Airbags didn't deploy
- Thread starter jhinderliter
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biggestmexi
New member
Where at in IL?
Im from "starved rock country"
Sad that your son was hurt, but glad it was not worse.
Im from "starved rock country"
Sad that your son was hurt, but glad it was not worse.
JayRolla
New member
Yes, I have seen small front end collisions like that not deploy air bags. He could have gotten a broken nose or jaw from the airbag that my friend got and he had to pay more for repairs due to air bags going off.
Road Bull
Senior Member
Yikes! I am sorry to hear about that. I am glad he is OK other than the scar. I can't answer authoritatively about the airbags not deploying. In my experience, sometimes they do for certain types of impacts, while others surprisingly do not. I think it has something to do with a thrust sensor deciding if it has enough force to deploy.
I will pass this along as something I heard from a veteran EMT and driving school instructor that has stuck with me.
Sun visors. They are either "fully deployed", as in touching the glass of the windshield, or "fully stowed", and nothing in between.
He described the type of injuries that something as innocuous as the sun visor, scalping drivers and breaking noses when they they are only partially pulled down and aimed at the face. Be careful and let your son know this.
I went though EMT school and I cringe whenever I see some passenger riding along with their feet on the dash, or cocked out the window. If a passenger side airbag deploys with your feet in the way, you might not be walking anytime soon. There are lot of bones to break in your feet.
Take care and be safe brother!
jhinderliter
New member
That's not a small collision ..
jhinderliter
New member
phattyduck
Elite Member
It is, in airbag terms.
Airbags break sternums, noses and other bones regularly. You only want it to deploy if actually necessary. A 3" forehead gash is a pretty minor injury... I got one as a 3 year old falling onto a coffee table!
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/05/airbags_deployment.html
-Charlie
jhinderliter
New member
Buncha geniuses here !
He was running interstate speeds on I 70 and lost control one some ice, he spun around once while on the breaks, That truck hit a concrete barricade at a little under 40 MPH ish..
" In air bag terms " ... Like you speak airbag ? An airbag engineer ? or just strong with the Google Foo ?
" i heard you should replace your airbags every 10 years "
el oh el
nevermind guys...
i asked if anyone had any similar experiences in my OP ...
Deuces !! :rapture:
He was running interstate speeds on I 70 and lost control one some ice, he spun around once while on the breaks, That truck hit a concrete barricade at a little under 40 MPH ish..
" In air bag terms " ... Like you speak airbag ? An airbag engineer ? or just strong with the Google Foo ?
" i heard you should replace your airbags every 10 years "
el oh el
nevermind guys...
i asked if anyone had any similar experiences in my OP ...
Deuces !! :rapture:
I know for sure that is the spec in my Volvo and Mercedes. I'm almost tempted to look it up for the 4runner but seems you're just looking to argue so probably not worth the effort.
AntleredRuin
New member
I forget offhand, but i could have sworn that I saw somewhere actually written in my 4runner (maybe manual?) that you're supposed to do a yearly inspection/test after a certain amount of years.
I know, my vagueness is extremely useful, but I'm surprised that ANYONE'S airbags go off after this long.
I know, my vagueness is extremely useful, but I'm surprised that ANYONE'S airbags go off after this long.
Yoter
New member
I have been in multiple accidents with airbag deployment and without a doubt a properly functioning airbag should have deployed in this type of frontal collision.
To everyone saying Airbags can injure you, although I am sure some people have been injured by airbags, it is not commonplace and airbags prevent exponentially more injury than they cause. In this type of frontal impact where the structure of the vehicle is buckled at the A pillars, airbags should have deployed (even old ones).
To everyone saying Airbags can injure you, although I am sure some people have been injured by airbags, it is not commonplace and airbags prevent exponentially more injury than they cause. In this type of frontal impact where the structure of the vehicle is buckled at the A pillars, airbags should have deployed (even old ones).
psraff
New member
Amen to that. Leaned that as well in Military Police School. Also, I slap my kids feet off my dash every time she tries to put her feet up on it.
phattyduck
Elite Member
In other cars, sure...
Still no airbags deployed... (fair enough, the old Camry didn't have them!) Still walking around like a normal human. Walked away from both.
That front end would look MUCH worse if it hit at concrete barrier at 40mph. Check the pics of from the IIHS (they test at 40mph!):
2002 Toyota 4Runner
EDIT: one more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STj2tOWY7rI
-Charlie
Last edited:
thegipper
New member
There are so many variables to consider, it's pointless to debate why they didn't go off. You could repeat that same accident 10 times and maybe half of the times, it would have deployed.
It's hard to say, people are just speculating. What did you expect, expert analysis from automotive mechanical/safety engineers?
It's hard to say, people are just speculating. What did you expect, expert analysis from automotive mechanical/safety engineers?
IBallEngineer
New member
OK, so I get your frustration, not answering your question. But...
These guys are relating to you what they know, and empathizing. Just sayin'
Alright so I do have a lot of experience, spent over 30 years in the auto body industry, 14 as a shop owner. I doubt very much that truck was anywhere near 40 mph when it hit the divider. Not a heavy hit in airbag terms, and not a heavy hit in body shop terms. Still a lot of damage, and a bummer about your boy's scar, but airbags will kick your ass. All about the rate of deceleration, and if he was spinning he may not have decelerated much at all. I saw hundreds of cars damaged worse than this not deploy airbags, and I've seen parking lot damage that deployed the bags. Be happy that it wasn't an altogether uglier situation. Hope he buys another 3rd gen, I would.
:cheers:
IBE,
Upon what conditions do airbags "monitor" to deploy themselves? Very fast deacceleration? I'd imagine it has to be something a sensor can push out; and how much the front hood is bent is not one of them.
HiluxSurf SSR-G
Senior Member
read somewhere that it's 35 mph frontal collision for the 1996-2002 4Runner
Unner
New member
No need to get all angry at us for giving our opinions. If you wanted only people who had the exact same experience you would never get any answers because the number of people who have had the same exact collision situation happen are slim.
As others have said there is no way he hit a wall at 40 mph. Maybe he clipped it at 40 mph and kept moving, but he didn't run into a wall at 40mph. The truck would be in much worse shape. The damage isn't THAT bad. He should be happy the only damage he has is that one thing. Chances are it'll heal up and be much less noticeable than it is now.
Exactly.
Airbag sensors monitor acceleration, specifically negative acceleration. You can't say a 35 mph collision would set off the airbags. it all depends on what you hit. If you hit a wall at 35 mph dead on it's totally different than if you hit a car already rolling at 10 mph. With the wall you will slow down much faster since your vehicle is the only thing absorbing the impact than you will if you hit a car that is already rolling and can be pushed forward by you hitting it.
As others have said there is no way he hit a wall at 40 mph. Maybe he clipped it at 40 mph and kept moving, but he didn't run into a wall at 40mph. The truck would be in much worse shape. The damage isn't THAT bad. He should be happy the only damage he has is that one thing. Chances are it'll heal up and be much less noticeable than it is now.
Exactly.
Airbag sensors monitor acceleration, specifically negative acceleration. You can't say a 35 mph collision would set off the airbags. it all depends on what you hit. If you hit a wall at 35 mph dead on it's totally different than if you hit a car already rolling at 10 mph. With the wall you will slow down much faster since your vehicle is the only thing absorbing the impact than you will if you hit a car that is already rolling and can be pushed forward by you hitting it.
