Airbag question?

[Barnzee]

Well I work rapid rotation shift work at a local factory and was just heading in for my last dayshift (Sunday) of the 3 day weekend. We had some pretty crappy weather lots of snow and greasy as I call it. They had not plowed or sanded the driveway, parking lots at work and I fishtailed a little, went to correct and the vehicle just slid. I had no control, when the tires stopped sliding and actually got traction it lurched me towards a light column and it stopped me pretty quick. It looks ugly but the damage actually isn't that bad, insurance is fixing it and I should have it back next Thurs or Friday. Popped the rad so I had it towed to the body shop. I was probably going 40 kms when I hit, the airbag did not go off. I don't know anything about airbags, but many people at work thought it should have went off, is this normal? Does it depend where the contact point is?

 

Don't get me wrong I'm glad it didn't go off, but I am curious...... thanks for any insight.

 

Aaron

 

p.s. guess I'll listen to my wife and use the 4 wheel drive more - hard lesson though..... lol

 

Edited February 15, 2008 by Barnzee

[Trainman]

Glad you are OK and the Pathy will be good as new in week or so.

 

Only 40 klicks? Not fast enough to deploy the air bag me thinks. I understand that it is a combination of your speed and de-acceleration rate that triggers the airbag. But to be safe, get it checked out, especially after a collision like that.

[nissandoms47]

Well you hit the light pole offset on the front end. The airbag sensor wasnt even touched by that collision. If you hit it dead center im sure that would have triggered the airbags.

[zonianbrat]

I have been told that you are supposed to have the airbag "serviced" by the dealer after 10 yrs. No way I will take my truck in just for that. Yours isnt quite 10 yrs old yet but close. You might just ask somebody what has to be done to have it serviced. Insurance probably will not pay for it but it never hurts to ask.

[SnowSurfLax]

Glad you are OK and the Pathy will be good as new in week or so.

 

Only 40 klicks? Not fast enough to deploy the air bag me thinks. I understand that it is a combination of your speed and de-acceleration rate that triggers the airbag. But to be safe, get it checked out, especially after a collision like that.

 

I concur. The airbag is not meant to go off at low speeds. You're more likely to be injured by it if you're not going very fast and it deploys. Those things come out with enough force to kill you if you're not wearing a seat belt.

[nissandoms47]

Also it depends on how hard you hit the pole. The pathfinder has a G sensor inside the center console that detects how hard you hit something. It can determine weather you slammed on your brakes really hard or it stopped you so fast that you hit something and the airbags should deploy. How hard did you hit that pole?

[Barnzee]

I honestly couldn't tell you a speed. But I didn't hit the pole that hard, I was surprised by the damage . I guess thats caused by hitting a vertical object as opposed to a horizontal object.

 

I slid on an angle into the pole - it wasn't head on - if that helps explain the dent a little better.

 

Like I said I'm glad the airbag didn't go off. Thanks all for the replies!!

Edited February 19, 2008 by Barnzee

[BowTied]

I am amazed you are putting that through insurance! Won't your rates go through the roof?

 

About 15 years ago I did $5k damage to the front end of a brand new Corolla rental car. Airbags did not deploy low impact speed I guess. I agree with above posts, needs to be a damn hard hit.

 

The damge is moreso like because you hit something between your frame or bumper moutning points. However, that might be why the air bag did not deploy, the stuff folded absorbing some of the shock. It is possible a HD aftermarket bumper that was way stronger might have cause the air bag to pop...??