Safety is one of the criteria for choosing a vehicle. In emergency situations, the protection of the driver and front passenger is ensured by the correct operation of the SRS system, which, if triggered, causes partial destruction of the car's dashboard. In this article, we will look at how to repair a torpedo after the airbags have deployed.

The passive safety system in the form of airbags is triggered in the event of a strong impact of the car in the forehead or from the side against another object. Regardless of the speed of the movement, the engagement of the SRS is also influenced by the impact angle, the stiffness of the collision object and the vehicle coverage. As a result, deployed airbags destroy the vehicle dashboard.

By the combination of the above factors, it becomes clear that an accident can cause minimal damage, and can have catastrophic consequences for your transport. Therefore, the choice of a repair method - independent or professional - will depend on the total amount of damage.

It will be better to restore the torpedo of a heavily damaged vehicle in a car repair shop. Such a service, according to the most conservative estimates, will cost from 5 to 10 thousand rubles. depending on the region. The cost will be influenced by the quality of the selected materials and the amount of restoration work, and the final amount may exceed 25 thousand rubles.

If, as a result of a traffic accident, the car is not badly damaged from the inside and functions quite stably, and you have enough manual labor skills and patience, then you can independently restore the torpedo after the airbags are deployed.

Repair methods

There are three main approaches to dashboard repair after airbag deployment:

• Functional repairs to dashboards include mechanical restorations. The dashboard and steering wheel are installed in place, and new airbags are mounted under them. After that, the program resets the information about the actuation of the pillows;
• Full repair of the dashboard of the cabin includes not only mechanical repairs, but also aesthetic ones. The console is dismantled, a complete hauling is carried out using the selected materials, a new SRS complex is inserted under the steering wheel and covers and reprogramming is carried out. This method makes it possible not only to recreate the transport security system, but also to change its internal appearance;
• Rough repairs are suitable for cases where the car has received minimal damage and does not need serious restoration procedures. In this case, the holes where the pillows used to be are filled with polyurethane foam, and the covers are installed in their original place. This method is bad because in the event of a new accident, the SRS complex will not work, because there will be nothing to work. By resorting to the third type of repair, you endanger not only your life, but also the lives of your passengers.

What material to choose

When choosing a material for a constriction, car owners, as a rule, choose between four main options - vinyl, eco-leather, alcantara and genuine leather. Vinyl is more commonly used for covers and is not a good choice as a cover for a console for purely aesthetic reasons. Eco-leather and alcantara generally have a low degree of melting, therefore, at elevated temperatures, they will instantly begin to "slip".

Genuine leather is the most suitable option if you decide to cover the console.

Another essential element will be glue. It is better to buy high-temperature glue. To dilute it, you need acetone and an activator. As a rule, diluted glue is enough for 5-6 hours, then it begins to harden, its adhesive ability deteriorates, and bubbles appear on the surface.

The third substance used in the repair is putty or primer, which is necessary to cover the surfaces to be cleaned. It can be selected at any auto store and most mid-range brands do their job well.

From tools, a hairdryer, brushes, brushes for applying glue, a degreaser, a plastic spatula, a knife, and threads can be useful.

Step-by-step instruction

Car dash repair is carried out according to the following instructions:

• Dismantling the console. Carefully, without damaging the electronics, dismantle the front console and remove from it old stuff if available. Then rinse the panel thoroughly with detergent and a brush.
• The new material will add an extra size to the torpedo, because of which the panel runs the risk of not getting back into place, and the devices will not fit into the holes. To prevent this from happening, file the edges of the holes by 1–3 mm, taking into account the thickness of the covering material.
• Make patterns for the new panel. Remember to place the seams on the bends of the console. Also, do not forget about the seam allowance (8-10 mm).

