Airbag Failure

[chezwot]

Just read an article about BMW recalling the 3 series because of an airbag fault and this footnote was included - "This follows a move last month by Japanese brands Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mazda to recall 3.4 million airbags made by Takata, the world’s second-largest manufacturer of airbags and seatbelts." Anyone know which Toyota model was affected?

[johnan]

It affects seven Toyota models produced between November 2000 and March 2004, including the Corolla, Yaris, Camry and Avensis...so IQs are well out of the danger area!

John

[s44gtw]

Even when you do not have Faulty Air Bags in your car, you really never know if they will work when required.

A member on here had an accident in the form of a Side Impact and no bags deployed.

Probably why it took the 4 big Manufacturers over a decade to become aware the bags they had in cars would not work when required to.

There must be thousands or hundred of thousands of Road Traffic accidents where no Air Bag deploys and it is assumed that it was the 'wrong type of collision',

eg, where actually the Vehicle hit is Stationary so no rapid deceleration.

Side impacts yet no Side or Curtain Air bags Deploying.

george

[FROSTYBALLS]

It is the passenger airbag only that is involved in the recall - not the side airbags.

The sensors for the side/curtain airbags are usually located in the B pillar - so unless this area is involved in the collision, it is doubtful the side/curtain airbags would trigger.

[s44gtw]

We never know if any will trigger untill needs must and they do or do not.

This forum members never, and it is the luck of god if it triggers with the new owner if they are in an Accident.

That is the point of my post, if Toyota or other Manufacturers are not testing Air Bags after accidents and Insurance companies do not Bother if they deployed or even replace Seat Belts after Road Traffic Accidents its all a guessing game.

george

[s44gtw]

I have just seen there is a Recall on 2012/13 VAG Citigo/Up!/Mii.

Side Airbag sensor diagnostic disabling the Air Bags.

Recall to reconfigure the Airbag Control Unit.

I think Manufacturers are now paying a bit more attention. It will be interesting to see if more modern cars are involved anytime soon..

http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recalls/default.asp

george

Recall Details for SKODA - Citigo.htm

[johnan]

I expect it has come to light as an airbag warning light can no longer be ignored by an owner or an MOT fail will result , so dealers are now being inundated by older cars that will fail the test unless they "fix" the airbag and they are finding unacceptable or possibly dangerous airbag installations, that used to be just ignored.

Perhaps.

John

[Devon Aygo]

As has been said on other forums the detonation of an air bag is a last chance response from your car, you do not want an airbag going off unless it really is needed. When they do go off it is because the occupant is about to hurled with huge force into a solid object such as the steering wheel or side of the car. After they have detonated there is a good chance you will suffer injuries such as burns, bruising, temporary sight and hearing issues and minor cuts just from the air bag going off all preferable to massive blunt force impact injuries but nasty none the less

As for this picture in terms of impact this is moderate, the outer panel work has crumpled absorbing some of the impact but the structure of the car is intact ( the impact bar can be seen along the lower door where the door skin has folded over it ) and the occupants may have been a bit bruised and shaken but they walked away without the need for air bags

[craggle]

I remember when the picture above was first posted and it was caused by a car coming out of a side turning as the iQ was passing. It really was a sliding or moving, glancing impact so not a true side impact like you see in crash test videos where the car is stationary and the test mass hits the side of the car.

Air bags will go off when they are needed and will help the occupants as said above and in this picture it's probably a good thing they didn't activate as the driver was still in control of a moving car. Suddenly having a big bag explode next to you and possibly obscuring your vision could be a distraction leading to a second accident!

Craig.

[s44gtw]

Probably correct that that Airbags should not of gone off, with that vehicle.

That was not the point of my post.

It was, how when cars are in accidents and Airbags do not Deploy, neither Manufacturers or Insurance Underwriters bother much,

If a car is Damaged and Repairable you can not expect them to Test it or the Airbags.

If a Car is Declared a Write Off, maybe the Insurance Companies Should be having the Vehicles further Crash Tested to

see if the Air Bags do Function.

Or maybe its only where fatalites happen with no Air Bags going off that test might get done.

Where there is legal actions, compensations and liabilites involved.

Hence my point.

I takes them a Decade to get around to Re-Calls. Or it did.

Maybe not anymore tho.

Not going to cost them a fortune to be Crash Testing certain types of Write Offs rather than Selling Back into the Trade for Repair or selling as Parts,

compared to Legal Actions that might start coming their way now that Air Bags are not just something that will work when they should work.

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/132763-airbags

george