Air bag Light and Odometer Reset For Sale!

[Best Sho]

I called the owner of this 95 Sho MTX for sale and their 2 problems.

1) The air bag light comes on, but their nothing wrong I quess.
2) The odometer was turned back from 56k to 32k. It was taken from the dealer that was doing it and put in a auction.

My questions are;
1) what the cost of fixing the air bag if it is actually the air bag, doesn't that cost somewhere around $500 to 1500 to fix, reset or ?
2) The state or county who ever of those 2 put the correct miles on the title.
Isn't there anyway to correct that with in the odometer?

It actually has something like 57k and there asking $4500. Fully loaded mint, southern car.

Thanks Mike

 

[rangerj]

If the air bag light comes on THERE IS A PROBLEM. It is very rare for the problem to be the air bag itself. It is usually one or more of the crash sensors, the back-up power supply, the clockspring, or a connection.

Will the owner allow you to check for "Fault codes"? If yes, check for codes and see if there are any additional electronic problems. At 57K the car is due for a timing belt, crankshaft position sensor, valve lash adjustment, plugs, plug wires, and all the gaskets necessary to put it back together (the "60K services required). Plus it would need any additional maintanence that has not been done or is due, say brakes, tires, hoses, belts, etc. Remember this is a 10 year old car.

If the car is in like new condition, inside and out, and the actual milage is 57K and not 157K, it sounds like a decent deal.

Is it going to be a public auction, or do you submit written bids? If it is a public open auction decide what you are willing to pay for it and bid up to that amount and stop. The bids may nor get as high as $4500.

Keep in mind that a 2003 or 2002 Taurus SES, fully loaded and with around 30K miles, can be bought for less than $12,000. rangerj

 

[autobahnsho]

I bought a SLO that had the airbag light on.

Ford dealer said it was the front left sensor, cost (parts+est. labor) = $300. We decided to wait to get it fixed.

Then 5 months later someone pulled out in front of my wife, airbag went off, SLO was totalled. Problem fixed.

The airbag may or may not work if the light is on, depending on what the problem is. The dealer just runs codes and knows what's wrong.

IF you buy it, rangerj taught me a trick of using electrical tape on the dash to cover up the light till it's fixed....