Recently in a car crash at 60 Km/h. The air bags did not go off, it was a substantial hit into the car in front. The car was a 2006 Holden Barina that had just had a service. Should i take this up with Holden?
it doesn't mention a speed for the airbags to go off. I was going 60 Km/h well fast enough for somebody to get fatally hurt. I careered into a car in front of me at that speed and the air bags didn't go off.
You should check on what does this feature really guarantee. I mean should they really set off in that speed? --Joe
They may just say that the airbags were designed not to go off at that speed. The onboard computer has to decide which will most likely do the least damage - to have an airbag go off can cause damage in and of itself. But they send them off when they figure a face plant is the least of your worries. I've been in a Holden Commodore which we total the whole front end (probably impacted at between 60-80kph) - the air bags go off like a shotgun - your ears ring and you find it difficult to breath because of all this green dust in the air (the dust is whats left of the explosive cocktail set off to expand the air bag). It is a very unpleasant experience and something the computer will only do if it believes its necessary to save your life. I would say around 60 kph is about the limit where the computer will be questioning whether to engage or not - in your case it decided not do and let the crumple zone do all the work of saving your ass or else you wouldn't be typing this.
(sorry to steal the thread for a second) hey kingofkings being in Syria, what do you think of Iran taking those British sailors/marines captive?
that wouldn't work that's why they have small little sub-contractors make everything so they can shove liability off to them. I think you won't find a major car maker that actually makes their own air bags.
I take it you are Australian right? Do you have any of them "No win, No fee" idiots? We have loads of them here in England. They might take your case on buddy.
Yes we do. GM does own Holden. But unless you could prove that they install the airbag section incorrectly I would think the liability would shift to the subcontractor company (but a lawyer will give you "expert" advice - I'm not one). but even if the airbag failed to go off, unless you could prove some injury to yourself (or cost) because it didn't go off you wouldn't get a cent. At the end of the day if you rear ended someone the fault is yours and a court would probably say a large percentage of the liability was on your own head - not the car manufactures - even with no win no fee lawyers you can still end up paying the other parties legal costs which will bankrupt you - its not worth the risk - the lawyers don't give a sh!t because they get you to sign a contact saying you are responsible for any COSTS awarded - the lawyers just laugh all the way to the bank while your life is ruin. If your walking and talking forget about it, write a letter expressing your concern to Holden and they might take a look at the airbag.