I can't give too much detail on this but would be grateful for any opinions/facts.
If a car such as a Mondeo strikes an immoveable solid object such as a high kerb, what kind of speed would that vehicle have to be travelling at to cause one of the airbags to inflate?
Also, once inflated, what would be a reasonable cost to have the airbag replaced/repacked/whatever it is that has to be done?
Any help gratefully received!
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It's not just about speed, but direction, and probably other parameters like rate of deceleration, too. In his V70 D5, my brother hit a French autoroute concrete central barrier very hard in his V70, several times, as the car spun around and around. Huge car damage, but no injuries to occupants (including my wife!), and none of the many airbags deployed.
Hitting a high kerb, head on, and with rapid deceleration, may in fact be more likely to deploy it.
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If the airbag has gone off then it very likely that the car will get written-off. I was in an accident in my Subaru 4 years ago, and the cost to replace all parts in the airbag system came to around £6000.
I recall that Land Rover had issues with unrequired deployments during testing of their American spec vehicles (mandatory airbags) offroad.
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airbag sensors are generally one of two
i) ball bearing in a tight cardboard tube
ii) small electronic item with "hairs" that touch setting off airbag
in either case its gotta be appropriate force in the direction the sensor is set
off roaders often use multiple sensors slightly offset to make detection of genuine crash better, as opposed to going over another rock
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Does this mean that any car over 10 years old is effectively worthless? I ask because if that's the age some manufacturers recommend the systems are changed, it wouldn't be economic to do so. But what would happen if I were involved in an accident and I hadn't changed the airbags or seat belt tensioners? You can imagine the insurance companies having lengthy arguments...
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No real drama or expense to change an airbag,plenty available unused from damaged cars from around £35.Try www.airbagsforsale.com
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Duchess,
The forward speed to set off a Mondeo airbag is 12MPH+. I do not believe the airbags would be set off if the wheels alone hit the kerb. The body has impact detectors mounted on the front chassis and these need to detect the impact to deploy the system.
Just for information a rearward impact would not cause the system to deploy.
As for the question of refitting the airbags this is irrelevant as more than the bags need to be replaced after an impact.
The airbags need to be replaced
The airbag module and sensors may also need replacing if not resetting
The seatbelt pre-tensioners which the seatbelt connects to need replacing
Finally in most cases the seatbelts also need replacing as they have a tendency to stretch during impact.
Hope this information helps.
Carse
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hi duchess i am not 100% sure but have heard that mondeo airbags use the seatbelts to trigger them as well as impact sensors elsewhere so if you dont have your seatbelt on the airbag wont go off. i may be totally wrong but i am sure i read this on the mondeo enthusiasts group site might be worth checking with them....cheers ...keo
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Some time ago, my neighbour, who at the time was a mechanic working for the police garage, told me that the PFDs were stealing Mondeos, by setting off the airbags in a certain way which also unlocked all the doors.
This has been edited to remove details about the method used.
Hugo - BR Moderator
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I understood that airbags were unable to deploy unless the vehicle was moving at a certain speed, to prevent them going off if you were nudged while stationary, for example.
I do recall reading that when airbags first appeared on cars in the States it was a favourite yob sport to whack the bumper of a parked car with a baseball bat to set them off.
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Yeah I heard that but I was under the impression, that Ford's at least needed to be going 12mph for the sensors or whatever to be activated.
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Adam
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as er...Carse said earlier...
....I'll just go now.
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Adam
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Personally I can never recall seeing or hearing about a car that has been stolen/attempted theft whereby someone has struck the front of it to make the doors unlock. No1, it may make the doors unlock but it doesn't overcome the steering lock/immobiliser. No2, Can you imagine trying to drive a car with a deflated airbag hanging out of the centre of the steering wheel, because you can nevr stuff them back in the same as before they are deployed. No3, it would look highly suspicious if you were driving a car about with a load of airbags hanging out of the dashboard/steering wheel.
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Many cars have been stolen over the years merely by bumping another vehicle into it sharply from close up - this deactivates the central locking as it replicates the effect of an accident (if necessary the occupants/rescuers can get out/gain access).
I would imagine that airbag activation would also depend on the size and weight of a vehicle - it would presumably have to be less sensitive for a small, light vehicle than for a larger and heavier one.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Brings us back to a query that was discussed on airbags many months ago. Will they actually deploy without the ignition on? I think the general consensus was that they wouldn't??
I have seen at first hand several cars which were mangled by someone running into their fronts whilst they were parked up and all the airbags were intact.
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