Peugeot 107 2012 - air bag deployment in rear end shunt

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Fri 16 Nov 2012 16:00
Peugeot 107 2012 - air bag deployment in rear end shunt - miles_smiles01

Dear Honest John - thank you for your recent help about poor driving light replacement policy for my 5008 recently - a ridiculous affair and I'm sure this isn't the only manufacturer to do this.

Unfortunately, whilst another annoying fault of the pollen filter system warning light recurrently lighting up is (hopefully) being resolved, I was driving the 107 hire car offered to me when an accident occurred. I was stationary when a transit van type vehicle rear ended me at high speed - 30mph ish. I careered into the next stationary car in front of me - crushing the front end as well. The front airbags did not deploy but the drivers side appeared to be about to - front panel dislodged. The fire crew that cut me out of the car had to prevent the airbag from firing whilst they worked. Full marks for the safety cage of such a small car!

The driver 3 cars ahead suffered minor whiplash so the transfer of energy must have been significant.

The fire crew and ambulance crew were amazed that the bags did not deploy.

I'm just glad to be alive but the dealership said that, in the event of a rear shunt, the front airbags do not deploy.

My question is - are they correct? Surely the airbags are designed to deploy given a certain degree of impact to protect the occupants that rattle around in the car.

I'd appreciate your opinion and whether I should report this to VOSA?

Kind regards

Miles Atkinson

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Fri 16 Nov 2012 16:38
Peugeot 107 2012 - air bag deployment in rear end shunt - madf

I googled "when do front airbags not deploy" and found teh answer here.

tinyurl.com/cqm2j2q

"

When do they deploy?

For the driver or passenger airbags to deploy, the following minimum criteria must all be met:

  • www.racq.com.au/__data/assets/image/0007/47572/bul...f); background-position: 10px 0.3em; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;"> A frontal collision has occurred while the vehicle was traveling at more than about 25km/h.
  • www.racq.com.au/__data/assets/image/0007/47572/bul...f); background-position: 10px 0.3em; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;"> The angle of impact is within a window typically around thirty degrees either side of the cars centre line (around 60 degrees in total).
  • www.racq.com.au/__data/assets/image/0007/47572/bul...f); background-position: 10px 0.3em; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;"> The deceleration forces produced are at least equal to those produced when the car collides head-on with an immovable barrier at approximately 25km/h.

If all these triggering conditions are not met the airbag will not deploy. Thus, a vehicle with a properly functioning airbag system could suffer significant frontal collision damage without airbag deployment.

Front airbags will not be deployed in the event of a side or rear end collision or in a rollover, as deployment would not enhance occupant protection.

"

Edited by madf on 16/11/2012 at 16:38

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