WTF Airbags Deployed for no reason

Z

zlasterhazzard

New member
So yesterday i was pulling out of and alley behind my house and BANG! both side curtain airbags deployed for no reason. Im trying to figure out how to approach toyota with this issue as i do have bigger tires and the OW 2.0 kit set at about 2.5 inches of lift. The car is an 06 limited with about 58000 miles i bought the extended warranty with it and i know they will try to claim i went off road with it and that my lift caused the issue but i also know about the Supreme court ruling that says they have to be able to link the mods to the issue to void the warranty but i forgot the name of it. I plan on getting a tow truck to get the car as i cant see out of the sides and dont want to drive it until its looked at.. dont want the fronts to go off on me too, and then make toyota give me a loaner while they repair it on there tab. I plan on bringing one of my parents with me(both lawyers) to make sure they dealer doesn't try to pull some BS and make me pay. So any suggestions on how i can accomplish this with out to many headaches, or anyone with experience like this, i read about one guy in a 05 who had it happen to him when going from pavement to gravel or something, but ive driven down this ally thousands of times and put over 7000 miles on my car since lift with no issues, im just glad i was only going 5mph in an ally or im sure it would have been much worse. Sorry for being long winded just wanted to get it all out there.

TIA
 
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As shown in the past Toyota has to prove that anything modified on the car would/could have caused the problem. A lift has nothing to do with the crumple zone airbag deploy sensors. There trying to avoid that this wasn't a sensor issue and has something to do with your lift/tires will be a real streach.

That is/was an extreme saftey hazard, and with everything Toyota is doing now to improve it's PR in this area, I would force that idea upon the service help/manager. I would take nothing less that a comparable loaner, and the problem resolved fully by Toyota with nothing out of your pocket. To boot I would demand a full exact explaination as to how this could occur. If you had a loved one in that seat, they could be in the hospital from something like that. I've found keeping a level head really goes far with a dealership, they deal with so many people that just complain when they find out there lack of maintenace will cost money, and they think that they are being taken for ride all the time. Talk with them calmly, and firmly, and I bet this will get fixed the way you want it to.

Keep this tread updated, I would really like to know how this goes with the dealership.
 
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Nothing technical to add, just my support for you. This could have been REALLY dangerous, and I don't believe it is in any way your fault. Keep us updated.
 
:iagree: you could have gotten hurt real bad when those deploy for no good reason. cause its like getting punched in the face when those goes off
 
Glad you're ok... I think about my dog, it could've killed him! Broken his neck... If he dies in a real wreck well then it's just the way it is but an uncommanded deployment:wtf:


Good luck and keep us updated!
 
I have seen this happen to one other vehicle, a nissan titan. Nissan fixed it under warrenty. Was the alley slanted?

Anyone else with a lifted runner have this problem?
 
gm350reratliff said:
I have seen this happen to one other vehicle, a nissan titan. Nissan fixed it under warrenty. Was the alley slanted?

Anyone else with a lifted runner have this problem?
Click to expand...

You have to be pretty tippy for them to deploy prematurely. If I am wheeling and plan on going to places where I will be going past 20 degrees I usually turn off the side....but I have forgotten and they still haven't gone off even at 35.

The sensors should only let the side deploy in the event of an actual collision or an impending roll over. Be sure to post back what happens and what the root cause is/was if you can get that info! Wish you the best of luck!!!
 
The side curtain airbags don't need a collision to go off - they have a rollover sensor. If they sense that the vehicle has a certain amount of momentum as if the vehicle were rolling over, then the airbags fire. It's not clear how sensitive they are. They have the "RSCA Cutoff" switch on the dash so that you can turn them off when you go off-roading so they don't go off accidentally.

I'd expect the dealer to say that the mods raised the center of gravity for the vehicle and therefore changed the forces that the rollover sensors detect. Whether or not that's really true or to what degree, I don't know. It depends how those sensors are designed and calibrated.
 
Cant they easily prove that a lift caused this to happen. Raised COG etc etc. Happened to one other person on this forum. I believe they totaled the car as deployment of airbags, especially side curtain airbags basically destroys the interior.
 
Airbags get recalled all the time for going off without cause. This happens to Toyota,Honda, GM, Ford......possibly all using the same supplier. Toyota should have statistic how many of which model go off without cause. If all those that did are lifted off-roaders, thats evidence for you. If not.....
 
It doesn't make sense for the lift to cause them to deploy. Raising the center of gravity doesn't have anything to do with the roll over sensor, at least it seems that way to me. The sensors won't know if they are 14 inches off the ground or 12 feet on a car hauler, shouldn't matter. Afterall it's not an altitude sensor! I work claims for an insurance company, and can tell you that similarly Toyota should put the favor with the customer, ie as mentioned before, THEY will have to prove the lift actually caused the deployment. However, you might want to read the fine print in that warrantee. Sometimes they state very clearly what can void the warantee but still work with customers to see if those modifications caused the damage and possibly cover the repairs anyway.

The other option is to lower the vehicle back to stock specs, then take it in. Sounds kind of bad, but if they're going to deny your claim based on a lift that doesn't affect the sensor, I'd do it in a heartbeat, although it could be costly and may not even be an option.
Just my thoughts, hope it all works out. I hope the dealership sees things my way! Good luck and let us know what they say.
 
Update

Thanks for all the support and responses

After my dad and I throughly looked over the warranty and the the Magnuson moss act,(we are pretty sure it would be a really big stretch for them to say i have voided my warranty with mods), we went to the dealer ship on Saturday, the service rep was very nice and told me they would first inspect it to find the root cause, then call me, she didn't say anything about the lift but did ask about the wiring for my hella 500's, they gave me a corolla the only car they loan. Got a call today they said they have to call Toyota before they can look at anything related to an accident, so they are waiting on a call or email back from Toyota then they will start the inspection.
 
Update

Thanks for all the support and responses

After my dad and I throughly looked over the warranty and the the Magnuson moss act,(we are pretty sure it would be a really big stretch for them to say i have voided my warranty with mods), we went to the dealer ship on Saturday, the service rep was very nice and told me they would first inspect it to find the root cause, then call me, she didn't say anything about the lift but did ask about the wiring for my hella 500's, they gave me a corolla the only car they loan. Got a call today they said they have to call Toyota before they can look at anything related to an accident, so they are waiting on a call or email back from Toyota then they will start the inspection.
 
MikesToy said:
I know this is too late but for other members here to learn. You should've turned off your RCSA.
Click to expand...

Why would he turn off his RSCA while driving around town? What would the point of RSCA be then if you cant use them during normal city/highway driving?
 
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