Originally Posted By: chainblu
Do the seat belts not work as well?
I'm not sure if this is a serious question, but I'll answer it anyway. The entire body of the vehicle, along with the primary and secondary restraint systems, is part of one big system that protects you in a crash. In airbag timing, milliseconds matter. That's why aftermarket bumper components and sheet metal really shouldn't be used in collision repair; they will collapse differently than OEM parts in a crash, and that will affect airbag timing. It's also why certain metals can only be heated XX seconds to YYY degrees during repairs - if they become brittle, they will perform differently in an accident and affect airbag timing. Windshields are also a structural component of your unibody, so it's worth it to pay for the upgrade from NAGS to OEM. The aftermarket bottom-feeders even make imitation core supports now. You probably didn't think that your passenger seat cushion was part of the airbag system, but it contains an occupant classification module which decides whether to fire the passenger airbag based on the passenger's weight. One often-overlooked part: the hood has to absorb crash energy AND not peel apart and come through the windshield. Honda is currently considering a position statement which would list your bumper cover (yes, the thin plastic fascia) as part of the vehicle's structure. After all, everything that breaks in an accident DID absorb crash energy. Then, of course, you have the airbags. Every current production passenger vehicle is federally required to have something like 11 airbags, including a knee bolster airbag and curtain airbags.
So, to answer your question: maybe. It's not that simple.
