Are the D1 airbags a safety concern now that they are 18-20 years old? If deployed, would there be an issue with materials or anything that anyone is aware of?

 

I think the airbags should be the least of your concern with regard to safety in an 18-20 year old vehicle. First, I doubt the airbags even work. They were supposed to be tested about ten years ago. Were they? I doubt it. Is the SRS light on in the instrument cluster?

Even if the truck was newer and in good condition, the likelihood of the airbags deploying is really dependent on exactly where in the front your Rover is hit. Look at this video and you'll see that in an off center impact the airbags never deployed. More importantly, because of the design of the Rover, the range of injury the passengers would have sustained would have been much greater.

I hear people on all of these boards talk about how indestructible their Rovers are. How they had minor fender benders and the car they were involved with came off much worse. I all can say is I sustained over $20K in damage on a brand new Range Rover Classic almost 25 years ago (the underpinnings are practically identical to the DI). I got to see what happens to one of these trucks when it REALLY has an off center impact like the one in the video. I was very fortunate that I did not sustain any significant injuries but I came to the realization that there is very little in the way of modern crash protection engineered into these trucks.

 

Anyway to know if they are inoperable? Video is eye opening for sure. My concern is not so much a front end collision but rather an 18 year old airbag deploying and throwing debree or any type of unsafe materials. Can they be disengaged? No SRS light.

 

If the SRS light isn't lit (assuming it works) then at least the electronics are working. When airbags were new, there was concern about their longevity, and most makers called for inspection/replacement after 10 years or so. Time has proven that this is not an issue, and they continue to work a long, long, long time.

If your concerns are due to the Takata airbag recall, note that Takata used a completely different airbag propellent than anyone else in the industry, for cost saving reasons. Turned out to be a less than wise choice on their part.

So ultimately, don't worry about it and try not to hit anything. Because I completely Paul on this one - by modern standards, these ancient trucks are deathtraps regardless of whether the airbag deploys or not. They do just fine in minor collisions due to size and mass, but they are in no way, shape, or form as safe in a big crash as anything a couple decades newer.

 

Old Land Rovers as deathtraps? It's all relative I suppose... i certainly feel safer in my 1995 Discovery than in my 1977 MGB convertible... or on my motorcycle