Anybody ever have an airbag deploy on them?

[Chrissy]

Just wondered if your face got as messed up as this kid at work's face did. He was all black and blue, etc.

I was watching this video and can't tell where the face plate on the steering wheel goes after the airbag is deployed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbCrV9Zo41o

[bigwheel]

Chrissy, was in the bodyshop industry most of my life. The bags are a pretty
coarse woven fiber, (like a plastic woven tarp without the coating). They deploy
300 mph or so. the faster the better as by the time your face hits them they should be deflating. The exhaust holes are fairly large. If you forearms or anything else is in the way as it explodes out it takes the hide off you or hammers whatever is in the way. The 90's honda accords passenger bag used to destroy the dash and break the windshield on the way out. They work though. They have save a lot of lives and countless serious injuries. The face plate is the airbag on most steering wheels. It just splits open.

[Chrissy]

But what is it that is hitting you / your face to cause injury - is it the faceplate of the steering wheel, or does the thing deploy from somewhere else? I guess it's different for each make/model of car?

[bigwheel]

Originally Posted by Chrissy

But what is it that is hitting you / your face to cause injury - is it the faceplate of the steering wheel, or does the thing deploy from somewhere else? I guess it's different for each make/model of car?

It's just the bag itself that hit's you if you are too close or in the case of some cheaper cars, bags that don't deploy fast enough. It's due to the system, not the bags themselves, the chemical reaction is the same in all of them. If you were moving forward while that thing is coming out it's a 300-400 mile an hour collision. A pillow would kill you at those speeds. It has to be fully deployed and deflating when you hit it. In every instance that is not possible as we move around in cars. Kids especially. If you are bent forward getting something out of the glove box when the accident occurs it doesn't work as designed.

[Chrissy]

I'm also wondering how hard of a hit the car has to take before the thing goes off. If it's a little fender bender, I hope it doesn't go off!!!

[bigwheel]

Originally Posted by Chrissy

I'm also wondering how hard of a hit the car has to take before the thing goes off. If it's a little fender bender, I hope it doesn't go off!!!

The switch is a steel ball held to a magnet. If it breaks loose it goes forward and makes contact. Takes a near straight head on hit. The speed varies with manufacturers but it's not that high. But walk into a wall at 3 miles an hour and see how bad it hurts. Don't let the system scare you. If they were a health hazard you would know people who have been hurt by them. The worst I ever saw was a guy that lost the skin off his forearms. It didn't require treatment, just a bad road rash. The speeds generally listed are about 13 mph for a solid object impact, double that for a car to car hit. 7 G's is the actual rating they shoot for.

[Chrissy]

That doesn't sound so bad, but man, that kid at work got really messed up! It made me think, maybe it's not so great to have an airbag, lol

[bill3542]

i saw a guy in a dealership accidently set one off, he ended up with broken glasses and black/blue marks on his face, he said it damn near scared the piss out of him.

[fourtfourmag]

Originally Posted by Chrissy

I'm also wondering how hard of a hit the car has to take before the thing goes off. If it's a little fender bender, I hope it doesn't go off!!!

My wife was sandwiched (3 car accident where she was the middleman) in our 4Runner @ 35+ and the Runner's airbags didn't deploy. Maybe the sensor was on the roof in that paticular year.

44

Here's a vid to show some airbag pwr... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XzgwmMqHtg

[panzertruppe]

No,

But I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express...

panzertruppe

[Chrissy]

Originally Posted by fourtfourmag

My wife was sandwiched (3 car accident where she was the middleman) in our 4Runner @ 35+ and the Runner's airbags didn't deploy. Maybe the sensor was on the roof in that paticular year.

44

Here's a vid to show some airbag pwr... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XzgwmMqHtg

I can see it being very useful in smaller cars, but I drive a GMC Yukon. It's high off the ground and big. I purposely drive a bigger car because in most cases, your chances of survival are higher if you're more protected by a bigger car. I almost wish the airbag was an option. I think I'd turn mine off if I could.

Bill, I think it would scare the crap out of me too, lol

[bigwheel]

Originally Posted by fourtfourmag

My wife was sandwiched (3 car accident where she was the middleman) in our 4Runner @ 35+ and the Runner's airbags didn't deploy. Maybe the sensor was on the roof in that paticular year.

