Thanks for posting this.
***There are now almost half a million salvaged cars on the road that have been at one point in their lives been declared “totaled” by the insurance companies. You can bet that in their rebuilding of these cars, many shops do not replace or install new airbags. ****
Probably re built in southern Missouri and sold in Arkansas.
Our company bought a brand new car from a dealer near here. Paid CASH for it also. A couple of years later it was noticed that there was a minor difference in paint color on the rear quarter panel and trunk. Then cracks were apparent and it was evident that lots of Bondo had been applied to the auto.
NEVER BUY A USED CAR IN ARKANSAS unless you can get it inspected first.
I bought a nice used truck here. Not long after it wqas evident it had been in a flood.
When I look back, I realize that every used auto (except one)I have bought in Ark has been a wrecked rebuilder.
I’ve done quite well in accidents wearing seat belts (even before I was forced to by Big Brother). I’d be just as happy with no air bag (or a bogus air bag), then with a bunch of pyrotechnics staring me in the face.
(no to mention the 100+ decapitated kids from air bags that did work correctly)
So, I think these crooks are doing society a service.
There’s a long article on just this issue in the most recent issue of Reader’s Digest, for those who are interested and/or prefer dead tree sources.
Yeah, you may wake up dead.
While I’m sure these things happen, it must be limited.
Vehicle repairs are traceable. An airbag that doesn’t deploy because it’s stuffed with rags equals someone being sued and potentially going to jail for life. I hate car dealerships with a passion having worked for a number of them back in the early 90s. I do know however, not a single one of them would scrimp on something so “sue-able” as not replacing an airbag.
Can’t the con artists be held liable for murder?
The reason there is no federal law and few state laws requiring deployed airbags fixed to pre-accident condition is because insurance carriers don’t want it to be law.
At $2500 per pop for a new one, a minor front end collision that might be a grand to fix now becomes $3500. This doesn’t mean it isn’t covered, it’s just one of those dont ask-don’t tell situations.
ALSO, the insurance companies have body shops by the balls with their direct repair facilities and low rates paid to independent shops...if you become a DRP, you are literally kissing boots and making a tiny tiny little profit. But you need the work, so you jump thru the hoops and hope you get enough volume coming your way to make up for the slicing of your jugular vein they just did.
If you “don’t” hop on the DRP bandwagon and voluntarily kiss the boots, customers are “swayed” away from you but if they insist, you are nickel and dimed and beaten up by the adjuster.
I would venture to say the the shops that are doing this are probably direct repair facilities because they *somehow* have to make a profit. Not saying it’s right, believe me - it’s just that as a body shop owner, in order to put out good work, you have to hire talented people.
Instead, the DRP’s hire hacks and put out seriously crappy, unsafe work - and charge the insurance company for a new airbag when one wasn’t put in.
Thank the insurance companies for this one.
Every day, I thank God for my guy. Not only because he is a heavy equipment mechanic who also knows enough about cars to keep me safe and rolling along just fine.
:)
Very simple solution. Pass a Federal law mandating the death penalty for anyone who removes an airbag which then results in a fatality. I’d bet that would curb this crap in a hurry,