21 year old airbags

I have a Miata with the orginal airbag. Do you think it is adding or taking away from my safety?

Thank you for your thoughts. Rick

I have wondered the same thing. As they are totally a chemical reaction with an electronic trigger.. I do not see why it would not fire off in an accident

It will either go off correctly during an accident or it won't. I've never personally seen a "bad" airbag, it's usually some other electronic component in the system the renders it non-functional.

It will probably put your hands through the windshield if it blows.

They always seem to splode just fine with 12v no matter how old or ratty the car they came from is, maybe when they get to 50 years there will be an issue but who knows.

Volvo says to replace after 12 years IIRC. I wouldn't bother or worry about an old one though.

Simple, dont get into an accident

Remove it and test with 12v.

If doesn't go off re-install and always wear seatbelts.

If it does, buy a new one and repeat test in 2031.

SupraWes wrote: They always seem to splode just fine with 12v no matter how old or ratty the car they came from is, maybe when they get to 50 years there will be an issue but who knows.

C'mon there's gotta be more to that story..........

Oh yeah. pic's or it didn't happen.....

Was it here that I saw a link to a whole bunch of unidentified airbags for not so much money that were promoted as fun to make explode?

Thanks guys. I really want to get rid of the stock wheel and I need a reason so I can say something like "honey the airbag is so old that it is unsafe so I need to get a new one..."

Not in a Miata, but I've had an airbag go off unexpectedly when stiff suspension met a pothole and it blew my hands off the steering wheel at speed.

Grassroots Airbag Deployment

I knew they had some power.. but not that much