Deer vs. 4Runner, both lose

WV runner

New member
Coming home from work tonight on a rural 2 lane road at 55 MPH about 5 miles from the house and a very large (HUGE) doe jumps off an embankment right into the passenger corner of my '12 SR5. Didn't have any time to react, no brakes or couldn't swerve to miss it. Damage to most of the front end and passenger side of the truck. She got the bumper, grill, headlight, foglight, front fender, BOTH doors and the lower valance but the kicker was it set off the passenger side airbag. The airbag scared the crap out of me but I am unhurt otherwise. It kept running and drove OK to get it home but has the airbag light on. I am taking it to the local dealer tomorrow for the estimate and may just try to work a deal with them to fix it and keep it as they have a '14 red Trail and a '14 SR5 Premium on the lot that either one would look good in my driveway. So a lousy way to end 2013 but may make 2014 a little nicer.
 
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So sorry to hear about your accident and the condition of your 4R. However, the best news is that you were not injured. Good luck on working out a deal on the 2014!
 
Did you at least throw the deer in the back for some new years jerky? :behindsofa: sorry to hear that man. Hopefully it works out. I definitely think about that driving around dusk and at night on parts of I-5 known for deer collisions.
 
Feel bad for everyone you, your truck, and even the deer, it came out the worst being dead. You obviously scared the living hell out of it. Glad your alright it could have landed in your lap.
 
I thought that if there was no weight in the passenger seat that the air bag would not go off....

I think it won't deploy if there is weight on the seat but that weight is below 50lbs or something like that ie. a child in the seat. I know when I drive off road and my 40lb dog sits on the passenger seat I get the seatbelt chime but the airbag light flashes meaning it's disabled.
 
I think it won't deploy if there is weight on the seat but that weight is below 50lbs or something like that ie. a child in the seat. I know when I drive off road and my 40lb dog sits on the passenger seat I get the seatbelt chime but the airbag light flashes meaning it's disabled.

So if no one was in it why did it go off?
 
The good news is you aren't hurt.

Every time you guys post a red Trail here, I drool; mines silver, you have to do something special to get a red Trail in Illinois.

Yeah talk to your insurance first.
 
So if no one was in it why did it go off?

The airbag goes off automatically if there is no one in the seat, or if the person is over 50 lbs. Only of there is someone (or something) on the seat between 1-50 lbs will it be disabled. The thought being that the force of the airbag deploying could actually cause harm to a child or small animal.

Glad you are ok man, that's the important thing. Cars can be fixed easier than people.
 
The airbag goes off automatically if there is no one in the seat, or if the person is over 50 lbs. Only of there is someone (or something) on the seat between 1-50 lbs will it be disabled. The thought being that the force of the airbag deploying could actually cause harm to a child or small animal.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's exactly how it works. Not sure why it would go off if there's no weight at all on the seat but it does.
 
It's possible that injury may be prevented to the driver if the passenger airbag deploys, such as in a multiple impact accident or rollover.
 
Dealer body shop damage estimate was $11,200. My insurance will look at it this Wednesday for their estimate.

Best thing about it is the rental car they gave me, a Chevrolet Captiva SUV.....WHAT A MACHINE !! Forget these 4Runners, we have been missing the boat. 4 cyl., FWD, 0-60? ( I don't think it will do 60), the seats even seem to be plastic. Must have been designed during GM bankruptcy.
 

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