All - I'm new to this forum.
I bought my 2010 Sport in 2010 and have loved it. 130k miles. She's been a great short commuter car. Great field of view for my 6'3" frame.
I haven't customized much of anything. Armrest container, wheel splashguards, footwell and rear area rubber mats.
I own a paper copy of the 2009-2010 Service Manual.
FYI - We also own a 2007 Fit MT we've used to train the kids. About the same mileage, but we aren't the first owners.

I'm a do it yourself kind of guy, but don't have ALL the tools. I don't do the Major services, but change my own oil and swap out my own filters.

This week my 17 yr old glanced off a median curb at about 45 mph. Luckily, no one was hurt, and nothing but the front and rear drivers side wheels hit anything. Missed a street sign by a few inches. But the driver side air bags went off - Curtain and chair, and the driver belt retractor fired. Side wheels are scraped up and the rear tire has a tag of rubber hanging off the side wall.

I drove it 4 miles home and it drove ok. No pulling to either side, or shaking steering wheel, but it sounds somewhat different. Eventually I'll need to get the axles and suspension inspected. It's old enough that I don't have collision coverage and I don't want my son's insurance to skyrocket, so I plan to repair myself. Now I have a holiday project!

Photo album here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UfTr5UnnkgHtXpYB8

I'll try to add repair photos to this same album as I go.


For this thread, I'd like to concentrate on the interior components repair. What to repair, how to repair, and newbie questions about the repair process.

Reading in the Manual (page 24-138) says I need to replace a ton of stuff. Here's my shortened list.

• SRS Unit (see question below)
• Side Curtain Airbag
• Driver Side Airbag
• Seatbelt tensioner/unit
• Seat-back cover (see question below)

Optional list (If I can find it cheap/used)

• Headliner which is ripped. Maybe hot glue?
• As few body clips as possible

My first questions for the collective:

1. Where can I get the SRS unit reprogrammed? I'm guessing that a new ODBII scanner won't be able to reprogram the SRS directly. (I'm looking at the BlueDriver anyway)
2. Where is the best place for airbag parts? I got a quote from airbagcenter.com. $475 for the 2 bags. Are they a good source, any others recommend? Or should I stick to dealers? I priced parts at hondapartsnow.com and hondafactoryparts.com. HPN sums bags and belt to $1525.60, without the seatcover and headliner. I'm also looking into wrecking yards for a new chair and headliner I don't know how possible that is. I'm in the Austin area.
3. Can the seat cover be repaired/resewn? There are instructions for replacing the seat airbag, but of course it split open the cover. Can just the cover be purchased? Recommendations? Should I just find a used front seat, or purchase the Seat back cover and follow 20-117 instructions? Is there a used market for these things? Is it time for me to find a wrecking yard?
4. Should I replace the Side impact(first) and/or Side impact(second) sensors? Will an ODBII tool with SRS help me know if I need to or not?

Thanks for your collective voices. I'm hoping your feedback will help me and those that come after me looking for help.

 

I saw your post yesterday and decided to make a copy of it since I was going to lunch with a friend of mine that owns his own body shop. At lunch I asked my buddy to make some comments on how he would handle the issues you mentioned in your post- since he deals with these issues daily. Briefly, he made the following comments:
- He would buy new Honda dealer sensors for the front and side airbags- and the steering wheel bag if it went off too (can't tell by the pics you posted- but you did mention only two bags.)
- Buy a dealer upper seat cover and headliner. Do not try to re-sew the seat upper cover back together! Honda uses a special thread in stitching the upper seat cover together where it covers the airbag, that will open at a certain rate to allow the airbag to deploy properly. Regular thread that you would use to re-sew the cover could interfere, or impede the airbag from deploying properly.
- Buy used airbags and seat belts.
- The SRS unit is under the console. Your year car is in a gray area where the SRS unit may be ok and can be cleared, or it may need replacing. My buddy uses a local diagnostic business to clear codes for him, including the SRS unit. He suggests you contact a local body shop to you, for a referral to a diagnostic shop they use. The diagnostic shop can also advise you if the SRS unit needs replacement or if it can be cleared.
- If the steering wheel airbag went off, you will have to inspect the clock spring and possibly replace it also.
- Go on car-part.com, enter your VIN number to buy used parts.

I hope this helps. A local body shop to you can also help in answering any other questions that may come up, or may assist you in repairs you're not comfortable handling.

 

@56chevydan - Thanks so much! This is great insight for sure!

FYI - No dash or steering wheel bag went off, so no dash work is expected.

I'm headed to the Austin wrecking yard tomorrow to see what I can harvest from their Fit corpses.
I'll consider OEM crash sensors, but since there was no impact, I'll probably not splurge. I think they are solid state accelerometers.

I hear you about the sewing the seat covers. If I can't find the entire seat I'll spurge for OEM or scrounge ebay.

I plan to use Safety Restore . com to reprogram the SRS, and if I can't find the belts, to repair the belt.

Thanks again. I'll post updates after my rainy fun in the yard tomorrow!

 

Sounds like you're succeeding at making a positive out of a negative. With a bit of tenacity and leg work, it sounds like this project may turn around quickly. Good luck with the rebuild project!

 

Outstanding post, my friend. Very helpful to the OP, I'm sure. Thank you.

 

Follow up, for the followers -

I visited Wrench-a-Part this morning and got lucky.

Bagged a headliner, side curtain airbag, driver's seat with bag, and 2 non-damaged wheel rims in our 42deg rainy weather. I guess it could have been worse if I was back home in Rochester. $275 out the door!

Anyway, now I get to repeat the teardown on my own car and install what I brought home from the yard. This time I'll have my 17yr old help and it will be under the car port at least!

And I'll send the belt and SRS unit back to safetyrestore . com for rebuild and reprogram.

 

OP, I admire your determination. Great info, Dan!