Pre-owned car inspections –about basic safety facilities

Safety is always the only way home. When buying a pre-owned car, it's important that you inspect its safety facilities. Here are some tips for the use and inspection of seatbelts and airbags.

When buying a car most people look at the appearance, price, and comfort features. Safety-conscious consumers probably want airbags, but few people are aware of the fact that the real lifesaver in a car is actually also the most frequently neglected – the seatbelt. Even with an array of impact-protection devices, the thickest sheet steel, and a car full of airbags, the seatbelt is still the most important and most basic facility for ensuring passenger safety. It is also the most effective device to prevent injury or death in case of an accident.

Statistics released for 2004 byTaiwan's Central Police University show that the mortality rate for passengers not restrained by seatbelts in an impact was three times higher than for those that were. Data from the National Police Administration for the same year also showed that the mortality rate for passengers not restrained by seatbelts was 3.88%, while only one-third of that for those using seatbelts -- just 1.18%.

The seatbelts used in cars are usually of the two-point and three-point type. The two-point type serves to secure only two points at the passenger's waist, while the three-point type also secures the passenger's shoulder. The three-point type therefore provides more protection than a two-point. When using a seatbelt, the seat must be adjusted to suit the passenger's body height and the seatbelt properly fitted so that it is not too loose. Depending on age and condition, passengers may have different ways of fitting the seatbelt as well.

Inspection of seatbelts

Particular attention must be paid to the condition of seatbelts with pre-owned cars. Any seemingly unimportant or minor problem may jeopardize the safety of the passengers. The following items may serve as reference:

1. Seatbelts are made from woven chemical fibers. Check their surface for any sign of scoring, flocking or cracking. If loose fibers can be seen, the belt must be replaced or it may break easily or provide inadequate protection.
2. Make sure the anchor mechanisms of the seatbelt itself are properly secured to the car body. This is important because there have been cases where the passengers were using seatbelts but the anchor points were loose or snapped, resulting in injury.
3. There is a movable anchor in a seatbelt buckle to keep it secured in place, but this may become loose due to frequent use. Be sure to check this component for any signs of looseness, to avoid the seatbelt becoming unfastened.
4. Generally there is a fabric label attached to a seatbelt recording its year of manufacture, certification and other relevant details. Should you suspect a significant difference between the age of a seatbelt and the car’s year of manufacture, check why the seatbelt was replaced or find out why a new car is using a much older seatbelt.
5. The seatbelt anchor mechanisms on some car models may be adjusted to suit the height of the passenger by moving them within the track.If loose or deformed, this is also a potential source of danger. Be sure to check the condition of the tracks.
6. For installing a child booster seat in the backseat of a car, the corresponding seatbelt is designed to have a one-way locking function. After the seatbelt is fully extended to install the booster seat, it should be possible to re-lock it by extending it to any length (the safetybelt must be extended to its end position before it can be unlocked); this function is intended to fix a child booster seat in place. This function must be tested to ensure the safety of the booster seat.
7. Safety test – an actual test can be done to check the normal operation of a seatbelt. After the seatbelt is fastened, jerk it with your hand to see if it locks. If it does not lock or if it is still loose after locking, be sure to have it inspected and repaired at a proper repair facility.

Suggestion: Keep a pair of scissors or a cutting blade in the glove compartment of your car. In the event of a crash, if the seatbelt pre-tensioner does not relax or the device is damaged and can't be released, you can use it to cut away the seatbelt.This will help prevent the passenger from being trapped in a car.

Airbags

Airbags are officially called Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS), and are intended for use in conjunction with seatbelts. Airbags and seatbelts are passive safety equipment, meaning that they provide passive protection for passengers in case of an accident. The seatbelts serve to secure a human body in a car seat, while the safety airbags serve as a buffer. You must therefore fasten your seatbelts to ensure real protection and safety when you are in a vehicle.

Data published on October 5, 2006 by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) in the United States shows that the mortality rate in vehicles equipped with side-impact curtain airbags is reduced by 37%. More startlingly, the mortality rate in SUVs is reduced by 52%.

As evidenced by the above figures, airbags do serve their intended purpose. To further protect the safety of passengers, however, there are now airbags being developed for different passenger locations and parts of the body. After detecting a collision, the system judges the type of impact – front impact, side impact or vehicle overturn -- then inflates the appropriate airbags to provide passengers with the best protection.

Types of safety airbags:

• Front airbag
• Side airbag
• Curtain shield airbag
• Knee airbag
• Anti-Dive airbag
• Tubular Side airbag
  

New airbags now also include a two-step or multiple-step inflation function. The airbag's impact sensor will judge the force of impact to decide how inflation shall be activated. If inflation is required, and if the seat is set further back, full-speed inflation is triggered to ensure timely protection. If the seat is closer to the front, pressure is reduced to lower the force of inflation; if the force of impact is low the airbags may even not be triggered, to ensure that the passenger always receives the best protection. Some models have a switch for the front passenger to enable or disable the airbags. This allows airbags to be turned off if a child is in the seat.

Car owners who like customizing cars by themselves must remember not to tamper with the electrical circuits of airbags or measure them with a multi-meter, as this may accidentally trigger the airbag and result in serious injury. Any testing of airbags must only be conducted by qualified technicians for your own safety.

When you are buying a pre-owned car, you should be aware of the following matters concerning safety airbags:

1. Airbags are hidden inside decorative panels or inside car seats. If you see any sign of removal or deflection, check if the car has been involved in any prior accidents and take this into account.
2. Generally the service life of a safety airbag is ten years. When you are buying a pre-owned car, you must check its expiry date. If the airbag is past its expiry date have it replaced.
3. There is an warning light indicating the status of the airbag on the dashboard. If the warning light is always lit, check if there is any problem with the airbag device. If yes, immediately drive your car to a repair facility for inspection and repair.
4. Check if the airbag outside panel is glued or fitted with any objects, as they may be sent flying by an inflation and cause injury. Also check if there is anything such as a seat cover that may impede the proper inflation of an airbag, as this will affect the protection provided.

For more information on the inspection of used cars, please visit our website: www.cpo.tuv.com or contact us.