need some opinions
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need some opinions
hey guys, was involved in an accident with my 2002 F-150 Thursday. It was a front to side impact (T-bone), with my vehicle receiving the front damage. On the police reports they figured I was traveling 50 mph at the point of impact. The damage was to the front right side of the vehicle. My question is why did my air bag not go off?? Where are the sensors to deploy the bags, I really feel like they should have went off. My attorney doesn't seem to think that it's that big of a deal. What do you think?
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Glancing blow? How much crunch was there?
Was this a solid hit?
I hit a Honda Accord with a Mercury Sable and it was total time for both. Didn't crunch up the front of the car much. The hood was still ok. But the whole car had the beginnings of a bend in it, as you could see from a dent/deformation just behind the driver in the roof. I think I was going about 30 when I hit him.
If you were going 50 and had a solid hit, you wouldn't be writing in this forum right now at all w/o an airbag, and not for a few more days with one.
Was this a solid hit?
I hit a Honda Accord with a Mercury Sable and it was total time for both. Didn't crunch up the front of the car much. The hood was still ok. But the whole car had the beginnings of a bend in it, as you could see from a dent/deformation just behind the driver in the roof. I think I was going about 30 when I hit him.
If you were going 50 and had a solid hit, you wouldn't be writing in this forum right now at all w/o an airbag, and not for a few more days with one.
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wasn't a direct hit, had turned the wheels, the right fender and front end sustained to most damage. don't know the actual speed, just what the police figured it be. i know i was doing 70 before hitting the brakes.
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Ok, so you hit and kept going, right? Or did you spin out or something like that?
If you hit a glancing blow, and kept going and had to brake to a stop, it's a good thing that bag didn't pop, as you would have been at risk for loosing what control you still had, and then at risk for a secondary collision w/o the bag.
Airbag sensors can't be programmed to determine residual speed, as by the time you could figure that out, the bag has to be inflated.
My guess is you just didn't hit it solid enough to pop them.
If you hit a glancing blow, and kept going and had to brake to a stop, it's a good thing that bag didn't pop, as you would have been at risk for loosing what control you still had, and then at risk for a secondary collision w/o the bag.
Airbag sensors can't be programmed to determine residual speed, as by the time you could figure that out, the bag has to be inflated.
My guess is you just didn't hit it solid enough to pop them.
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From: Honkytonkville
Airbags aren't regular sensors on Fords anymore I believe, I think they're mercury sensors that will deploy them at any very abrupt stop, regardless of direction. Again, it would depend on the amount the vehicle jolted.
Scott
Scott
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From: Tampa Bay, FL USA
Originally Posted by scottie2hottie
Airbags aren't regular sensors on Fords anymore I believe, I think they're mercury sensors that will deploy them at any very abrupt stop, regardless of direction. Again, it would depend on the amount the vehicle jolted.
Scott
Scott
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Laughing Gas
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From: Pensacola, FL
wife and sister in law hit a pt cruiser in a similar fashion the other day in the in laws 99 taurus, and the bags didnt pop in it either. not sure when they are designed to pop
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Your attorney doesn't seem to think it is a big deal because you must not have any severe damages to your person. (I am assuming this as you never mentioned it- not saying that you didn't) Basically that is all they look for in the settlements. Otherwise he would probably jumped on it. A former investigative company that I worked for had investigated a dodge truck that also did this- Read Millions. Unfortunately, the juvenile died in the accident , so there were of course wrongful death damages awarded. It happens alot , like anything mechanical - it doesn't always do as designed. Just be glad you were not hurt I guess.
Lead Driver
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From: On the road in Ohio
impact force and the amount of deceleration are what determines whether or not the bags will deploy.
i know mine did, both the drivers and passenger's deployed..i was alone at the time.i think hit at 55 -60mph at a 45 into the guard rail....{see gallery for pics}
i know mine did, both the drivers and passenger's deployed..i was alone at the time.i think hit at 55 -60mph at a 45 into the guard rail....{see gallery for pics}
Post Fiend
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From: Topsfield, MA
My 95 might be different...but I've been in 3 big accidents, I was T-boned at 50 in one of them...and my airbags have never gone off and I'm glad they didn't. Mine only goes off if the bumper is hit.
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From: Honkytonkville
Originally Posted by MustangGT221
My 95 might be different...but I've been in 3 big accidents, I was T-boned at 50 in one of them...and my airbags have never gone off and I'm glad they didn't. Mine only goes off if the bumper is hit.
Remember, with these new air bag sensors, if you slam on your brakes very hard the sensor will "settle" at that velocity(the negative velocity/deceleration of the vehicle) if you hold on the brakes for a few seconds, then when your impact occurs, the NEW change in velocity isn't enough to set off the sensor. That's why I'm not fond of them, I either want them want them to go off or not be there at all! This probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but it might explain why your air bags didn't go off.
Scott
Last edited by scottie2hottie; Oct 27, 2004 at 04:31 PM.
Senior User
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From: Phoenix, AZ
i took a sensor apart when i was in high school auto class and it is basicly a metal dowel rod welded to a piece of spring steel. and the car decellerates the metal rod rolls the spring steel forward, and if it is quick enough deceleration then it will contact the front of the sensor.... blowing the bags. so on a side hit or a hit not in line with the axis of the car..... no movement forward ...... no bag. some cars have the same sensors mounted forward, backward, and on the sides. side airbags are the same idea just mounted sideways in the car. so it takes a good impact in line with the sensor to set off the bags.
