Why airbags do not deploy in collisions
Over time, vehicle with removable bumper or speed also affect airbag not deploying.
In a car accident, when collision avoidance technology and chassis cannot function, the airbag is the last shield to protect the occupants from serious injury, even death. However, not every crash will cause the airbag to deploy, there are some reasons below that lead to the failure to deploy, according toCartoq.
Damage over time
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Airbags are complex systems with many components. Over time, some components may deteriorate and no longer function properly. The older the vehicle, the higher the risk. Manufacturers do not replace airbags after the warranty period has expired, and if there is a problem with the airbag, the manufacturer is not responsible.
Most manufacturers will mention in their owner’s manuals that airbags should be checked periodically. So, if you have an older car equipped with airbags, check them to make sure they are working properly.
Car modification
Additional parts installed on the vehicle, especially the front bumper, can make the airbag less sensitive. The sensor is installed in the front bumper to measure the force applied, when a new bumper is installed on the outside, the information transmitted to the sensor will be incomplete. At this time, the airbag may not deploy due to miscalculation or deploy but delayed.
Stab in the wrong place
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The front airbag system sensor is usually located in the front bumper, so in many cases if the car is hit in the wrong area, the airbag may not deploy. The most common evidence is when a sedan crashes under a truck (contact point is the A-pillar, windshield) or the car flips over (contact with the roof) then the front airbag does not deploy.
Manufacturer's problem
Incidents caused by system errors of airbag suppliers, such as the recent scandal of Takata, will lead to unpredictable errors such as not exploding, exploding at the wrong time, and scattering many fragments... These errors cannot be detected by the naked eye, even by normal inspection by the car manufacturer.
Vehicle speed
One of the factors that the airbag controller receives signals is a sudden decrease in vehicle speed. Accordingly, for this to happen, the vehicle must be running at a certain speed or higher. According to carfromjapan, in the US, the minimum speed of the vehicle for the airbag to deploy is 23 km/h.