Airbag Query

[vroomtshh]

I recently clipped a kerb with my passenger side front wheel, and it set of my driver side side airbag. I barely touched the kerb, no other apparent damage. Even the wheel isn't too badly marked, but will be getting replaced.

My questions are, why would such a small thing set of the airbag, and are the airbags not linked up, so if one goes they all do?

 

[muddyboots]

It's happened to a few others when hitting kerbs too.

The airbags will trigger when they detect a very sudden deceleration. In a minor crash, there's enough bodywork to crumple and absorb the impact so the sensors won't see a very sudden deceleration and won't fire.

However, if you clip or slide into a kerb, the shock will be transmitted straight through the suspension arms with nothing to absorb the impact and the sensor cannot distinguish between this and a real crash, so will fire.

Only the airbags required will actually go off, not all of them.

 

[Robsport]

It's surprising how easily they go off, mine went off after driving over a pothole

at least you know you're safe in a bigger bump but it is kind of gutting. (and expensive)

 

[HighlyEvolved]

what happens when it goes off? do you have to put it back in or what?

 

[Robsport]

It goes *BANG* and the car fills with dust! - i didn't realise that it'd gone off for at least a minute! I was sat there thinking

You have to have a new airbag fitted and I had to have a new airbag ecu - not sure if this is normal though.

It depends which airbag goes off but you have to have it professionally reset.

 

[vroomtshh]

Yeh I thought the drivers side window had smashed, heard the bang and ducked out of the way of the glass but it never came.

Then what happens is, you have to pay £600 and lose 7 years no claims due to the fact you're 6 months away from being 25, therefore paying a higher excess and not being able to protect your no claims. Even though I've paid them around £9k in 7years!

 

[Mr Cellotape]

This may be a dumb question, but how much would it of cost to the fix airbag had you paid for it out of your own pocket rather than going through your insurance?

 

[Hairy]

Then what happens is, you have to pay £600 and lose 7 years no claims due to the fact you're 6 months away from being 25, therefore paying a higher excess and not being able to protect your no claims. Even though I've paid them around £9k in 7years!

loose 7 years no claims! what sort of monkey outfit are you insured with? I've never heard of any one loosing more than 2 years NC after a claim?!

 

[Robsport]

wow £600 excess. thats expensive.

Mine cost £900 in all to get fixed, it might be worth paying it yourself mate if you're gonna loose the no claims.

I probably would

 

[vroomtshh]

loose 7 years no claims! what sort of monkey outfit are you insured with? I've never heard of any one loosing more than 2 years NC after a claim?!

Direct Line. You mean I wont lose the lot? I didnt know that.

As for repairing it myself - the garage are quoting the work at around £3k so I dont think I'll be going down that road - Although I did wonder if the garage are trying to rip the insurance company off

 

[Vicky M]

when airbags were first fitted in mercedes, they quoted £1200 to replace, recharge and reset.

advertised as "a drop in the ocean compared to the cost of life "

i'm sure now that every car has X amount of airbags, it would be cheaper now??

 

[vroomtshh]

Not sure, but I imagine they'll replace the seat. I also need two new alloys, steering rack, track rod end, ball joint and driveshaft.

I would hate to see the damage if i had been doing something stupid

 

[Robsport]

wow. thats alot of damage from just clipping a kerb!

How fast were you going?

 

[vroomtshh]

About 40mph. Yeh I didn't think there was so much damage. Car drove fine and tracked reaonably well. I also have a fair bit of mechanical experience, and in my opinion, the garage are quoting for work that they can get away with. At the end of the day it makes no huge difference to me, as I'm claiming the insurance anyway.

The wheel isn't even that bad. It could ut since I'm claiming, I may as well have it replaced, and the rear one already had a small kerbing so they are replacing it too.

 

[yellowperil]

I had this happen on my cupra. Passenger side airbag, seatbelt pre-tensioner. Alloy wheel, tyre and lower arm or something like that.
Also ECU registers a crash and needs resetting. Turned power steering off and put hazzard lights on for me!