I think you have a lot to be thankful for -- two days ago one of my son's friends was involved in a minor accident (a car running a red light was deflected off another car legally crossing an intersection and bounced into hers, which was waiting stationary at the light) and the low-speed impact would have caused her no injury at all if the airbag hadn't deployed and left her with severe bruises on the face and upper torso.

Thanks everyone for the info.

I tend to think that if there was much justification at all to the need to replace it, the auto industry would have stroked our polititians into passing a law requiring it.

Does anyone know what type of airbag they install as a replacement? Wonder whether they put in the lower explosive kind?

To put things in a little perspective, she IS driving the second place car in the 92-93 Institute for Highway Safety study that showed ~1 driver death per 100,000 registered cars of the 88-91 model years. Want to guess which car came in first with ZERO deaths per 100,000 cars? Yes, that's right, all of us 200 guys know.

I bet a 700 without air bag is still safer than any ricer with. I'm not sure I would rush in to a dealer for a big ticket (>$1000 or so I hear) fix like this without very clear justification.

Air bag replacement. I believe Volvo changed their requirement from 10 to 15 years, but you should get confirmation to be sure.