I've got a 2002 Protege5.
Short version: My side airbag went off so now my driver's seat has a huge tear and the door panel is damaged. I'm wondering if I can replace the seat and door panel, or is there another way to fix it?
Long version:
Because of a bonehead thing I did some time ago (no need for details now), the driver side front door doesn't quite close right, and in the winter the door switch always registers as open. It's annoying but not a big deal, but it led to another bonehead thing I did more recently. Sometimes I'll slam the door after I get in and that will actually close the door switch, for that trip at least. On an extra cold morning recently (maybe related, maybe not), I slammed the door after getting in, and the side airbag deployed. Quite surprising.
So now I've got a huge tear in the side of the seat, no side airbag, and a damaged door panel where the airbag impacted the door. Any thoughts on what I should do? I was thinking that I might be able to find a replacement seat and door panel at a local junk yard. I'm not sure if I'd actually find those things, and if I do, I'm not sure if there is anything else that would need to be done or reset after the airbag was deployed.
As an aside, the car has 190,000 miles, it has rust problems (New England winters), and our family could use a larger more reliable car anyway. So I'm considering sending this car out to pasture, despite the fact that the engine runs just fine. Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Short version: My side airbag went off so now my driver's seat has a huge tear and the door panel is damaged. I'm wondering if I can replace the seat and door panel, or is there another way to fix it?
Long version:
Because of a bonehead thing I did some time ago (no need for details now), the driver side front door doesn't quite close right, and in the winter the door switch always registers as open. It's annoying but not a big deal, but it led to another bonehead thing I did more recently. Sometimes I'll slam the door after I get in and that will actually close the door switch, for that trip at least. On an extra cold morning recently (maybe related, maybe not), I slammed the door after getting in, and the side airbag deployed. Quite surprising.
So now I've got a huge tear in the side of the seat, no side airbag, and a damaged door panel where the airbag impacted the door. Any thoughts on what I should do? I was thinking that I might be able to find a replacement seat and door panel at a local junk yard. I'm not sure if I'd actually find those things, and if I do, I'm not sure if there is anything else that would need to be done or reset after the airbag was deployed.
As an aside, the car has 190,000 miles, it has rust problems (New England winters), and our family could use a larger more reliable car anyway. So I'm considering sending this car out to pasture, despite the fact that the engine runs just fine. Any thoughts?
Thanks!