tastemydus

My Friend encountered a car coming at him in the wrong lane. He had to gas it and swerve out of way. His car did 2 360's because of wet road and slammed into stop sign doing about 40 MPH. There are 3 really bad areas that car impacted and was severely damaged, but no airbags deployed. He asked the dealer and they said they would investigate, but they told him he didn't hit hard enough and in right spot to have any of the 12 airbags deploy. Also the insurance guy said there are no sensors in the back of the vehicle, which is the area the was hit the hardest, so that was his reasoning for no airbag deployment. I am just wondering if anyone has information regarding airbag deployment, where these sensors are (I don't think they are the same ones that tell you how close you are to something) and how fast you have to be going before airbags deploy? Did he need to be going 80 mph before airbags deployed?

Zero_One

iTrader: (1)

If the impact was "harsh" enough then the impact sensors would have caught it. Yeah I am sure the stop sign did a lot of damage but I am sure it was like hitting a stick, and not a tree to the SRS system. That really sucks though! Hope everything turns out ok.

flipside909

The frontal airbag sensors on Lexus/Toyota are usually mounted on each frame rail at each end. In order for the front airbags to deploy, the severity of the crash will dictate if the airbags will deploy or not. Doesn't matter what speed you're going either. If the airbag sensors weren't directly hit or damages did not constitute deployment, the airbags wont go off.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

He's probably better off that they didn't deploy anyway. I've seen what airbags do to people and it's not pretty.

btwanky

plus to fix would cost 1000's more

tastemydus

He is in the hospital right now with head and neck injuries and not too concerned with saving money. Since the other guy didn't stop then he has to pay deductible anyways. Now I am curious as to how the car decides to deploy airbags. If he has injuries that could have been prevented with airbags deploying then I am sure he would have preferred that. Yes I have heard that sometimes they cause injuries as well, but aren't they in place to try and prevent injuries? Also flipside909 what happens if he hit a major telephone-pole and missed the sensor on impact. Are you telling me that he has to directly hit a sensor in order for the airbags to deploy and how severe does the crash need to be?

flipside909

Depends on the trajectory of the impact. In most cases, you need to hit the airbag sensors direct to have them deploy. Hypothetically, if he hit the telephone pole square on in between the frame rails or offset, chances are the damages will be severe that the airbag sensors will be hit from that type of loss.

tastemydus

I just think it is crazy he has to hit a certain sensor for airbags to deploy. Also the insurance guy said no sensors in rear bumper.. I mean how many people get rear-ended every day? Why wouldn't they put sensors in the rear of the vehicle?

Dave600hL

Is that a blanket statement that all airbags cause injury to people when deployed? It sounded like it. If not ,I am interested as to what the percentage of injuries due to airbags alone?

tastemydus

I also want to know why the only place they don't stick sensors is in the rear of the vehicle? I am going to contact the main HQ to see if they have any documentation as to when, why, how fast, basically what it takes to set off the airbags and if nobody on here knows why no sensors in rear end. I will ask if they have any information on injuries due to airbag deployment.. it's probably not likely that they will give me any of this. The dealership said they have this information but it is for their eyes only sorry didn't mean to add so much to your post

ub2slow2

Some old fart ran a red light in front of me last year in my IS350 and I couldn't miss him. I did however get slowed to probably 20 mph and turned just before I hit him but my airbags didn't deploy either. Trashed the drivers side fender, whole hood, and messed up the alignment on the passenger fender. $9,000 damage but no airbag deployment. The body shop guy said as well as a Lexus tech that they are designed to go off at certain impact points and speed. The reason for this is if they go off it is a major expense to clean up the car and replace the bags and a lot of times the insurance company will just total the car out because of that. Not necessarily Lexus's because their value is so high but a lot of cars they would. The Lexus guy assured me that in a direct head on they would have deployed but since I veered I probably saved myself a huge mess and headache.

CDNROCKIES

I agree with you that it's crazy, but I can attest that they don't have any rear sensors in cars. I was rear ended at about 40 mph by a drunk driver and I was shocked that nothing happened. The impact into the vehicle in front of me (I was stopped) was also not enough to trigger the front bags.

Hope your friend is ok and getting better

Mr Johnson

Airbags are to prevent you from hitting the steering wheel (front) or parts of the door/frame (side). Rear sensors would do what? Your body is slammed back into the seat (good) if you are hit from behind. So I am not surprised that there are no sensors there.

I hope your friend was wearing seatbelts and his head restraint was set properly.

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

What car was your friend driving?

tastemydus

Thanks I will tell him.

Here are my thoughts on this subject after reading the entire owners manual: It comes down to a money issue. Which is worth more: replacing a human life or replacing a new vehicle and so far it sounds like the insurance companies would rather pay for bodily harm then to replace a new Lexus. This issue has pissed me off so much that I read the owners manual from front to back and some of the things I came across really made me wonder how safe this vehicle is! I mean before everyone bought their car did they read the entire owner's manual? I know I didn't, but maybe I should have. Pages 77 to 87 in my owners manual, which might be different then yours, shows where all the airbags and airbag sensors are located. It also shows ZERO sensors in the rear and clearly states that you only have to be going 15mph and if the sensors somehow determines the object you are about to hit is unmovable then it will deploy the airbags but if it determines that the object you are going to hit is movable then you have to hit it at a higher rate of speed (it doesn't state exact mph) before it will deploy.

This is what blows me away:

The front airbags won't deploy if

1. The collision is from the side
2. The collision is from the rear
3. The vehicle rolls over

The Side and curtain airbags won't deploy if

1. The collision is to the side of the body other than the passenger compartment (is the passenger worth more?)
2. The collision is from a side angle
3. The collision is from the side, rear, or rolls over.

This basically states and has pictures to go with it that you have to be in a head on collision with an object that the car determines is unmovable or you have to be hit on the side at a certain angle (but it doesn't tell you what that angel is). ***** It sounds like the chances for your airbags to deploy are as good as your changes for winning the lotto.

The one good thing your car has is an EDR Electronic Data Recorder and it records everything that was going on prior to, at the time of, and after the accident so Lexus can download it to see what happened. But there are stipulations on who can see the data and who can't.
Do you think you are allowed to see the data? Nope.. even though it says you should have a right to.

Lessoned learned don't just look at owners manual, but take it, sit down, and read the entire thing.