AI DamageDeployed airbags are not two parts but a system. Along with the modules, the seat belt pyrotechnic pretensioners, the control module, often the dashboard and, for curtain airbags, the headliner are replaced.
What usually gets replaced
| Component | When | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Driver's airbag | Frontal impact | The steering wheel and clock spring are checked along with it |
| Passenger airbag | Frontal impact | On many models it tears the dashboard: the dashboard is replaced |
| Knee airbags | If fitted and deployed | Lower dashboard panels |
| Curtain and seat side airbags | Side impact, rollover | Headliner, mountings, sometimes seat covers |
| Seat belt pretensioners | Almost always together with the frontal airbags | Pyrotechnic, single use |
| SRS module | After deployment | Stores crash data; some manufacturers allow a reset, others require replacement |
| Impact sensors | From the impact zone | Near the bumper, in the pillars and doors |
What it costs: a 2023 Mazda CX-5 example
| Component | New genuine, from | Used, from |
|---|---|---|
| Driver's airbag | — | 9 114 UAH |
| Passenger airbag | — | 6 820 UAH |
| SRS module (airbag ECU) | 11 900 UAH | — |
"—" means no listings of this type were found. The sample is small, so treat this as a guide, not a price list.
How to spot it in the photos
- Open modules on the steering wheel and dashboard, white dust in the cabin.
- Curtain airbags hanging from the roof, or a dropped headliner above the doors.
- Seat belts that do not retract: the pretensioner has fired.
- The SRS light on the instrument cluster in photos taken at start-up.
Why airbags change the assessment of an impact
Deployed frontal airbags mean the deceleration during the impact exceeded a threshold. Alongside this it makes sense to check the front-end geometry and the radars, even if the bumper damage looks shallow. See Body geometry and the video breakdown SRS airbags after a crash.