Airbag Deployment

[bhurlbert]

2019 Ram Laramie 1500

My son got into a fender bender in the parking lot at church yesterday. He hit a Honda Odyssey broadside in the right rear quarter panel as the Honda was blindly backing into the driveway of the parking log. The passenger side airbags in the Honda all deployed.

The impact was hard enough on my truck to bust the radiator.

However, the airbags DID NOT deploy?

I'd guess he was going 15-20 mph at the time of the collision?

I'm sure the Honda is totaled since the rear quarter panel is destroyed and the rear axle is bent

My question, is why didn't the airbags go off? It's concerning that an impact hard enough to total the other car and set off their airbags, didn't set the airbags off in my Ram

Does anyone know how hard of a hit it takes to trigger airbags?

I think mine should be repairable, still waiting on insurance, body shop, etc...


Thanks

PS: No major injuries, only sore backs

 

[njjeff201]

I hit a light pole doing about 50 dead center. 2021 Limited Longhorn. Hood, radiator, condenser damage. They claimed bent axles. First estimate was 23K, changed to 32K. Progressive refused to repair. At any rate I had no air bags deploy with wife in passenger seat. WTF??? I called RAM last week asking about recalls. They lied and said there are none while I found 2. Do I really want another RAM??? Can they be trusted??? Maybe I need a lawyer.

 

[dsherman26]

I can't speak for the Ram, but stepson rear-ended somebody in my wife's Equinox, hard enough to bend the hood, fenders, and puncture the radiator, but the airbags did not deploy, though it was deemed a total loss at 80,000 miles. Stepson was also probably going 15-20 MPH.

 

[commander]

Air Bags work on deceleration! That being said, Chrysler, Ford GM or any manufacturer CAN send out an independent company that can download all of the specifics from the computer. They can tell how fast the vehicle was going, if the brakes were being applied, what gear the transmission was in, etc. They (all manufactures) are extremely interested in why a "bag" did not deploy. The independent company cannot red what they download and will only give the info to the manufacturer.
Ran a Dodge dealer collision shop for several years, and when I would ask any questions, I was told only the manufacturer could read it.

On another note, be glad the bags did not deploy in a minor collision, the expense of the parts and resetting the system is really stupid numbers. The manufacturers want to completely cover their tail ends, and make it pretty much mandatory that everything the SRS system be replaced whether damaged ort!

JT

 

[emjohn4]

Air Bags work on deceleration! That being said, Chrysler, Ford GM or any manufacturer CAN send out an independent company that can download all of the specifics from the computer. They can tell how fast the vehicle was going, if the brakes were being applied, what gear the transmission was in, etc. They (all manufactures) are extremely interested in why a "bag" did not deploy. The independent company cannot red what they download and will only give the info to the manufacturer.
Ran a Dodge dealer collision shop for several years, and when I would ask any questions, I was told only the manufacturer could read it.

On another note, be glad the bags did not deploy in a minor collision, the expense of the parts and resetting the system is really stupid numbers. The manufacturers want to completely cover their tail ends, and make it pretty much mandatory that everything the SRS system be replaced whether damaged ort!

JT

More people need to understand this! Deceleration is what 'sets off' an airbag, not an impact alone!

With crumple zones, the whole point is to increase the time, i.e. decrease the rate of deceleration (i.e. a 'softer' hit).

 

[njjeff201]

Of course deceleration allows deployment. What do you call hitting a light pole? Granted the pole snapped at ground level but that isn't sufficient to allow deployment? I told Progressive the bags didn't go off saving them a bundle but still they wouldn't repair a 2021 loaded Limited with 28K miles.

 

[Hawkman]

Of course deceleration allows deployment. What do you call hitting a light pole? Granted the pole snapped at ground level but that isn't sufficient to allow deployment? I told Progressive the bags didn't go off saving them a bundle but still they wouldn't repair a 2021 loaded Limited with 28K miles.

It sounds like you hit the pole, it gave and the truck decelerated at a slower pace. Rather than an abrupt stoppage.

The seatbelts are the first line of defense for the passengers. The airbags are supplemental. If the deceleration isn’t as abrupt, and the seat belts don’t activate the sensors, then the airbags will not deploy. The vehicle’s “brain” calculates force and stresses in milliseconds. It then determines if the SRS needs to activate.

The Side Curtin Airbags In the Toy van activated because the seat beats are not designed to stop “head impact” in a broadside accident. The belts will hold the torso, if applied and used correctly, but not the head. The airbag deploys to stop the head from striking, the interior side of the vehicle. Or worse, breaking the glass and exiting the vehicle.