[GameDay]

My daughter was driving the car last week and hit a deer going about 45 mph. I bought (leased) teh car for safety reasons, but the darn airbags did not deploy. Unfortunately, it's her 3rd accident...2 minor front end, last somewhat major, and they have never deployed.
First 2 were less than 15 m.p.h. Are these defective...what can VW do for me. How can I be sure they are working...will they give me a new car with airbags that work?
Again, the reason for the car was safety/airbags? I'm starting to be somewhat concerned about the lack of deployment (and the number of accidents in a little less than a year).
Thanks!
GameDay

 

[DeeJoker]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (GameDay)

Bags I think from my accident story are supposed to deploy over 20mph. I could be wrong but I think that is the case. You really wouldn't however, want to replace the bags in a sub 20mph accident. I have heard as much as 3 grand to do JUST the fronts. Seat bags I hear require a new entire seat.
Don't worry, its still a safe car. I walked away from this without a scratch, and a telephone pole is slightly tougher than a Whitetail.

 

[DeeJoker]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (GameDay)

(what car are you referring to?)

 

[BoraBill]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (GameDay)

Gameday: glad to hear, that we know of, that your daughter is safe and sound. Not so good for the deer though..
At 45 mph which is pretty fast, the impact can be actually not as hard as u may think.
If i hit a car that was going 35 mph and i was going 45...the 'sudden' impact is not that big.
If i hit a car that was stationary and i was going 45....then that's a different story, the airbags SHOULD deploy.
The story is: your daughter could of hit the deer...but maybe the deer was going somewhat sideways already and the impact was not full frontal impact. If that was the case the sensors were not 'Jolted' enough to deploy the airbags.
Remember that your daughter hit the deer and had to stop the car and pulled over. Had the airbags DID deploy...it may shock her, throw her eyeglasses off, or hinder her control of the car. So, yes i want my airbags to deploy ...but only when i need them.
REMEMBER, Structural damage on the car does not always show the extent of the force of impact.
good luck with this...if for any reason you think they still should of deployed contact safety board

 

[Diesel Freak]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (BoraBill)

Are you on crack dude?

If a car is going 35 and you're going 45 that is an 80 MPH collision

DF

[Modified by Diesel Freak, 8:06 AM 4-10-2002]

 

[javabean]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (Diesel Freak)

quote:[HR][/HR]Are you on crack dude?

If a car is going 35 and you're going 45 that is an 80 MPH collision

DF

[Modified by Diesel Freak, 8:06 AM 4-10-2002][HR][/HR]​

he meant both car going to same direction and he rear-end the car going 35

 

[DeeJoker]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (BoraBill)

Diesel Freak---
I think he meant if it was a rear-ended.
If you were going 35 and I was going 45 and we hit head on, how many which one of us would be picking glow plugs outta our teeth?

 

[wacktool]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (javabean)

quote:[HR][/HR]Are you on crack dude?

If a car is going 35 and you're going 45 that is an 80 MPH collision

DF

[Modified by Diesel Freak, 8:06 AM 4-10-2002]
he meant both car going to same direction and he rear-end the car going 35[HR][/HR]​

I agree, same direction

 

[BoraBill]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (jettanjax)

sorry i wasn't too clear on that...yes i meant going the same direction

 

[Ducky 2.0T]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (BoraBill)

talk to vwtornado.. he hit a deer at over 100mph i think.. those creatures are evil.. so this jetta has been through 3 accidents and not one single airbag deploy.. well in 99 how many airbags did you have.. just the front two?? for 2001 and 2002, we now have 6 total, and if they didnt deploy over 45 i would flip.. i totalled my first new car (when i was 16 <---- spoiled), and not a single airbag deployed.. it depends on where you hit and how fast.. other then that, they are faulty.. my first car hit on the driver door/dashboard.. and the car was deemed totalled yet now airbag sensor was set off... case in point.. but there was no reason for them to go off.. since it was a sidewards motion.. and the bags were meant for front collision..

