Airbag Replacement Questions
02-28-2013, 04:05 PM
#1
Airbag Replacement Questions
Hi everyone,
Recently had a mishap with my 2001 i30 and the whole front end is gone with both driver and passenger airbags popped.
"Luckily" for me, found a 2000 i30 of the same color that was rust bucket... EXCEPT the for the hood and the bumper. The HIDs looked clean too. Since my original vehicle is spotless, I'm going to go ahead and swap the pieces in and scrap the rest of the car (or part out on the forums if anyone is interested!)
My main issue lies with the airbag, since 1)I have no clue how to even swap airbags and 2) the driver airbag cover on the 2000 is different than the one on my 2001 (the passenger looks identical).
So is it possible to swap it, despite different covers? If not, is this this worth it? or this? Will I still need a clock spring and a computer nonetheless? I know I can get the sensor off the hood of replacement vehicle. Can I use the clockspring and computer off of that one too?
I tried looking at posts such as this or this but still not sure if all of it applies to my infiniti which is a 5th gen, not a 4th.
Also, is this something I'm able to do myself, or should I just ask the bodyshop to do it? Will they do it? One of the ones I visited said that you're not supposed to be tampering with airbags.
I'm sorry if this is a lot of questions but I figured if someone has answers, he/she will be lurking this forum!
Thanks in advance and let me know if you need more info
Recently had a mishap with my 2001 i30 and the whole front end is gone with both driver and passenger airbags popped.
"Luckily" for me, found a 2000 i30 of the same color that was rust bucket... EXCEPT the for the hood and the bumper. The HIDs looked clean too. Since my original vehicle is spotless, I'm going to go ahead and swap the pieces in and scrap the rest of the car (or part out on the forums if anyone is interested!)
My main issue lies with the airbag, since 1)I have no clue how to even swap airbags and 2) the driver airbag cover on the 2000 is different than the one on my 2001 (the passenger looks identical).
So is it possible to swap it, despite different covers? If not, is this this worth it? or this? Will I still need a clock spring and a computer nonetheless? I know I can get the sensor off the hood of replacement vehicle. Can I use the clockspring and computer off of that one too?
I tried looking at posts such as this or this but still not sure if all of it applies to my infiniti which is a 5th gen, not a 4th.
Also, is this something I'm able to do myself, or should I just ask the bodyshop to do it? Will they do it? One of the ones I visited said that you're not supposed to be tampering with airbags.
I'm sorry if this is a lot of questions but I figured if someone has answers, he/she will be lurking this forum!
Thanks in advance and let me know if you need more info
03-10-2013, 08:37 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
Do you really know how bad the damage to your car is? There can be lots of hidden damage you can't see. From your description, your best bet would to have your car totaled and get a check for it. And what do you mean by "mishap" exactly? Were you the at-fault driver? Slid off the road during a snow/ice storm and hit something?
03-10-2013, 08:59 PM
#6
I'm not aware of the extent of the damages. There are some pictures here.
I can add some more if needed.
The i30 2001 is currently at a body shop. The guy said he will try to pry the front away and assess the internal damage.
Perfectly fine but cold night, I got into an at fault accident where I hit a patch of ice on the leftmost lane (where water accumulates and ices over) so my car slipped for a good 50ft (was doing 60km/h in a 50 zone, that's 35-40mph I believe) and rear ended another vehicle.
Unfortunately for me, insurance issue whereby I asked for collision coverage, was driving for a year thinking I had it, and turns out they never put it on my file (price difference between policies was in the order of 2-300$). I asked to listen to the call log, they took a week to find it and then told me I never asked for it. I immediately said I wanted to listen to it myself and they changed their story saying they never found the actual call log. It's not the first time they've made a mistake on my policy (they once flat out failed to insure me against civil liability!!! only found out once I sold the car a month after I bought it. They had even sent me papers saying I was insured but never put the policy in place. go figure!!!).
TL;DR=no money from the insurance.
Tried parting out my car buy figured it will take too long. Tried buying another vehicle but couldn't find anything quite like it at the price it will *hopefully* cost to repair.
So all this has brought me to asking advice about how to change the airbags on my dying companion.
I can add some more if needed.
The i30 2001 is currently at a body shop. The guy said he will try to pry the front away and assess the internal damage.