• Sew the material on the pattern and try it on the panel. Try to put the "dressed" torpedo in place. If everything fits perfectly and there is no empty space between the devices and the bends, then you can proceed to the fifth stage. If the panel does not fit in any place, then try to file the folds a little more. If voids appear between the panel and the devices, additional millimeters can be built up with silicone grease or thermoplastic.
• All damages on the surface of the console are sanded and treated with a primer, and the places of fractures are cleaned, leveled and processed with putty.
• Before pasting, the panel is treated with a degreaser and wiped with acetone or alcohol.
• Next, gluing is done. Do it starting from the top of the console and moving towards the bottom. After applying the glue, the material is applied and carefully leveled with a rubber trowel. You can use a hair dryer to stretch the material.
• Before the final installation of the console, the airbags are mounted, the program is reset.
• Two days later, when the glue is finally set, the torpedo is installed in its original place.

It is important to remember that poor-quality treatment of fracture sites in the event of a repeated road accident threatens to damage the face with chipped pieces of putty and plastic. Also, do not place any objects in place of the airbag covers - in a collision, they will also fly into the faces of the driver and passenger.

Video "Upholstering a torpedo with leather"

In this video, you will learn how to drag a torpedo with your skin.

Sometimes letters come to me on AUTOBLOG asking questions about airbags. Some questions are related to the device (but this is an extensive article and it will definitely be), but many ask questions about the repair or restoration of pillows. Today I decided to write an article, probably, it will disappoint many, but first things first ...

If you do not go into deep technical details, then the airbag is an element of the active safety of the car. In a collision, based on data from special sensors, airbags are fired, thus protecting the driver and passengers from the inertia of a collision with another vehicle or an obstacle. It should be noted that they protect very effectively (severe injuries or death are reduced tenfold), but such protection works at certain speeds.

Food for thought: - No need to flatter yourself, airbags are effective at speeds up to 60 - 70 km / h, after this milestone, efficiency decreases in a quadratic progression with each kilometer exceeded. According to active safety experts, airbags are practically useless at speeds between 100 and 120 km / h. So think about it!

Well, okay today is not about that, what about the restoration or repair of airbags? Guys here, too, is not easy!

Just about the structure

As I wrote above, there will be a whole article in detail, and now a small explanation.

The pillow itself consists of several parts.

The first is the front side, usually a plastic lining of the steering wheel or front dashboard, there can also be fabric "lining" for example in the seats.

The second is the pillow itself, which is in a folded state, and when it collides, it opens - inflates.

The third is a squib, a complex device that carries a charge and solid fuel in its structure. In the event of a collision, the charge is fired into the fuel and gas is formed under high pressure (usually nitrogen or argon), which inflates the airbag in a matter of seconds. The opening speed is over 300 km / h.

That is, to put it simply - this is a single-shot device, something similar to a regular cartridge from firearms, shot and that's it! I hope the principle is a little clear.

How to repair - restore?

No way! If you shot, then you just need to change. We do not repair a regular cartridge from a weapon, the same with a pillow.

Ideally, the guys completely change the entire system (front side - pillow - squib). But it is worth it oh how much! On foreign cars of expensive brands, replacement can reach several tens of thousands of rubles. Now imagine that you have six or eight of these pillows, and half of them are shot. For the price, it can be like a budget car. That is why our craftsmen are “tricky” and restore the pillows.

Again, there is a correct restoration, and there is simply a criminal one!

Correct recovery- this is when the squib is changed and a new pillow block is installed, and the plastic lining is correctly restored. Of course, such repairs are not so cheap, but nevertheless they are somewhat cheaper than a completely new unit. Again, this business must be entrusted to professionals, because an incorrectly configured unit can work at any time and provoke an accident.

Improper or criminal recovery- this is when they throw out all the used pillows and fill this place with cotton wool - polyurethane foam, etc. Plastic cover it is not difficult to restore, the poet is attached to it from above. Of course, this allows you to avoid very high costs for buying a new unit, but such savings in a serious accident can cost you your life. Do not skimp on security, because it is almost always your life.

I post a short video, show the airbags, and a short video on how to properly restore them.

In conclusion, I would like to say that if you had an accident and the pillows worked, there are several correct ways out. Sell ​​the car in this condition - without deceiving buyers (you can also use spare parts), restore everything completely, including the pillow block, and drive yourself or sell the car. There should be no other options, do not take a sin on your soul!

