non-deployed air bag

[28-1]

At a recent multi-vehicle MVA, a late model Toyota Tercel impacted the rear of a late model Blazer and sustained moderate to severe front end damage - mostly to the hood area. Speed involved was approx 40-55 mph at time of impact. The airbag of the Tercel did not deploy. The hood of the Tercel was crumpled and folded to the windsheild. Yet but because of the nose-dive type impact little damage to the front bumper or front crumple zones occured. Is this why the non-deployment of air bag, or is there something else I should be looking for? And is there still danger of deployment even though the sensors were not damaged?

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Mike Lee

[MetalMedic]

Well, any non-deployed airbag always presents a concern. From the training I have received, you can anticipate an airbag to have the potential to deploy anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 hours after you disconnect the battery. I would have even more respect for a foreign car's airbag(s). As for why it did not deply, you might be on the right track. Generally speaking, in order for the airbag to deply, two separate sensors located remote from each other must activate at the same time. With the downward force you describe, perhaps one or both failed to sense the deceleration when they were sensing vertical movement instead.

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Richard Nester
Orrville (OH) Fire Dept.


[This message has been edited by MetalMedic (edited December 13, 1999).]

[Jim Greene]

28-1 I thought we were the only 1's who had a Toyota with front end damage & the drivers & passenger air bags did not deploy. On our MVA the driver was pulled out of the car by other motorist who thought the car was on fire. It was steam coming from the broken radiator.
It would be interesting to find out if Toyota's have a problem ?

Jim Greene

[Ron Shaw]

There have been many reports of non-deployed airbags from frontal or near frontal crashes.

Treat all non-deployed airbags as if they were active, even after the electrical power has been disconnected.

Proper distancing is the best way to reduce personal injury from an undeployed airbag:

5-10-20 Inch Rule, this is a generic rule, 5 inches from a side impact, double the figure for the driver's frontal or 10 inches, double the figure for passenger side frontal or 20 inches.

Every day there is a new airbag coming out, inflatable carpet airbag, knee bolster, side impact curtain, seat mounted SIPS, and now the latest, the "rear frontal impact airbag" on the Nissan Presidential, available in the Japan market.

Becareful of what you pry, start going to your local dealerships to see what is out there. Don't wait for the information to come to you, it will pass you by.

Capacitor electrical drain down times will vary after all power sources have been disconnected. Any were from one second to 30 minutes will be a broad sprectrum, but which is the one for the vehicle you are working on? Keep the distance, and don't place any hard object between the airbags and you/patient. Try to stop something flying at 200+ MPH!

I have ammended the original post, Please note that Nissan Presidential has the option for the Rear Passenger Frontal Airbag system. It is Audi that has the Safeguard tm, it's a side impact curtain.

Have a Safe 2000! Ron Shaw

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Ron Shaw http://www.extrication.com


[This message has been edited by Ron Shaw (edited January 12, 2000).]

[Davidjb]

In any mva where the airbag did not deploy we use an airbag restraint system. It attaches to the steering wheel and will deflect the bag away from the passenger/ rescuer should it deploy. They are a one time use tool and must be replaced once it has done it's job.

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David Brooks, Firefighter, D/O, 1st Resp.
Newmarket Fire & Rescue
Newmarket, New Hampshire
http://www.NewmarketNH.com/Fire

[MetalMedic]

Check the other string in this forum about the "Bagbusters" airbag restraint systems...

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Richard Nester
Orrville (OH) Fire Dept.

[This message has been edited by MetalMedic (edited January 05, 2000).]

[Ron Shaw]

While there are hundreds of departments using drivers frontal airbag restraint devices, I caution you all.

The NHTSA-DOT, airbag & auto industry warn you not to cut or restrain any airbag system. If there is an accidental deployment, it is your equipment that is between the airbag and the potential victum. The airbag won't be the cause of the injury, it will be the departments equipment that they put over the steering wheel assembly.

I ask you all this question, who will be liable if someone becomes injured if the device fails and causes an injury should the SRS be accidently deployed?

Remember the industry and the federal government tell you not to use a restraint device!

There are other threads on restraint devices as the reader before me posted, look them over before you use the equipment.

For those that don't know me, contact Ron Moore, he convinced me, and now I caution others and teach the proper distancing will help reduce the risk of injury by using a simple rule 5-10-20 inches from all the airbags. 5 inches (side impact), double that for 10 inches (drivers frontal), double that for 20 inches (passenger frontal). Ron also cuts the passenger seat back out to increase the distance and make working easier around the passenger side of the vehicle.

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Ron Shaw
http://www.extrication.com