How Much Does It Cost To Fix Airbag Light?

Have you ever looked down at your dash and noticed that your airbag light was on and what that meant?  It can be frustrating when your vehicle begins to malfunction but all vehicles will need to have parts replaced on them from time to time.  The average cost to fix an airbag light coming on will depend on the components of the system that need to be replaced.  Typical components that need to be replaced from the airbag system are as follows. (The price does not have labor cost factored into it)

Part	Price
Clock Spring	$350
Seat Belt and Tensioner	$165
Side Curtain Airbag	$400
Steering Wheel Airbag	$1000

Cost To Fix Airbag Light

The average cost to replace your airbag on your vehicle will vary determine on your vehicle manufacturer and if you plan on replacing the airbag yourself.  Some airbags may only cost $100 to $300 for the airbag itself, but you will likely be charged $1000 to have the airbag replaced by a mechanic. While luxury manufacturers like Mercedes or BMW may charge upwards of $1000 to replace just the airbag.

The total costs of having your airbags replaced can easily reach $3000 if both front airbags were deployed in a front end crash.  If you need to replace the clock spring on your car and can’t do it yourself you can expect to pay around $300-$350 to have a mechanic replace it.

You can expect to pay $150-$165 to have a mechanic replace your seat belt and seat belt tensioner.  If you need to replace a side curtain airbag in your car the cost will definitely vary based on the manufacturer but you can expect to pay around $400 to have a mechanic replace one.

If you are going to have your airbag replaced by a mechanic the total cost of the airbag replacement will be even higher.  Because with some airbags you have to remove the whole dash of the vehicle to replace the airbag it can be expensive to have a car repair shop replace your airbags on your vehicle.

If both of your front airbags were deployed in a crash you may want to research the resell cost of your vehicle to determine if it is worth your time to replace both airbags along with the bodywork you will have to inevitably do.

It may be cheaper just to sell your vehicle in its current condition rather than repairing it and hoping that it lasts you a long time down the line.

Cost To Fix Airbag Sensor

Airbag sensors are another part that the cost is going to be determinant of the vehicle manufacturer.  Different vehicle manufacturers will use different sensors in their vehicles with higher-end manufacturers using more sensors.

The average airbag sensor cost is $250 to $350 for the sensor part.  If you are planning on having a mechanic replace the sensor then you are going to have to pay the mechanic a labor cost as well so keep that in mind.  If you are able to replace the sensor yourself then you should be able to save yourself some money.

What Can Cause the Airbag Light to Come On?

Like I mentioned above there can be a vast array of items that can cause your airbag system to light up.  Your seat belt may be malfunctioning. You may have a problem with one of your airbags, or any of the sensors in the airbag system.

Airbag systems are designed to be able to sense an impact and depending on where it was at in the vehicle deploy airbags in that area.  Those sensors can malfunction over time and because they are part of a critical system of your vehicle will need to be replaced to ensure the safety of the occupants of your vehicle.

How To Fix Airbag Light

If you own an OBD2 scanner you would want to use that to scan your vehicle for any OBD2 codes that could point you to the problem.  Once you know which OBD2 codes that your vehicle thinks is causing the problem that can then lead you to which areas you would want to begin to investigate.

If you are mechanically inclined and want to fix the problem yourself you would want to try to identify what the main issue that your Airbag light is coming on from. Once you are able to determine what the problem could be then you can start to replace parts of the system to see if that fixes your Airbag light coming on.

If you are somewhat handy you can look up youtube videos to show you how to replace the sensors or the airbags of your vehicle if you did not want to pay a mechanic to do that for you.  If you are not a handy individual or don’t like working on vehicles you are likely going to have to pay a mechanic to fix the issue for you.

Is it Safe to Drive With the Airbag Light On?

If your airbag light is on you may be wondering if it is safe for you to drive your vehicle in that condition.  Your SRS system is responsible for restraining you in the event of a crash so if there is a problem with your SRS system the only thing restraining you in the event of a crash may be your seat belts.

While you may still be alright if you crash without an airbag system it will likely prove invaluable if you get in a high-speed crash where your seat belt may not be enough to restrain you.  Your airbag is designed to be a supplemental restraint system that works in tandem with your seat belts.

Some vehicles are equipped with side-impact and seat airbags.  If your airbag light is on those seat belts may not work either. If there is a problem with your airbag computer or the SRS computer board it may not be able to relay an impact to your airbags to inflate them in the event of a crash.

Where To Get Airbag Light Checked

If you want to have your vehicle checked over by a mechanic to see if they are able to fix your airbag light issue that would be fine.  If you have a reputable mechanic that you trust I would advise taking your vehicle to them than over a dealership for your vehicle manufacturer.

Vehicle manufacturer dealerships don’t make a bunch of money off of selling vehicles to the general public.  Manufacturer dealerships make their money to keep the dealership running from the money earned from the service department.

That is why you are usually going to get ripped off when you take your car to a car dealership.  I would advise asking friends and coworkers to see if they recommend any local mechanics that you could take your vehicle to.

When you ask around and compare prices for part repairs on your vehicle you know that you aren’t getting ripped off by a dealership trying to make a quick buck.

Can You Drive With a Deployed Airbag?

While you can drive with a deployed airbag it is not advised.  Obviously, if that airbag has already been deployed it will not be able to deploy again in the event of a crash.  Airbags are not multi-use and need to be replaced once they have deployed.

If you drive around with an already deployed airbag you would be putting you and your other occupants at risk.  If you were to have a high-speed crash in your vehicle there would be no airbag to protect you from slamming into your dash or into the side of your vehicle.  If you do this drive at your own risk.

While there are laws mandating that vehicles come with airbags I don’t think that you can really get in trouble for driving around with one already deployed.  If you could not afford to replace the airbag in your vehicle I would think that the cop would give you a break.

What does the SRS light mean?

Your SRS light coming on is a sign that there is a problem with one of the restraint systems of your vehicle.  SRS stands for Supplemental Restraint System so it is in charge of the different restraint systems of your car.  This can range from an issue with a sensor, your airbag, or your seat belt.

Newer vehicles are coming with more and more airbags as standard safety features which means the SRS systems are becoming more complicated.  While this may be a good thing for the safety of the occupants of your vehicle it may not be a good thing for your wallet.

The more complex SRS systems the more that can go wrong with them.  If a side impact airbag or a seat airbag malfunctions it can be an expensive fix, and airbags are not cheap to replace.  Hope that you don’t have to replace your airbag and that there is just something wrong with a sensor in the SRS system.

Cost To Fix Airbag Light – In Conclusion

Now you should know how much it should cost to fix your airbag light situation. You should be able to determine the average cost of your vehicle by looking up the part for your specific vehicle online to determine the specific cost for your vehicle.

If you know which part of your SRS system needs to be replaced I would do some cross-shopping to make sure that you are not getting ripped off on the price of the part.  You can check online as well as your local auto parts stores to compare the prices of the parts to see if you are getting a good deal or not.

You may also be interested in checking out my other article about why cars are so expensive to maintain.