So my brother bought a 1999 ranger 2-3 years ago. Despite my suspicions and suggestions, he took the price they quoted him which I think you all may agree was way too high.

The truck has completely shot suspension, the brakes squeaked and squealed (still do), the paint was peeling, the frame is coated in rust under the bed, and it had just under 100k miles on the 2.5L 4x2 drivetrain. It's looks like a farm truck that got driven and beat to hell in some old muddy fields, and never washed or maintained. Despite my suggestions to at least get a few thousand taken off, he bought it for $5k. The truck has been reliable with it only needing a fuel pump in the last 20k of him using it. However it didn't have enough space for him and his growing family, so I bought it off him with the plan of making it a race truck in the future.

Now that I have it, I'm starting to deal with the problems that made me a little weary of the truck. And the biggest of then in my eyes, is the driver airbag, which looks like it's been tucked back in after an accident and had a new cover placed over it. That doesn't satisfy me, and it actually infuriates me a little because this truck was checked by a "trusted mechanic" friend of my grandparents, who said everything looks great (unless I'm completely clues about vehicles, it doesn't),prior to him purchasing it.

So... For a you out there that have a 99 or similar and you know the airbag in it is good, can you do me a favor and look between the cracks in yours and tell me, can you see a creased and folded airbag in there? And does you steering wheel feel hallow and flexible in the middle? Much appreciated even if it isn't the news I want to hear.

Thanks in advance

 

VERY easy way to check it.

1 disconnect battery

2, unplug yellow plug under the dash at steering column

3, remove the air bag from the wheel(4 nuts on back of steering wheel)

 

And then what? I'm sorry, I just don't know what it should look like. Contained,will the airbag fall out once I pull the 4 nuts out? Is there any danger of deploying it when it's not plugged in?

 

If the clothe "bag" is visible then it is Junk. They are sealed units

 

As I figured. Airbags are the only electrical system in a vehicle I wouldn't normally mess with. Well, looks like I need a HANS and a helmet for my daily commute. That, or I could just risk it.. Shout out to the first owner.


On the other hand, I crawled around under my truck yesterday and this 16 year old truck has less rust then I remember. Even less than my dad's 2012 F150, so, there's that.

 

Oh my.. how did we ever survive before air bags. FYI.. the first S in SRS stands for secondary or supplementary meaning it's not intended to be the main crash protection system in the vehicle it's just an added layer of protection. Your seat belt is the primary protection system and they do a very good job.

 

While I understand they didn't have airbags back in the day, they were added to protect you from snapping your neck in a crash, which I don't plan to be in, but that's because I don't do anything to cause one. But let's say my passenger/s are in a wreck with me when it occurs, and they are paralyzed because the airbags didn't work, now what? Let's say I'm doing the typical 70+ mph out here on these Texas highways with my niece in the truck, and some idiot runs a stop sign and I go straight into the side of them. Just thinking about that situation has me all kinds of angry.

I bought a truck that is supposed to have them, the fact that they aren't there, is just not something that makes me happy. But, the fact that they've been covered up to avoid a spending the money when they can fix the cosmetic stuff and sell the truck as practically perfect and brand new, well, that has got me practicing my baseball swing.

 

yup, who needs em..
Most of my cars didn't have them.
I've wrecked every car I've had that had an airbag and the bag never deployed. Big whoop

 

I agree on that part, the truck originally came with airbags and there is no way the truck would pass a legitimate safety without them working properly, so obviously you got conned by some unscrupulous used car dealer type and you have a right to be upset.

 

If its eating on you that bad go buy one and install it. Not that big a deal. I have bought them out of salvage yards.