 

[bablasz]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (DuckyGTI)

My suggestion is checked with VW tech in your area; hopefully they have the answer

btw, is your daughter okay??

 

[ddang]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (DuckyGTI)

quote:[HR][/HR]well in 99 how many airbags did you have.. just the front two?? for 2001 and 2002, we now have 6 total..[HR][/HR]​

99's had 4 if your refering to the MK4

 

[DohRado]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (GameDay)

mmm venison is good

 

[MarcinB]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (BoraBill)

quote:[HR][/HR]Gameday: glad to hear, that we know of, that your daughter is safe and sound. Not so good for the deer though..
At 45 mph which is pretty fast, the impact can be actually not as hard as u may think.
If i hit a car that was going 35 mph and i was going 45...the 'sudden' impact is not that big.
If i hit a car that was stationary and i was going 45....then that's a different story, the airbags SHOULD deploy.
The story is: your daughter could of hit the deer...but maybe the deer was going somewhat sideways already and the impact was not full frontal impact. If that was the case the sensors were not 'Jolted' enough to deploy the airbags.
Remember that your daughter hit the deer and had to stop the car and pulled over. Had the airbags DID deploy...it may shock her, throw her eyeglasses off, or hinder her control of the car. So, yes i want my airbags to deploy ...but only when i need them.
REMEMBER, Structural damage on the car does not always show the extent of the force of impact.
good luck with this...if for any reason you think they still should of deployed contact safety board[HR][/HR]​

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

 

[LostInSC]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (MarcinB)

Airbag deployment in modern cars is tied to deceleration force, not impact speed. Hitting a deer at 45mph likely did not cause the car to decelerate in a violent enough manner to trigger the airbags. A deer has some "give" when you hit it and thus doesn't cause the sudden stop and concurrent negative g's as say, hitting a telephone pole.
Trust me, you don't want the airbags going off unless it's absolutely necessary. The passenger side airbag in a BMW 328 broke my nose and jaw and gave me 2nd degree burns on my face, shoulders and chest. Did it save me? Yes. Would I want to suffer that again if I didn't have to? Hell no.

 

[2002Bora]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (DohRado)

quote:[HR][/HR]mmm venison is good [HR][/HR]​

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

 

[flyjetta]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (Black_MkIV)

damn.. those airbags are brutal! I also heard that it's bad to drive with your hands inside the steering wheel.. holding the middle.. because if the airbag went off from impact.. it would practically take your thumbs off..

 

[Hawkeye92]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (Black_MkIV)

Black MkIV has your answer.
The deer has give to it, you hit the deer and slow down , you don't stop. It is not a "neck snapping" style accident.
And you don't want your airbags to depoly in this sort of accident on a 16 year old girl, it could disfigure her with burns and break bones in her face. Airbags a going off is like getting shot in the face with a 12 gauge.

 

[Terragen]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (flyjetta)

Just because there was an accident doesn't mean airbags deploy. I think a common misconception is that airbags go off at the slightest ding. Your daughter is safe, and the airbags didn't deploy. So why should they have? Obviously they weren't required to save her since they didn't deploy and she is safe. Airbags can be very dangerous, especially if they deploy at the wrong time. The car is designed to know when to deploy airbags, as they shouldn't be deployed at any bump.
I'm glad your daughter is safe. Just remember that VWs are very safe cars, so don't worry. Get a tech to check it out if it makes you feel better, but I'm sure they will tell you there isnt anything wrong

 

[LostInSC]

Re: Killed Deer, Airbags didn't deploy....what to do? (flyjetta)

People don't realize just how hard and fast airbags deploy. They use explosives to inflate for christ's sake. Heard a horror story of an older woman who was so short that she had to move her seat such that her chest was only something like 8" from the steering wheel. She got in a wreck and when the sirbag deployed it hit her so hard that aside from breaking several bones it broke the back of her seat at the hinge and knocked her backwards.