Airbag location in a Hyundai H-1 bus elite

By Stuart Johnston

Airbags have been credited with saving many lives since they began appearing in cars in the early 1990s. Nowadays most cars on our market have at least one airbag, but many have multiple airbags, located in various positions to provide maximum protection in a serious collision.

The Hyundai  H-1 bus range was recently refreshed, and the range now consists of two models. The entry-level H1 bus is the 2,4 Executive, while the upper-level model is the H1 2,5 CRDi Elite.

This Elite Bus uses a diesel engine, whereas the base 2,4-litre version uses a petrol four-cylinder. There is a big difference in spec and prices between these two buses, and the H-1 Elite comes with four airbags, whereas the entry-level Executive only comes with two airbags.

The Elite model also enjoys side-impact airbags

The airbags on the Hyundai H-1 Elite are mounted on the steering wheel centre for frontal impact protection, and on the dashboard top on the front passenger side. Each of the front seat backrests also come equipped with airbags for side-impact protection. There is no further airbag protection for the remaining six passengers.

The H-1 has been a very successful model here for Hyundai with impressive market penetration in this type of eight-seater vehicle. It offers huge space for families, and for companies specialising in airport shuttles and the like.

Replacement airbags

As far as replacement airbags are concerned, with new or fairly new vehicles,  this type of job is normally authorised through the dealer, or the repair shop authorised  by Hyundai,  in the event of the airbags having deployed in an accident.

 As this version of the H1 is still new, it will fall under warranty, which in Hyundai’s case is a five-year/150 000 km warranty. However, Hyundai backs this up with an extra two-year warranty for mechanical components. Double check whether airbag replacement is covered by this. Any work carried out by non-authorised repair centres while the vehicle is under warranty will invalidate the warranty.

For older H-1s, there are some replacement options

For older H-1s, airbag replacement may be undertaken by a limited number of  aftermarket contractors which have recently established themselves. One of these, with an ISO certification for their operation and workmanship,  is Airbag Concepts in Pretoria. Replacement of airbags components by reputable private concerns is much more cost-effective than having the job done by the agents. But vet these companies carefully, as airbag replacement is a very safety-critical undertaking.