I have a 1998 I30, purchased used in 2000, approx 120K miles.

Recently the airbag warning light came on. I took it to the dealership, and they told me that it was a passenger side airbag sensor failure and I needed a new module ($350). They didn't have the module in stock, and had to order it. The service manager told me the airbags "wouldn't work" until I did the repair. In the meantime, I drove the car home and noticed the airbag light comes on normally on startup and turns off just like it used to...

Well, being an engineer and just a silly girl, I looked into it. As far as I can see, my car experienced a fault code for the RH airbag, but now the system is apparently checking out as functional. So that is one fault in 5 years... It seems like quite an overreaction (ie lots of $$ we don't have right now) to replace the entire system when all seems fine now. Or am I being too cheap??

Advice would be appreciated.

Kate

If it's passing it's self-test, I'd leave it alone and just keep an eye on it. Was it just one time that the dash light blinked?

Another factor is how often you have someone in the passenger seat (at least that you like )

Welcome to NICO!

Heath

The factory installed side air bags (located on the sides of the pass. and drivers seat), on that year model have a two piece wiring harness (pigtail), between the air bag module and the body main harness. The replacement air bag module doesn't have the pigtail, in other words, the harness comes straight from the air bag to the body main harness. On many occasions if you perform the air bag systems test with consult, it WILL show that everything is making the circuit and is AOK. I've had customers decline the repair and return shortly thereafter to have the replacement due to the light coming back on. Personally, the concern lies in the harness and not the air bag module, but repairing a wiring harness on any air bag system is a NO-NO! If you plan on keeping the vehicle, I would get it replaced since it is a safety item.