Airbags have become an important part of the safety system in the modern car. New vehicle models are constantly being equipped with more advanced systems to ensure the safety of the driver and other road users. In order to ensure the uninterrupted and correct operation of the system in question, it is necessary to restore it in a timely manner.

As you know, after the pillows have fulfilled their function once, they must be replaced with new ones. Vehicle manufacturers provide for one-time use of pillows. However, some car repair shops offer a refurbishment service for used pillows. In order to save money, some motorists repair pillows with their own hands. Having made such a decision, it is worthwhile to understand that the repair of an airbag is accompanied by a certain amount of risk. If restored incorrectly, the safety system may not operate in time, in addition to this, there is the possibility of an absent airbag response.

If you nevertheless decide to repair the airbag with your own hands or in a workshop, you should carefully read all the stages of work in order to reduce the risk of system malfunction.

We carry out inspection and repair of airbags.

The pillow itself is presented in the form of a small assembly with a cartridge. As a rule, the pillow must be replaced after it is used up. Some motorists replace the cartridge of an already used pillow, but this recovery comes with a certain risk. To ensure proper safety, you should not save on the unit in question and it is better to replace the used pillow.

Repairing the airbags will not completely restore the system. As a rule, after a single use of the unit, the electronic control unit also requires diagnostics and restoration. In most cases, in order to correct the operation of the system, it is necessary to restore the firmware of the electronic control unit. As you know, this operation requires special computer equipment and appropriate skills. In this regard, in order to repair the airbag unit, you need to contact a professional.

In case of incorrect operation of the unit, the function of the entire security system is disrupted, therefore, if the installation of new software is not possible, it is necessary to resort to replacing the control device.

The next step in restoring the system is to repair the belt tensioning unit, which also requires additional adjustment after each accident. The process of adjusting the tension itself is not particularly difficult, but to perform this operation, you should carefully study the main subtleties of the work.

The final step is to install new Airbag covers. At this stage of work, it is important to ensure the free flight of the pillow upon impact. For the correct installation of new covers, it is better to use the accompanying instructions.

On modern vehicles, the totality of ensuring safety allows you to reduce the damage in case of road accidents. Given the importance of the unit in question for the health of the driver and passengers, it is important to approach each stage of recovery with due responsibility. To be sure that the Airbag is working properly, it is best to carry out the assembly recovery in a professional workshop. With proper repair, Airbag will reduce the harm to health when it gets into a road accident.

Good luck on the road!

In this article, we will look at what can be done if the airbag is triggered, what are the ways to restore the SRS passive safety system. Airbags in a car provide protection to the driver and passengers in an accident, creating an air gap when deployed to soften the impact.

Airbags in a car provide protection to the driver and passengers in an accident, creating an air gap when deployed to soften the impact.

Airbags are considered disposable and must be replaced after being triggered, but any airbag costs a lot of money. It is for this reason that the restoration of airbags is a relevant topic, interesting to many car owners. In this article, we will look at what can be done if the airbag is triggered, what are the ways to restore the SRS passive safety system.

If the airbag is fired

On modern cars, even in the basic configuration, it is usually provided for the installation of two airbags - the front passenger and the driver. When an accident occurs, at the command of the crash sensor, the airbags (PB) are triggered, while the trim on the steering wheel and on the instrument panel is torn, and the interior space is filled with a special impregnated cloth. The airbag inflates like a parachute, softening the force of an impact in a traffic accident, thereby saving passengers in the cabin.

After the pillows have worked, something needs to be done with them, since it is impossible to ride with the open airbags. There are several ways to troubleshoot the problem:

• try to restore the PB;
• replace parts, install new airbags;
• look for used spare parts on auto dismantlers;
• make dummies by dismantling the SRS parts.

It is far from always that the safety system after an accident on a car is fully restored - such work requires a lot of financial costs, a lot of time, and highly qualified workers.

To return the airbag to work, you must:

• replace the igniter;
• install new shock sensors;
• reflash or change the block SRS control;
• restore damaged skin.

