Does my vehicle fail inspection if the air bag light is on?

Post date: Mar 10, 2017 11:36:36 PM

There is no criteria in the inspection regulations that requires the Supplemental Restraint System or airbag be in proper working order for annual safety inspection. Therefore a vehicle does not fail inspection for having an air bag warning light illuminated or even for having an air bag removed. There is sometimes confusion about this as the manual does state in Subchapter E that a vehicle should be rejected if:

"A passive seat belt restraint system is inoperative."

An air bag is not a "passive seat belt restraint system". Passive seat belt restraints are often referred to as "automatic seat belts" or "motorized seat belts" that are typically attached to the door of some older vehicles and would automatically travel along the door and apply the seat belt once the occupant closed the vehicle door. Here is an example:

The one instance where a vehicle will fail for a malfunctioning air bag system is during enhanced safety inspection. When a vehicle is being inspected to receive a reconstructed title or any other title requiring an enhanced safety inspection, page 13 of the Enhanced Safety Inspection manual states that:

"Reconstructed, flood, and recovered theft vehicles must be restored to their original operating condition

as designed by the vehicle manufacturer and must conform to the original manufacturer’s specifications and

appearance. This includes (but is not limited to) air bags, seat belt/restraint systems, emissions components,

etc."

As you can see, an air bag warning lamp would cause a vehicle to fail an enhanced vehicle safety inspection but not the regular annual safety inspection.