LexFather

February 26th, 2006
What Happens When Airbags Go Bam—Unexpectedly?

The motoring press often writes about recalls and defects, but it also sometimes fall to us to unearth some of these problems, too. We tend to push vehicles a little further than most people would and because of that we discover things that a customer is only likely to find out about in very extreme situations. I had such an experience yesterday when I was out taking video footage for my new Web site, TheOnlineCarShow.com. I was driving the Honda’s Ridgeline, the 2006 Truck of the Year, and I was sliding it around a little bit on a favorite gravel road to get some nice shots for my voiceover segments.

I had been slithering about in the Ridgeline for about twenty minutes or so and had just set up the camera in a new position so I could get one last shot before the light faded. Entering the corner about 30-35 mph, I was getting ready to break the back end of the Ridgeline loose when both curtain airbags and the driver’s seatbelt pre-tensioner deployed for no apparent reason.

Immediately, I assumed I’d hit something or lifted a wheel off the ground but a review of the video footage revealed that nothing of the sort had happened. The VSA stability system was off; it wasn’t locked in 4WD; I didn’t touch the brakes, the transmission or the parking brake. The truck wasn’t even going very sideways when the airbags deployed and the side airbags in the seats didn’t go off so I cannot understand why it came to the conclusion a rollover was imminent. Don’t forget, I had been sliding it around for a while before the airbags went off and there hadn’t been any problems. Why did the computers pick that exact moment to fire the airbags? Without the video to corroborate my story, most people might assume I’d almost flipped the truck but saved it from going over at the last moment. The video proves that this is not the case. Had I been an owner out playing with my truck on a loose surface (it is tested and marketed as being capable of medium duty) without a video camera there to capture the moment, then I would be facing a very expensive repair now as two rather large airbags, as well as the entire roof lining, seatbelt mechanism and pillar shrouds all have to be replaced.

Right now the truck is at a local Honda dealership and then, no doubt, it will be heading back to Honda North America. Honda has already been in touch and I’ll keep you posted as to the outcome of their findings.

In the meantime, I’ve put together a little film in high and low resolution to take you through what happened. Check it out on http://www.theonlinecarshow.com and drop me a line to let me know what you think.–Conor Twomey

Overclocker

Wow! I wouldn't have believed him if it weren’t for the video proof. Very interesting.

doug_999

Well I think the Ridgeline has attitude! In fact, enough attitude that it got sick of this dude messing around and popped him one in the head. So cool.

On a serious note, he says he was not in a slide of any significant proportion, but damn if it doesn't look like he is entering a spin that is going to flip the thing when the airbags go off.

singto

hey i dont care wat happens with that truck. be honest. THAT IS ONE UGLY ****....
dont get me wrong i love honda and honda designs, but for a first truck model or a honda model at all they screwed up bad..

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i think it's pretty objective how he put everything together including honda's responds, giving advice to people on their driving habits. nicely put imho

however, while it's good intention to "sense" flipover, too sensitive isn't a good thing, as shown in this case.

regardless though, i think whether this truck is ugly or not that should be OT

videcormeum

I can't wait until Honda has to recall all of these trucks. I hope it's widely covered.

I pegged this thing as a piece of crap since day one. It's totally useless, unoriginal (thanks to the Avalanche), and now it has - as you put it - "attitude" ... random airbag deployment is just what I'm looking for in a truck.

M.

mmarshall

I couldn't actually download the video to see it, but it sounds like that is just what happened....he WAS sliding the truck, and the air-bag computer sensed the strong possibility of a rollover. When this happens, it will do exactly as he says.......set the belt pre-tensioners to hold you firmly in place and fire the side-curtain bags to help keep the A and B-pillars from crushing into you if it rolls.
Why does this happen with a Ridgeline and not with some other vehicles? Well, you're not driving an Evo or an STi, which are designed for sliding sideways around curves. Pickups are unstable, high-center-of gravity vehicles that are not designed for rallies. Drive one like a sports car and they can bite.....and the air bag computers have to be set up for max protection.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

that's the problem, you didn't see the video. looking at the video, none of the wheels left the gnd, and it's not a serious slide at all. if anything i say it's too sensitive

doug_999

Must bother you that it wins every comparo eh?

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

It sounds like a simply fix then. All Honda has to do is recalibrate the system to be less senstive. I guess real world data on how people are actually using the truck is needed. Before that it was only a guess. It doesn't seem like a big problem. Sounds like your typipcal first year bugs that need to get worked out.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

see a lot of ridgelines driving around here, its popular. According to the sales thread it sold about 4000 of them

<VENOM>

no worse then the T-100 or the Tundra

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

I watched his regular review video of the Ridgeline and this guy is good!

Loved his comment "the Ridgeline is about as close to a traditional pickup truck as Brokeback Mountain is to a traditional western."

LexFather

If you look at Honda's approach to things....

ahh


Nevermind

flipside909

Wow how ironic. I handled a claim for one of my insureds for this EXACT same scenario. My insured was driving his Ridgeline on a smooth road going about 40mph and the side airbags just deployed for no reason. He didn't hit anything, there were no road hazards (potholes, bumps, etc), and it was a clear day. He took his Ridgeline back to the Honda dealership he purchased it, left it in service and as soon as the tech's looked at it, they told him "this is definitely an insurance claim, go file it with your company". I end up getting the claim and find out whats happening. In the mean time, American Honda sent one of their regional reps to inspect the vehicle. They put it on a lift and went over it with my colleague and the Honda factory rep said to him, "Yep, there is evidence of dirt and mud under here showing that this car has been offroading and there is a small bend in the exhaust heat shield, so we are not responsible for your airbags deploying prematurely". Needless to say, my insured was pissed, I did advise him there was no claim because it wasn't classified a collision or a comprehensive claim and he was pretty sure it wasn't an insurance company situation. I told my insured to file a report with NHTSA, BBB. He ended up seeking an attorney's guidance the next day.

As for my opinion on the Ridgeline and the Honda Service and Honda Factory Rep's attitude when inspecting the vehicle....it's beyond acceptable. It was funny because my insured bought the Honda Ridgeline coming from a history of F150's and Silverados. He decided to give Honda a try this time around because he has had a good history with Honda cars in the past. He mentioned to me how misleading Honda's commercials showing the Ridgeline in offroad situations, but their service dept and factory reps are saying the airbags deployed because there is evidence of dirt/mud in the undercarriage implying my insured took his truck off roading. Shame on Honda.