Perfectly fine but cold night, I got into an at fault accident where I hit a patch of ice on the leftmost lane (where water accumulates and ices over) so my car slipped for a good 50ft (was doing 60km/h in a 50 zone, that's 35-40mph I believe) and rear ended another vehicle.
Unfortunately for me, insurance issue whereby I asked for collision coverage, was driving for a year thinking I had it, and turns out they never put it on my file (price difference between policies was in the order of 2-300$). I asked to listen to the call log, they took a week to find it and then told me I never asked for it. I immediately said I wanted to listen to it myself and they changed their story saying they never found the actual call log. It's not the first time they've made a mistake on my policy (they once flat out failed to insure me against civil liability!!! only found out once I sold the car a month after I bought it. They had even sent me papers saying I was insured but never put the policy in place. go figure!!!).
TL;DR=no money from the insurance.
Tried parting out my car buy figured it will take too long. Tried buying another vehicle but couldn't find anything quite like it at the price it will *hopefully* cost to repair.
So all this has brought me to asking advice about how to change the airbags on my dying companion.
03-10-2013, 09:17 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
I'm not aware of the extent of the damages. There are some pictures here.
I can add some more if needed.
The i30 2001 is currently at a body shop. The guy said he will try to pry the front away and assess the internal damage.
Perfectly fine but cold night, I got into an at fault accident where I hit a patch of ice on the leftmost lane (where water accumulates and ices over) so my car slipped for a good 50ft (was doing 60km/h in a 50 zone, that's 35-40mph I believe) and rear ended another vehicle.
Unfortunately for me, insurance issue whereby I asked for collision coverage, was driving for a year thinking I had it, and turns out they never put it on my file (price difference between policies was in the order of 2-300$). I asked to listen to the call log, they took a week to find it and then told me I never asked for it. I immediately said I wanted to listen to it myself and they changed their story saying they never found the actual call log. It's not the first time they've made a mistake on my policy (they once flat out failed to insure me against civil liability!!! only found out once I sold the car a month after I bought it. They had even sent me papers saying I was insured but never put the policy in place. go figure!!!).
TL;DR=no money from the insurance.
Tried parting out my car buy figured it will take too long. Tried buying another vehicle but couldn't find anything quite like it at the price it will *hopefully* cost to repair.
So all this has brought me to asking advice about how to change the airbags on my dying companion.
I can add some more if needed.
The i30 2001 is currently at a body shop. The guy said he will try to pry the front away and assess the internal damage.
Perfectly fine but cold night, I got into an at fault accident where I hit a patch of ice on the leftmost lane (where water accumulates and ices over) so my car slipped for a good 50ft (was doing 60km/h in a 50 zone, that's 35-40mph I believe) and rear ended another vehicle.
Unfortunately for me, insurance issue whereby I asked for collision coverage, was driving for a year thinking I had it, and turns out they never put it on my file (price difference between policies was in the order of 2-300$). I asked to listen to the call log, they took a week to find it and then told me I never asked for it. I immediately said I wanted to listen to it myself and they changed their story saying they never found the actual call log. It's not the first time they've made a mistake on my policy (they once flat out failed to insure me against civil liability!!! only found out once I sold the car a month after I bought it. They had even sent me papers saying I was insured but never put the policy in place. go figure!!!).
TL;DR=no money from the insurance.
Tried parting out my car buy figured it will take too long. Tried buying another vehicle but couldn't find anything quite like it at the price it will *hopefully* cost to repair.
So all this has brought me to asking advice about how to change the airbags on my dying companion.
Having worked at a dealership for nearly 12 years, I've seen lots of cars that look like they were repairable get totaled, and I've seen cars that look like they would get totaled get fixed. It's all on the extent of the damage and the cost of the parts, labor, paint, etc. Airbag components and structural components can be expensive, especially the labor on the structural stuff. That's not a simple bolt-on and paint type of work. An insurance company isn't going to cut off and replace half of your vehicle.
I've had 2 cars totaled, and it sucks. The first car totaled was an SVT Focus that was still under factory warranty, and the second one was a 2 door Grand Prix GTP, and it was totaled just a few months after I had paid it off.
03-10-2013, 09:33 PM
#8
I guess there might be some differences between Canada and the US in regards to this.
This is how it works in Canada, more particularly in Quebec (we always have special rules).
1. There is a no-fault insurance system in place, whereby no party is responsible for lesions or injuries to the other party. In case of injury, the government provides compensation to the injured party. There are no lawsuits for driving matters. Ex: I rear end you, you break your arm, the government pays you X amount for damages.
