Interpretation ID: nht92-5.45

DATE: June 24, 1992

FROM: Paul Jackson Rice -- Chief Counsel, NHTSA

TO: Joe Wos -- A & D Lock & Key

TITLE: None

ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated 1/19/90 from Stephen P. Wood to Linda L. Conrad (Std. 208); Also attached to letter dated 5/26/92 from Joe Wos to NHTSA Office of Chief Council (OCC 7333)

TEXT:

This responds to your May 26, 1992 letter asking whether it is "legal to repair an automobile that has an airbag deployed and not put the air bag back in."

I am enclosing a copy of a January 19, 1990 letter to Ms. Linda L. Conrad, that explains whether a used car dealer has an obligation to replace a deployed air bag prior to selling the car. The same statutory and regulatory considerations that applied to that situation would apply to the replacement of a damaged air bag steering column (after the air bag has deployed) with a steering column without an air bag.

I hope you find this information helpful. If you have any other questions, please contact Mary Versailles of my staff at this address or by phone at (202) 366-2992.