Hello All,

I have two 1996 850 wagons and a 1999 XC wagon. Each one has a sticker from the factory located on the driver’s door jamb that recommends that 10 years from the date of manufacture, you should take your car to the Volvo dealer to “inspect/repair” the airbags system. Some questions:

1) Do you have to do this?

2) Has anyone brought their Volvo to a dealership for this “inspection/repair” of the airbags? If so, what triggered, other than the passage of time, the need to bring the car in?

3) If anyone has, what did this “inspection/repair” consist of and how much was the cost?

By way of anecdotal experience, I believe that every time you turn on the engine, the car automatically conducts a check of the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) which is another description of the airbags. That’s why I see the “SRS” light briefly flash when I turn on my three Volvos. Also, in December of last year, my bride crashed our 2002 S60 T5 into a telephone pole, and both front airbags deployed. This at the time was a 13 year old Volvo that had never had the airbags checked and they deployed the way they were designed. I hasten to add, my bride was unscathed, but the S60 was totaled.

Also years ago, I had a 1993 Honda Accord EX sedan (before I came to my senses and started buying Volvos). It too, had a similar sticker on the inside portion of the driver’s door. I called my local Honda dealer and for $125.00 it would hook a scanner up to my Honda to see if there was a problem with the airbags. Because no “idiot” lights were “on” at the time indicating there was a problem with the airbags, I took a pass. In retrospect I am wondering if that was a wise decision.

Thanks in advance to all who respond.

Hugh