2. Each party's insurance company is responsible for compensating for damages to the person that they insure, regardless of fault. Ex: I rear end you, your insurance company will pay for damages to your car. They won't ask my company to pay.
3. Every driver must have civil responsibility insurance, commonly referred to as "1-way" insurance. This means if I crash my car into a storefront, my insurance will pay for the damages. This also means that in the event of a collision, if I'm not at fault or I'm at 50% fault, I will get 100% or 50% of damages payed for.
4. You can get fire, theft, vandalism insurance which will cover your vehicle against these hazards.
5. You can also get comprehensive collision insurance, 2-way, which covers your vehicle in case of collision, regardless of fault. Ex: I rear end you, which means I'm at fault, but the insurer pays damages to my vehicle.
Now I had asked for 5 but only had 3+4, which means the insurance laughed in my face and said I'm not getting anything. When I pressed the matter saying I asked for 5, they said the call logs say otherwise. When I asked to listen to the call logs, they said they couldn't locate them.
Which means the car WOULD have been written off IF I had "5", but since I only have 3+4, they don't pay me but it also means they don't really care about what happens to the car or what I do with it. So I was left with no money from the insurance and a bumped up front end and two blown airbags.
The insurance company never sent an adjuster (since no need) so the car is still not considered "totaled" as far as anyone is concerned. I'm doing all the repairs out of pocket, but if it gets my car up and running again, my car>anything on the market at that price.
This is how it works in Canada, more particularly in Quebec (we always have special rules).
1. There is a no-fault insurance system in place, whereby no party is responsible for lesions or injuries to the other party. In case of injury, the government provides compensation to the injured party. There are no lawsuits for driving matters. Ex: I rear end you, you break your arm, the government pays you X amount for damages.
2. Each party's insurance company is responsible for compensating for damages to the person that they insure, regardless of fault. Ex: I rear end you, your insurance company will pay for damages to your car. They won't ask my company to pay.
3. Every driver must have civil responsibility insurance, commonly referred to as "1-way" insurance. This means if I crash my car into a storefront, my insurance will pay for the damages. This also means that in the event of a collision, if I'm not at fault or I'm at 50% fault, I will get 100% or 50% of damages payed for.
4. You can get fire, theft, vandalism insurance which will cover your vehicle against these hazards.
5. You can also get comprehensive collision insurance, 2-way, which covers your vehicle in case of collision, regardless of fault. Ex: I rear end you, which means I'm at fault, but the insurer pays damages to my vehicle.
Now I had asked for 5 but only had 3+4, which means the insurance laughed in my face and said I'm not getting anything. When I pressed the matter saying I asked for 5, they said the call logs say otherwise. When I asked to listen to the call logs, they said they couldn't locate them.
Which means the car WOULD have been written off IF I had "5", but since I only have 3+4, they don't pay me but it also means they don't really care about what happens to the car or what I do with it. So I was left with no money from the insurance and a bumped up front end and two blown airbags.
The insurance company never sent an adjuster (since no need) so the car is still not considered "totaled" as far as anyone is concerned. I'm doing all the repairs out of pocket, but if it gets my car up and running again, my car>anything on the market at that price.
03-10-2013, 10:06 PM
#9
That sounds very similar to what the state of Michigan implemented a bunch of years ago, calling it "No Fault" insurance. I don't think that was tried anywhere else in the US. The lawyers had their panties in a real wad over that because they couldn't sue. I would be very surprised if the state of Michigan still has the insurance set up that way since a huge majority of our politicians are lawyers.
The part of your insurance that you call "civil liability" we call "liability".
The part of your insurance that you call "civil liability" we call "liability".
03-12-2013, 03:25 PM
#12
03-12-2013, 04:11 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
I guess there might be some differences between Canada and the US in regards to this.
This is how it works in Canada, more particularly in Quebec (we always have special rules).
1. There is a no-fault insurance system in place, whereby no party is responsible for lesions or injuries to the other party. In case of injury, the government provides compensation to the injured party. There are no lawsuits for driving matters. Ex: I rear end you, you break your arm, the government pays you X amount for damages.
2. Each party's insurance company is responsible for compensating for damages to the person that they insure, regardless of fault. Ex: I rear end you, your insurance company will pay for damages to your car. They won't ask my company to pay.