The car owner is unlikely to be able to independently carry out the entire range of restoration work - there is a great risk that the system will not work in the event of an accident. Aerobags are repaired by specialized car services, and the work is quite expensive. For example, in Moscow, replacing the driver's PB squib will cost an average of 4 to 5 thousand rubles, the cost of repairing a dashboard after an accident is in the region of 10-12 thousand rubles, the cost of work depends on the specific car model. Re-flashing (repairing) the SRS unit is also expensive - from 3 to 5 thousand rubles. When the PB is triggered in the seat, you have to completely disassemble the chair, make the trim of the trim.

Restoring the torpedo after airbag deployment

Repairing the dashboard after an accident is one of the most time-consuming jobs in the SRS passive safety system. To replace the airbag and "sew up" the dashboard, you need to remove the entire dashboard. The hardest part of the job is to restore appearance passenger side linings - if the plastic is glued or sheathed with material carelessly, it will be noticeable.

Restoration of the panel after the deployment of the airbags is carried out in the following sequence:

• the negative terminal is disconnected from the battery;
• the glove compartment is removed;
• the instrument panel is dismantled;
• the fasteners of the dashboard frame are turned off;
• the panel is dismantled with its complete disassembly.

In this case, it is necessary to disconnect from the dashboard all the wires that interfere with removal, remove the buttons, deflectors, etc. from the panel.Full restoration of the torpedo with the installation of new airbags sometimes costs more than tens of thousands of rubles, so car owners are often asked only to restore the skin, without repair and installation of airbags. But even such work is not cheap, many car owners try, if possible, to find a used dashboard at auto dismantling sites. As a rule, the installation of "used" parts is cheaper than a complete repair, besides, the native panel looks more natural - if the dashboard is restored, it is still noticeable upon close examination. The restoration of the instrument panel after an accident is carried out by a tuning studio, the work is divided into several stages:

• dismantling the torpedo;
• preliminary cleaning and processing of the dashboard;
• sealing damaged areas using special adhesives;
• making patterns from the material chosen by the customer;
• installation of covers on a remanufactured dashboard;
• installation of a dashboard, electrical connection.

At the request of the owner of the car, the dashboard is decorated with decorative chrome elements or natural wood inserts, an additional acoustic system... The tuned panel looks very impressive, while hiding all the defects that were previously on the dashboard.

Why do I need to reflash the SRS control unit

A special program is programmed in the airbag control unit; when the shock sensor is triggered, it changes. If the passive safety system is completely restored, and the SRS control unit is not touched at the same time, an indicator on the instrument panel will light up, indicating a PB error, and in the event of an accident the airbags will not work. They reflash the ECU in many specialized car services, but it should be borne in mind that not all blocks can be restored. When flashing, the data is reset and returned to its original state.

On many vehicles, the SRS unit is located under the dashboard, next to the gearshift lever. Usually it is covered with a plastic panel, it is very easy to remove the ECU, you can do it yourself. On Infiniti FX, the airbag control unit is removed as follows:

The assembly is carried out in the reverse order.

Do-it-yourself AIRBAG SRS recovery

If a car owner is going to sell a car that has been in an accident, it is at least dishonest to install dummies instead of PB. By selling such a car, he endangers the buyer, since without a passive safety system in an accident, car passengers can be seriously injured.

If the car is not new, you can try to restore the SRS by purchasing all the necessary parts from used cars, but here it is necessary that the "donor" car is not damaged. You will need to buy:

• the airbags themselves;
• seat belts with squibs, they are triggered in an accident in 99 cases out of 100;
• shock sensors.

All parts can be changed independently, but specialists must definitely adjust or reflash the SRS control unit. Still, you shouldn't trust the work to questionable offices - even if the repair will cost a little more, the car owner will be sure that his car is in perfect order.

How a driver's airbag is repaired

Consider the principle of restoring a driver's airbag:

As a rule, new airbags are very expensive, which is why rebuilding airbags is popular.

So we have a bummed steering wheel airbag. A new whole is expensive. Therefore, when restoring a car after an accident, many people prefer to simply heal the old one. This service is popular, from one to three pillows a week passes through our box. These are rudders and torpedoes and seats.

This is what the pillow usually looks like when it is brought to us.

