Some accident's will 'total' a vehicle, merely because the cost of the
airbag replacements can exceed the value of an older vehicle, not even
counting the body damages.
  Yes, the passenger airbag is designed to use the window glass as
'support', which breaks it nearly every time.
  Also, your seat belts *must* be worn to hold you in proper aligment with
the air bag, so that it can save your life; it's not an either/or situation,
and wear of seat belts does not make airbags 'unnecessary'.
  I beleive that the horn circuit or mechanism often gets 'pinched' on
accidentally by the airbag deployment, not by design.

Mike B.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Allan Streib" <streib@CS.INDIANA.EDU>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2008 9:30 AM
Subject: Re: Recent Car Talk Shows - re air bags

> Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> writes:
>
>> She might claim it on her insurance.............which would be 're-do
>> both front air bags completely, fix the stuck on horn ( might have to
>> do with the steering wheel hub air bag going off )
>
> I wonder if they're designed to do that (activate the horn when they go
> off), maybe as an attention getting device for accidents in
> less-traveled areas.
>
> I had a minor collision in a Ford F150.  Other driver came across the
> center line, on a ridge-top road (I had a guardrail on my right and no
> shoulder so I could do nothing to avoid it).  Both air bags went off,
> the horn stuck on, and the truck ended up being totaled.  I say "minor"
> because to me the impact was not severe, certainly the air bags were not
> needed as I was belted in, but the other car hit the left front wheel
> and did major suspension damage as well as striking the A pillar, so
> they decided to total it.
>
> Allan
> --
> 1991 Vanagon GL