44

Here's a vid to show some airbag pwr... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XzgwmMqHtg

The hit from the rear won't do it, and her actual impact speed wasn't as high as
she thought or one of the links in the system, clock spring, computer, inertia switches or wiring was bad. The bags themselves are bullet proof in reliability.
Usually the light will flash if there is any failure in the system. Hacks remove the
bulb when they don't replace the parts they are supposed to after a deployment.
A lot of cars require the 600.00 computer, the 150.00 clock spring as well as the
bags to be replaced. Some guys buying repairing and selling cars have found
a cheaper way.

[Sweersa]

My Ford Ranger has airbags on the passenger and driver side. The passenger side is behind a plastic panel that has started to crack from the top middle because the plastic is weakened in the design in the middle to break that way in the event the airbag goes off.

I really want to replace the cracked panel but because it is over the airbag I'm too scared to mess with it. I don't want to die with that thing going off in my face.

[Chrissy]

I just watched that video - OMG!!! You see?? I don't want that thing hitting me in the face - no way!!!

[bigwheel]

Originally Posted by Sweersa

My Ford Ranger has airbags on the passenger and driver side. The passenger side is behind a plastic panel that has started to crack from the top middle because the plastic is weakened in the design in the middle to break that way in the event the airbag goes off.

I really want to replace the cracked panel but because it is over the airbag I'm too scared to mess with it. I don't want to die with that thing going off in my face.

Disconnect the battery. Let it sit for an hour. You can't set it off without an electrical charge going to it. But be ready for a high ticket item. They aren't cheap and the new plastic color will be off from your dash.

[bigwheel]

Originally Posted by Chrissy

I just watched that video - OMG!!! You see?? I don't want that thing hitting me in the face - no way!!!

Wear you seatbelt and it can't.

[Sweersa]

Originally Posted by bigwheel

Disconnect the battery. Let it sit for an hour. You can't set it off without an electrical charge going to it. But be ready for a high ticket item. They aren't cheap and the new plastic color will be off from your dash.

Thanks for the advice. My interior is almost perfect in my 1997 Ranger except that dang crack! I have thought about taking it to a dealer but that will cost an arm and a leg.

I think the panel is actually part of the airbag unit, if so I'd have to replace the entire thing.

[Chrissy]

Originally Posted by bigwheel

Wear you seatbelt and it can't.

Why can't it if I'm wearing a seatbelt? I do wear one all the time, though just so's ya know!

[fourtfourmag]

Originally Posted by bigwheel

The hit from the rear won't do it, and her actual impact speed wasn't as high as
she thought or one of the links in the system, clock spring, computer, inertia switches or wiring was bad. The bags themselves are bullet proof in reliability.
Usually the light will flash if there is any failure in the system. Hacks remove the
bulb when they don't replace the parts they are supposed to after a deployment.
A lot of cars require the 600.00 computer, the 150.00 clock spring as well as the
bags to be replaced. Some guys buying repairing and selling cars have found
a cheaper way.

35 was conservative, her only eye witness was a State trooper that was giving out a ticket at the time which is why the rubbernecking was going on by the negligent driver. My wife was stopped as was the driver in front of her w/about 5-10' of room between them. When struck, my wife closed that gap and pushed the much larger vehicle quite a bit. The car that caused all this was trashed, all airbags deployed and she struck so hard that it blew out all of her windows except the back window. The Runner was shot as well.

I had a friend w/a new Toyota Celica who rear ended someone at highway speeds and his bad didn't deploy either.

44

[ronin]

A good friend of mine was in an accident and the bag deployed. She had two black eyes, broken nose and bruises on her face.

The car was in a hell of a lot worse shape than she was. The firefighters said that's what the bags do but it would be damned worse without them.

[bigwheel]

Originally Posted by Chrissy

Why can't it if I'm wearing a seatbelt? I do wear one all the time, though just so's ya know!

You won't be leaning forward when it goes off. It'll work like it is supposed to.
(And I rarely wear one, just so's YOU know. )

[bigwheel]

Ronin, sounds like she would have died without the system. Or gone through the
windshield. I remember what peoples faces used to look like after a bangup when
they broke the windshield with their faces.