3. Every driver must have civil responsibility insurance, commonly referred to as "1-way" insurance. This means if I crash my car into a storefront, my insurance will pay for the damages. This also means that in the event of a collision, if I'm not at fault or I'm at 50% fault, I will get 100% or 50% of damages payed for.
4. You can get fire, theft, vandalism insurance which will cover your vehicle against these hazards.
5. You can also get comprehensive collision insurance, 2-way, which covers your vehicle in case of collision, regardless of fault. Ex: I rear end you, which means I'm at fault, but the insurer pays damages to my vehicle.
Now I had asked for 5 but only had 3+4, which means the insurance laughed in my face and said I'm not getting anything. When I pressed the matter saying I asked for 5, they said the call logs say otherwise. When I asked to listen to the call logs, they said they couldn't locate them.
Which means the car WOULD have been written off IF I had "5", but since I only have 3+4, they don't pay me but it also means they don't really care about what happens to the car or what I do with it. So I was left with no money from the insurance and a bumped up front end and two blown airbags.
The insurance company never sent an adjuster (since no need) so the car is still not considered "totaled" as far as anyone is concerned. I'm doing all the repairs out of pocket, but if it gets my car up and running again, my car>anything on the market at that price.
This is how it works in Canada, more particularly in Quebec (we always have special rules).
1. There is a no-fault insurance system in place, whereby no party is responsible for lesions or injuries to the other party. In case of injury, the government provides compensation to the injured party. There are no lawsuits for driving matters. Ex: I rear end you, you break your arm, the government pays you X amount for damages.
2. Each party's insurance company is responsible for compensating for damages to the person that they insure, regardless of fault. Ex: I rear end you, your insurance company will pay for damages to your car. They won't ask my company to pay.
3. Every driver must have civil responsibility insurance, commonly referred to as "1-way" insurance. This means if I crash my car into a storefront, my insurance will pay for the damages. This also means that in the event of a collision, if I'm not at fault or I'm at 50% fault, I will get 100% or 50% of damages payed for.
4. You can get fire, theft, vandalism insurance which will cover your vehicle against these hazards.
5. You can also get comprehensive collision insurance, 2-way, which covers your vehicle in case of collision, regardless of fault. Ex: I rear end you, which means I'm at fault, but the insurer pays damages to my vehicle.
Now I had asked for 5 but only had 3+4, which means the insurance laughed in my face and said I'm not getting anything. When I pressed the matter saying I asked for 5, they said the call logs say otherwise. When I asked to listen to the call logs, they said they couldn't locate them.
Which means the car WOULD have been written off IF I had "5", but since I only have 3+4, they don't pay me but it also means they don't really care about what happens to the car or what I do with it. So I was left with no money from the insurance and a bumped up front end and two blown airbags.
The insurance company never sent an adjuster (since no need) so the car is still not considered "totaled" as far as anyone is concerned. I'm doing all the repairs out of pocket, but if it gets my car up and running again, my car>anything on the market at that price.
Better to be safe than sorry. In all honesty, it will probably cost the same or more to repair your car than it's worth, but it's up to you what you want to do. Your car, your money.
03-12-2013, 04:13 PM
#14
That's why I keep full coverage insurance on my car. That way, if i'm in a single car accident (just me) then i'd get a check for my car if it's totaled.
Better to be safe than sorry. In all honesty, it will probably cost the same or more to repair your car than it's worth, but it's up to you what you want to do. Your car, your money.
Better to be safe than sorry. In all honesty, it will probably cost the same or more to repair your car than it's worth, but it's up to you what you want to do. Your car, your money.
My estimated repair costs would keep me under the 2000$ mark. What would you say a mint 2001 i30t is worth?
03-12-2013, 09:50 PM
#15
There is a company called Kelley Blue Book, kbb.com. They keep track of automobile prices.
A 2001 Infiniti i30t in mint condition with 100K miles on it (approx 161K kilometers) would be $6,125.00 US in the Philadelphia area.
A 2001 Infiniti i30t in mint condition with 100K miles on it (approx 161K kilometers) would be $6,125.00 US in the Philadelphia area.
03-12-2013, 10:00 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Austin
Posts: 1,155
So you had a problem with the insurance company before and the second time around, you never read your actual policy/declarations page? If your airbags deployed you will need the airbags, impact sensor, and more than likely the module as well. If you know nothing about them then I suggest leaving them alone. They can be lethal.
