When buying a used car, check for any indication that the airbag has been removed. Thieves often make dents and dings in the interior plastics as they pry the air bags out.
Check the airbag indicator light on the dashboard. It should glow briefly when the car is first started, which is part of the car's diagnostic system. If the light never comes on or stays on continuously, the air bag probably isn't functioning.
If you still aren't sure if the airbags will perform as expected, have a trusted mechanic inspect the car for air bags. Body shops and dealers have a scanning tool to look at the system and see if there are any faults.
There will be a charge for the service — but it could save your life.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.