Wreck..airbags?

[DMAX4LIFE]

My friend just bought a 2004 D/A CC SB and had less than 2500 miles when a guy pulled out in front of him and he smashed his front end in. My question is do the air bag sensors have to be contacted or should the impact have jarred them enough (excess of 45 mph) to deploy. His did not go off and I beleive that Chevrolet is sending out a team to investigate the accident but I was wondering if anyone had any info on this.

[DMAX4LIFE]

also..what's a 2004 CC SB LT D/A LLY with about 2500 mile on it with some mild front end damage worth? He's thinking about just selling it instead of fixing it.

[Timstoy]

Just over a year ago the same thing happened to me. A lady pulled out right in front of me in a new Mazda sedan and I hit her at 50 MPH and my air bags didn't deploy either. My truck needed a new frame and $15,000 damage. I traded for a new one the same week. I was told the bags didn't deploy because of the difference in height of the vehicles. My wife and I were both buckled in and maybe we were lucky the bags didn't deploy after some of the stories I've heard. We are still trying to settle the injury claim. I settled the diminished value claim but still lost about $3000 because of the reduced trade in value.

[DMAX4LIFE]

o yeah...he hit like an 80's model S10 pickup.

[DmaxMaverick]

Glad to hear your friend is OK.


I've read of several accidents on this, and other forums over the years. I have personally witnessed the result of several hundred traffic collisions of all possible conditions, including the transition into the airbags. Nearly every reply or observation began with the question, "did the airbag deploy", or something to that note.

In nearly every case, the airbag did deploy when it should have. I recall only a couple times the airbag deployed when it should not have.

It seems that when someone gets into a collision (or comments on one), they feel they didn't get their money's worth if the airbag didn't deploy, or felt that they were placed at risk because it didn't.

Most beliefs of the supplemental restraint system (or whatever it's being called now) are very far from the reallity. My opinion is informed and based on experience.

Every report of a collision made on this forum has been consistant with what I've stated above. In every case, no serious injury has been suffered. Had an airbag deployed in any of the cases that it didn't, there is no doubt in my mind the injuries would have been worse, and possibly have caused a fatality (Andrewfessler).

If the airbag fails to deploy when it should, the occupant involved would likely be dead, or nearly so without it. The airbag is a last-resort device. By the time it does deploy, the conditions are very bad. About 1/3 of the collisions I have observed that involved an airbag deployment resulted in a fatality(ies), usually without seatbelts. 1/3 of them likely would have died without the airbag, and the remaining 1/3 probably had reduced injuries because of it. The airbags definately have a positive effect on survivability when they work as they should.

Airbag systems are not simple. Many things come into play when a possible deployment condition exists. The main thing is "impact". The vehicle absorbs much of the impact of a collision. The airbag sensors are designed to consider the actual "impact" that the occupant will experience, not the vehicle. Speed is a factor, but not the only one. The point of impact on the vehicle is more of a determining factor here. There will be more impact when the frame is impacted, compared to the bumper between the frame rails, or the fender, grill, etc. It should never deploy from just a side impact, as it will do no good. An airbag would be useless if it deploys too early in a multiple impact collision, where a high impact is preceded by a lesser impact. If it deploys on the lesser, it will be unavailable during the second, higher impact. Also, once the driver side airbag deploys, it will impair the driver's ability to control the vehicle if necessary. Imagine having something similar to a sleeping bag in your lap, attached to the steering wheel, while you are attempting to avoid further collisions. Not to mention that the airbag can, in some cases, impact the driver with enough force to cause dissorientation, or unconscienceness.

A valid complaint of a failed airbag will probably involve a wrongfull death suit.


Cheers....And let's be careful out there....

[andrewfessler]

FWIW. I am glad the airbag did NOT go off on my truck. I think in my case, it would have made things worse. Disorientation, lack of visibility of the road, lack of control of the steering wheel, etc.

Second, when I first picked my truck up from the dealer after repairing it, they neglected to fix the airbag sensors. I knew this because the airbag warning lights were on before I left the lot.

Turns out, the wiring harness for the lights and airbag impact sensors had 12 wires severed that they "missed" during their repair.

[ACCRASH]

Boy, makes ya wonder how anyone survived collisions before the advent of airbags, don't it?

DmaxMaverick, not doubting your experiences, just being a smart-a$$. :rolleyes:

I once worked with a guy that hit a dog with his wife's mommy-van on the way to work. He claimed it was a 5 mph tap. Airbag went off, broke his nose and his arm. Dog got up and walked away.

Seriously though, glad to hear your buddy is OK.

[TanM998]

there are more then just one sensor to deploy an airbag... there are motion sensors and inertial sensors. Ussually the inertial sensors are located under a passenger seat simulating what a passenger would be feeling during an accident. For the most part that is the MAIN sensor that must be tripped for the airbags to go off... if your airbags went off and you hardly moved in your seat then thats why... if your airbags went off and you went down and smacked your steering wheel and then back to hit your head rest, something is wrong...

Airbags are just ment to slow your body down during an accident... just as seatbelts. Just theres nothing holding onto your head... you would be amazed as to how much a body moves during a collision even if your belted in a racecar....

Scott
'85 Tan M998