[Chrissy]

Originally Posted by bigwheel

You won't be leaning forward when it goes off. It'll work like it is supposed to.
(And I rarely wear one, just so's YOU know. )

LOL! Okay, so if I won't be leaning forward because of the seat belt, then what WILL it hit? The casing for the steering wheel has to go SOMEWHERE. I'm thinking in my face, haha!

[valleyrat]

My uncle had his foot resting up on the dash of a 05 Honda Odyssey van when the airbag went off (in an accident). Broke his ankle, he was messed up for about a year or so.

[bigwheel]

Originally Posted by Chrissy

LOL! Okay, so if I won't be leaning forward because of the seat belt, then what WILL it hit? The casing for the steering wheel has to go SOMEWHERE. I'm thinking in my face, haha!

The casing doesn't move,
it just splits open. The bag will be deflating when you impact it, not inflating, it
won't hurt you, it will save your life.

[nalioth]

Originally Posted by Chrissy

LOL! Okay, so if I won't be leaning forward because of the seat belt, then what WILL it hit? The casing for the steering wheel has to go SOMEWHERE. I'm thinking in my face, haha!

Chrissy, the steering wheel cover is hinged (either on each side, as mentioned above) or on one side.

When that bag goes off, the cover is flipped behind the steering wheel - not at you.

Yes, I've had an airbag deploy on me.
- No, it didn't mess up my face at all.
- Yes, I was wearing my seat belt.
- Yes, it tore a good strip off my left arm (I was holding the steering wheel at 3 and 9)

[Chrissy]

Originally Posted by bigwheel

The casing doesn't move,
it just splits open. The bag will be deflating when you impact it, not inflating, it
won't hurt you, it will save your life.

Okay, thank you for all your input and knowledge. I'm trusting you now, so should I be in an accident and if my face gets messed up worse than it already is, you're gonna get yelled at by me!

[Jonny Detroit]

I got hit by one. It did not bruise my face. The head hitting the passenger window gave me a short term case of amnesia though. Yes... it was really really weird.

[Chrissy]

Originally Posted by nalioth

Chrissy, the steering wheel cover is hinged (either on each side, as mentioned above) or on one side.

When that bag goes off, the cover is flipped behind the steering wheel - not at you.

Yes, I've had an airbag deploy on me.
- No, it didn't mess up my face at all.
- Yes, I was wearing my seat belt.
- Yes, it tore a good strip off my left arm (I was holding the steering wheel at 3 and 9)

So it wasn't that bad then? You seemed to survive it okay.

[Aug's Dad]

Some years ago a guy slid in front of me in a snow storm, I t-boned him, air bag deployed, I had my seat belt on, I braced myself with the steering wheel, not a mark on me. My shoulders were sore for awhile from bracing myself. I worked at a car dealership, we had a recall on driver's side airbags. We had to detonate them before trashing them. We were given a long wiring harness and instructed to deploy them face up. Well hell, that's no fun!! We would get everyone outside, detonate them face down at an angle and try to land them on our 2 story roof. Might still be a few up there.

[bigwheel]

Originally Posted by Chrissy

Okay, thank you for all your input and knowledge. I'm trusting you now, so should I be in an accident and if my face gets messed up worse than it already is, you're gonna get yelled at by me!

See my thinking is a little different. The hit could improve me.

[Cy4ka]

I can tun the airbag off in my S-10 but only on the passenger side...

[bigwheel]

Nalioth. I have been retired for a number of years but I never saw any kind of
cover the was solid. They all were plastic and the bag just splits the material open
as it comes out. Not saying they couldn't make a hinged one but it adds an un needed danger and cost.

[Mandaree36]

I think thousands and thousands of saved lives negates a broken nose or brusies...

Kind of a non issue when you look at it.

I wouldnt even consider a ride without airbags anymore - but then there was a period of my life where I got to see the end results of no air bags and not wearing seatbelts...

Kind of makes the rest all babbling over nothing..

[bigwheel]

Originally Posted by Cy4ka

I can tun the airbag off in my S-10 but only on the passenger side...

I always make sure the passenger side light is blinking. I like my truck better than
most people (
)