Should I contact the car dealer if my airbags have already deployed???

Question

I purchased a used 2000 Plymoth Neon "As Is". On the driver side steering wheel and the passenger side dash indicate that my car has air bags. Later someone noticed that the sensor that runs the air bags was not there and the wire connector for it is masked with black tape. After this I had the steering wheel checked to see if there was an air bag and after removing cover discovered it had already been deployed. Is the LEGAL? I don't see how someone can sell a car leading another to bleieve there is a life saving device such as the air bag incase of a strong frontal impact when this is not true. A dealer may not say that an air bag is included, but the printing of the letters on the steering wheel and passenger side dash indicate that the bags are there. DO I HAVE ANY RIGHTS? I was misled about. Can I go back to dealer and either get the air bags replaced or a different car of similar value? Where can I find other info on rihgts of those who buy from used car dealers

I am not a very experienced car buyer and apparently my moms husband isn't much help. A friend of mine who owns a parts store said there didn't appear to be a bag underneath the steering wheel and there was some discoloration beween the steering wheel and dash compared to the air bag covers. Like one had faded more than the other. There was no damage done during that time. When I turn my car on to start it the air bag indicator light does flash correctly. I was confused as to how the as is would hold up in this situtation due to the indications that my car does have the bags. Another thing that I wasn't sure about was the fact that it is a life saving device not just any ole' part on the car. This concerns me bc I have been in an accident where the air bag saved my life and I would never have boought a vehicle without them. So do you think that I would be wasting my time looking into it or should I try and go back and get what I was under the impression I purchased???

Answer 1

Did you have the car checked out by your own mechanic prior to purchase? Why not?

How long ago did you purchase the vehicle?

The air bag unit in the steering wheel is a sealed item. It is in the center of the steering wheel, and when deployed, it breaks the cover open. How did you remove a cover to see that it was deployed? If you took the cover off the air bag unit, you destroyed the unit yourself.

Also, when the air bags deploy, the passenger air bag will come out of the dash, and there will be damage to the dash!

It sounds to me like someone had removed a sensor, and possibly bypassed the air bag warning light (or removed the bulb) prior to selling or trading in the car. The dealer you bought the vehicle from would not have known this, unless they were the ones who did the work.

You bought a car as-is. You bought it with whatever problems it had! In this case, it seems that the major damage was caused by you (or whoever you had working on the car), rather than anything else

Answer 2

Since you bought the car as-is your rights are sharply limited. The so-called printing on the wheel says the car was equipped with air bags, but doesn't mean they're actually there.
I assume you didn't have the car inspected before you bought it.

Answer 3

FOR THE 1000TH TIME, LEMON LAWS DO NOT COVER A USED CAR. PERIOD!

Sorry, had to get that off my chest. It may be against the law to sell a car with the airbags disabled/missing. I'd call an attorney or your state attorney general's office consumer protection division and find out if you have any options.

Answer 4

i would go back to the dealer and tell him to correct this or you will report it to the divisoin of motor vehicles in your state. there are "lemon" laws in most states.

Answer 5

Yes A.S.A.P