The first step is to disassemble the pillow. We need to pull out the metal base with the pyro cartridge from it. If the activated pillow itself has not yet been cut off, cut it off or its remnants so as not to fold them back later. If there is a badge, remove it. Further, by heating the plastic with a hair dryer, we give the protruding “petals” of the activated pillow a shape close to the original one. We need this for the convenience of further work.

AIRBAG is almost parsed.

Now you need to use super glue to fix the torn pieces together. It is better to do this in stages, starting from the corners. Then it will turn out neatly and evenly. The more evenly it turns out to fit the petals to each other, the less then you have to putty.

It is NOT NECESSARY to fill the entire seam with glue at once. You won't be able to fit it all at once.

After gluing, I seal the place under the badge with molar tape so as not to damage or scratch the plastic inside the badge.

The pillow is sealed.

The next stage could be done both the first and the second and any before sanding the plastic. This is the selection of material for restoration. They can be natural leather, leatherette, and PVC film... The main thing is to get as much as possible into the color and texture of the native plastic. In this case, I was approached by a piece of German automobile leatherette left over from some kind of torpedo.

Almost the same thing.

Now we need to strengthen the seams and the central part of the pillow, so that during further use they do not disperse or the putty does not lag behind along with our material. To do this, from the inside, the seams are sealed with a banal soldering iron. After that, notches (scratches) are made on the central part.

The pillow is already sealed and scratched.

The scratches are needed so that the epoxy has something to grab onto. We also glue the central part from the inside with something (in this case it is electrical tape) so that the epoxy does not leak through the holes from the attachment of the badge to the front of the pillow.

Take a closer look. Scratches cover the entire surface, including solder seams.

Next, cut out a piece of glass mat and fit it to the central part of the wrong side of the pillow. Having previously degreased the plastic of the pillow with acetone.

The glass mat is fitted.

We breed epoxy resin and fill in the glass mat, thoroughly saturating it and expelling all air bubbles with a metal stick or knitting needle. You can impregnate the glass mat with a brush. But I am too lazy to wash the brush, and the consumption of acetone increases significantly. The resin has nowhere to run from this part, so you can just pour it here.

We fill the whole thing with epoxy and go home to sleep, otherwise it's too late, we have sat up for something at work 🙂

After the epoxy has dried, sand the entire surface of the pillow with a coarse sandpaper.

After sanding.

WITH inside we make notches along the edges. They are necessary for gluing the edges of the material. You can make them with a large skin, but as a rule, you can't crawl anywhere with it, it's easier with a knife.

The same scratches as for epoxy setting.

We putty and skin, we putty and skin, we putty and skin. Professionals do it in one or two approaches. The first time I did it 5 or 6. This time I did it with three 🙂 It is necessary that the entire surface is perfectly flat to the touch, even without a hint of glued seams.

The surface is leveled.

Next, we measure and cut off the required piece of material.

Cut off with a small margin. Just in case. It is better to trim later than to make a new one.

We mark and place on the material the cliché SRS AIRBAG. If you are making a pillow for yourself, and you do not have a cliche, of course you can do without it. It is better to put it on the material, and not on the finished product. Since it happens that it does not work out. And in this case, only a piece of material will shrink, and not the whole work.

The cliché is delivered.

Now we smear the pillow and the material with glue, dry it until tack free and stick it starting with the inscription SRS AIRBAG, i.e. first, we center the inscription, fix it with strong compression of the surfaces to be glued, and only then pull the material to the sides. You can also glue on "Moment", but it is better to use something more special, for example KLEIBERIT C 152 or hundred and fourteen.

The material is stretched.

Gently cut in place and glue the ends of the material to the inside.

For a snug fit of the edges to all irregularities on the seamy side of the pillow, we use half of the scissors.

As a result, the outer edge should turn out to be even, for this it may be necessary to pull up the material in some places, gluing it from the inside.

With the final touch, glue the badge back in and collect all the insides of the pillow in place.

The metal center is riveted back to the plastic.

The place for the badge is cut out along the edges of the oval. The plastic in the badge remains original. Everything about everything takes an average of one working day.