03-13-2013, 07:01 AM
#17
So you had a problem with the insurance company before and the second time around, you never read your actual policy/declarations page? If your airbags deployed you will need the airbags, impact sensor, and more than likely the module as well. If you know nothing about them then I suggest leaving them alone. They can be lethal.
I'm aware of exactly what I need replacement. I have a spare module, passenger airbag (which I figured how to replace), seatbelts (which the tensionners seem to have popped), crash sensor (the one under the hood!) and module available to me. What I'm missing is the driver airbag, some extra guidance on installing it as well as a clock spring (if my old one got damaged from impact. have yet to check).
I think I can figure it out but help is always appreciated!
03-13-2013, 04:09 PM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
I'm unfamiliar with Canadian currency, the prices you pay for parts, and how vehicle's are priced up there, so I can't really answer that.
03-13-2013, 06:13 PM
#19
But yeah, a similar car would definitely cost upwards of 2g, which is why I haven't abandoned ship (car) yet.
03-13-2013, 06:39 PM
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
03-13-2013, 06:44 PM
#22
03-13-2013, 07:02 PM
#23
driver and passenger airbags on a 2000 are different that 2001. Just like the maximas, when it comes to interchange, this is how it works:
driver airbag - 2000 only
passenger airbag - 2000 only
driver airbag - technically 2001 only but it will work on 02-03 just doesn't look as good
passanger airbag - 2001-2003
driver airbag - technically 2002-2003 only but can be installed in a 2001 and will look even better.
passenger airbag - again 2001-2003 all the same
I30-I35 follow the same guidelines. The plugs for the driver airbag on a 2000 model (maxima and I30) are different than 2001-2003. Same goes for the passenger airbag, hence why 2000 model is such a loner when it comes to airbag interchanges.
Now the seat belt pre-tentioners are a bit different story. I won't go in to details unless you want to know more, let me know.
driver airbag - 2000 only
passenger airbag - 2000 only
driver airbag - technically 2001 only but it will work on 02-03 just doesn't look as good
passanger airbag - 2001-2003
driver airbag - technically 2002-2003 only but can be installed in a 2001 and will look even better.
passenger airbag - again 2001-2003 all the same
I30-I35 follow the same guidelines. The plugs for the driver airbag on a 2000 model (maxima and I30) are different than 2001-2003. Same goes for the passenger airbag, hence why 2000 model is such a loner when it comes to airbag interchanges.
Now the seat belt pre-tentioners are a bit different story. I won't go in to details unless you want to know more, let me know.
03-13-2013, 07:06 PM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
Instead of hunting down airbags, how about going with a nice sport/racing steering wheel? As far as the passenger air bag, i've seen some innovative and creative ways for using that space in converted race cars.
03-13-2013, 07:30 PM
#26
It might be a plan. But I do like the original look and feel of the car. Even now with the 2000 steering wheel, I keep reaching for the steering volume control only to have my thumb slide through the gap! Perhaps it's a question of habit. I believe it will also help with the resell value of the car at one point.
I've also heard very divided opinions on the utility of airbags. Mine blew up when a seatbelt would have been just fine but it was a relatively tame crash. I'm not sure if I should worry driving around without any. What are your thoughts?
EDIT: mesmerized by ed norton repeatedly punching his face.
Last edited by thebaker; 03-13-2013 at 07:37 PM.
03-13-2013, 07:35 PM
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
03-13-2013, 07:38 PM
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
I don't think I need inspection in Quebec (french Canada for those wondering).
It might be a plan. But I do like the original look and feel of the car. Even now with the 2000 steering wheel, I keep reaching for the steering volume control only to have my thumb slide through the gap! Perhaps it's a question of habit. I believe it will also help with the resell value of the car at one point.
I've also heard very divided opinions on the utility of airbags. Mine blew up when a seatbelt would have been just fine but it was a relatively tame crash. I'm not sure if I should worry driving around without any. What are your thoughts?
It might be a plan. But I do like the original look and feel of the car. Even now with the 2000 steering wheel, I keep reaching for the steering volume control only to have my thumb slide through the gap! Perhaps it's a question of habit. I believe it will also help with the resell value of the car at one point.
I've also heard very divided opinions on the utility of airbags. Mine blew up when a seatbelt would have been just fine but it was a relatively tame crash. I'm not sure if I should worry driving around without any. What are your thoughts?
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