't fix.

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Re: Accident / treating air bag burn?

If something happened to the radiator, what would the signs be? I was at operating temperature (my normal temp) then it actually dipped down cooler probably 15 degrees to 20 degrees for a second then back to normal. Normally it's always rock solid in the same location, even if I'm idling on a 90 degree day. I guess it going LOWER doesn't pose a huge issue compared to if it went HIGHER, but I figured I'd ask.

Is that little circle bite out of the left top part of my grill an issue if I leave it like that? Will water get in to areas I don't want it in if I get a car wash or if it rains?

Could indicate a "bubble" in the water supply to the engine, an issue with the water pump, or many other potentialy serious issues. Best bet is to get it checked out ASAP.

I just had the water pump done.

Is $150 for a used bumper and $50 for brackets too expensive from a parts yard? If so, what price should I be getting this stuff for? Based on the picture, what else will I need that holds the bumper on? Let me know if more pics are needed.

Also what parts will I need so the headlight assembly will fit properly?

I'll post pics and see. I see bumpers on ebay going for $200 to $300 for the whole thing. It's the XLT, so the Chrome is more expensive.

Price out new. Compare. Decide.

Yes 200 for bumper and brackets is a lot. Keep looking. The link i provided sells them for 35 dollars. Yard prices generally charge the same if its chromed or not. If its a steel bumper its one price, if its a plastic cover its another, but chrome shouldnt matter.

Newyork city is a hour and a half from here. The link i provided has a yard in hazeltown pa which is over half way to there. Why in the world would you be looking to pay 200 for the bumper and brackets when you can get the bumpers, brackets (which will be free at this yard), Headlight assmbly, parking light, and both air bags. All for less than 200 dollars. Here is the link again in case you missed it. »www.wegotused.com/wp-content/upl···List.pdf

I don't live in NYC. That link is 5+ hours from me, however I have family in one of those spots that I planned on visiting soon, so I will now kill two birds with one stone.

Am I going to need one of these:
»www.group1autoparts.com/oem-part···17n775aa

How do I tell if I need a new seat-belt pre-tensioner?

"They" say any time there is an accident you should replace it. Look at the cost for a new one and see if you want to roll the dice.

Do seatbelts need to be replaced too or just the tensioner?

I would replace the belts. They are designed to be a one-time use thing, once the webbing stretches they aren't as effective.

Can I cut the airbags out with scissors so I can duct-tape the airbag housing shut for now until it gets replaced with new airbags?

Since you're not able to drive the vehicle (legally) as is, why does it matter?

The vehicle has been deemed not road-worthy; and until it's re-inspected and a new, fit title issued, it can't be driven...

I forgot to give an update about the title. Title for vehicles 8 years or older (or 9 or older) in NYS stay the same - clean. I still keep the title and the title is as clean as the day I bought it.

No DMV police inspection is needed either.

Insurance company said once I fix it, the value will be the same to them if I were to get in another crash, so I keep full coverage collision on it too.

It matters since I will drive it to the shop to get repaired. The vehicle is "legal" as far as I can tell. I didn't have to surrender my plates or re-register anything at DMV either.

Worked out to be not so bad.

"Ranger for sale, clean title" haha, j/k, not selling it.

That's surprising... In my experience - insurance cutting a check includes surrendering the title. Bonus for you, is that's not the case, though!

I still would suggest against driving it - I really do doubt it's legal to drive with the airbags deployed/removed - for the bucks you'll be putting into repairs, an extra few dollars for a tow; and not having to deal with any DMV/Cop/etc headaches (or heaven forbid, another accident) - would be money well spent.

That said - a sharp knife will cut most airbag material... but it will dull the blade pretty quick, too.

I technically "bought it back" from the insurance company for a $275 fee. Title never changed hands or anything. I didn't even have to provide the title to them. They just looked it up and matched the names and sent the check minus the $275 buyback fee and $500 deductable.

On a separate note, what holds the bulb in place for the turn signal? I see the wiring harness has a black connector, but a gray piece should go into that and then the tiny light bulb goes into that gray piece (example: black wiring harness -> gray piece -> lightbulb)... I need the gray piece.

Does the header assembly even need to be painted? »www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0069ROEB4

if so can I just use spray paint or is there a certain type of paint? Reason I ask is mine is the same color as the rest of the vehicle.

I think they have the wrong picture on there. While you would want to paint what is pictured. You shouldnt be needing that. just chaulk it up to ordering auto parts from amazon. Hit the ordering frequently wit that and you get what you want. But you dont need a pair. Only the right side which wont need painting. You should be able to straighten the panel. regarding your radiator, they have plastic tanks. If they aint leaking you wont need that.