From hubcaps to car stereos to catalytic converters, cars have been big targets for thieves for decades. And carjacking’s are on the rise these days due to the pandemic. But now they are looking for something else; frills. It makes no sense until you remember that steering wheels have airbags.
Insurance experts have warned that airbags replace radios, CD players, and alloy wheels as the number one target for car thieves.
New safety measures mean that most modern audio equipment is impossible to remove or does not work when removed from its original vehicle. However, the airbags are easily accessible, and an experienced thief can remove an airbag in less than a minute. The stolen airbags are then sold to unscrupulous repair shops, where they are used to replace airbags in vehicles involved in minor accidents.
Quick Links
- Why Would Someone Steal Airbag?
- How To Prevent Airbag Theft?
- The Best Anti Theft Airbag Devices
- Airbag Theft Prevention: Conclusion
- FAQs
Why Would Someone Steal Airbag?
You may be wondering, “Why the airbags?” The short answer is that they are pretty expensive. A new airbag can cost between $200 and $1,000 depending on the make and model. Once the thief removes the airbag from your car, he will sell it on the black market and earn between $50 and $200. The new owner of the stolen part can then sell the new airbag and collect the total price from their customers.
Another reason why airbags are one of the most stolen car parts is that they can be removed relatively quickly and are very easy to hide. For experienced thieves, an airbag can be disassembled in less than two minutes!
How To Prevent Airbag Theft?
Any type of car can be subject to airbag theft. Recently, Hondas have been getting more attention than other car brands. However, it’s not entirely clear why the Hondas are being targeted. Car owners face two problems with the recent increase in airbag thefts. The first is the theft of your car’s airbag. The second is having a potentially dangerous stolen airbag installed in your vehicle without your knowledge. Here are some tips to avoid becoming a victim of airbag theft.
Be careful where you park your car
Park your car in well-lit places. If possible, always park your vehicle in a garage. Also, avoid parking your vehicle near large vehicles. Large vehicles can hide the thief when he breaks into your vehicle. One of the reasons airbag theft is called new car stereo theft is because of the way thieves operate. There is no finesse in this crime. A thief can break a car window, get into a car, and remove the airbag. All this before anyone has time to react to the sound of the car alarm. Therefore, the best deterrent is to park your car somewhere visible to others.
Install a lock
Steering locks for cars are back in fashion. This is partly due to airbag theft. They are also used as a secondary security measure to stun thieves who hack into cars’ keyless entry systems.
Car steering locks, such as the Club steering wheel lock, attach to the steering wheel to prevent it from turning. The main bar of the device runs through the center of the steering wheel. Therefore, it will also prevent the theft of the airbag.
In addition to Club steering locks, some devices cover the entire steering wheel. These will provide even better protection against airbag theft.
Do not buy airbags online
If you plan to install an airbag yourself, do not buy it online. Instead, please buy it from a trusted dealer. Airbags purchased on sites like eBay can be stolen and can be dangerous. An airbag could save your life, so it’s not worth the risk.
The other reason not to buy online is that you feel the demand for stolen airbags. Quite simply, if no one buys airbags from dubious sources, thieves will have no market for the stolen airbags so that they won’t steal them.
Replace the airbags at a dealership
Airbags are essential for your safety. Official dealers are the best places to replace them. Your mechanic friend could do it for you for less. As well as the local car repair shop “We Fix Any Car.” But if you don’t go to a dealership to get your replacement airbag, you could end up with a defective or stolen airbag.
The Best Anti Theft Airbag Device
DISKLOK: Best Airbag Prevention Device
The best steering lock in the world! Optimal protection of the steering wheel and airbag!
Disklok is the most potent steering lock globally and has won numerous tests, including in the British car magazines “Auto-Express” and “What Car.”
Disklok protects the airbag and the car from theft and prevents vandalism thanks to its high visual deterrent effect. The steering wheel cannot be sawn off as is possible with other single-arm steering locks. Disklok slips on the steering wheel and makes it impossible to drive the car.
The immobilizer is SCM (UK) certified and accepted by many UK insurers as sufficient protection against car theft.
Check Disklok on Amazon
KAYCENTOP Steering Lock: Affordable Disklok Alternative
The Kaycentop steering lock is equipped with an additional cover that offers two extra protection levels to keep driving safe. First, the surface makes it more challenging to hang, as the metal shield limits access to the steering wheel rim. Second, the device makes it much more difficult to slide the expensive driver’s airbag off the edge instead of occupying the entire vehicle.
Highly visible to deter thieves from afar, the product is steel to withstand various means of defeat. It defies prying eyes and has an anti-saw metal bar. Inside the cover is a foam and rubber rim designed to fit your steering wheel, even with a lid, protecting the leather or plastic of your expensive steering wheel. This cover and lock will protect steering wheels up to 17 inches in diameter, which should be sufficient for most cars and trucks.
Check KAYCENTOP Steering Lock On Amazon
Airbag Theft Prevention: Conclusion
Protecting airbag from theft is crucial for you because an it is an important car part for your safety. It is currently on the top priority of thieves to steal it because an airbag is easy to steal and expensive. You can use an anti theft airbag devices like a steering wheel lock to protect it from the thieves.
FAQs
When an airbag is opened, sodium azide is converted to harmless nitrogen gas by other chemicals in the inflator. As a result, a fully deployed airbag can be treated as solid waste and thrown in the trash.
Check the cover for the vehicle manufacturer’s emblem and the SRS (Safety Restraint System) logo. Cosmetic airbag covers will not have the SRS emblem or logo. Some ornamental caps will indicate that there is no air pocket inside.
When vehicles roll off the road due to accidents, malfunctions, or age, tens of millions of airbags made from recyclable materials such as metal, plastic, nylon, and explosive fillers must be disposed of properly and can be recycled.
Is it possible to drive a car after the airbags have deployed? Yes, but not sure. If you hold your car back after an accident in which the airbags have deployed, you need to make sure the airbags are replaced correctly.
There are some things you can do to reduce the chances of your airbags being stolen. The use of a steering wheel lock, such as “The Club,” may prevent access to the airbag in some cars.
Also, note that the effectiveness of a belt pocket system is slightly less than the sum of the efficiency ratings of its two components. The study indicates that belts are 48% effective in preventing lethal accidents, while airbags are 14% effective. But added together, they are 53.72% efficient.
