Lexus Airbag question

elise82 · Post by **elise82** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:27 am

Hi, I was hoping someone might be able to offer some advice or somewhere to look.

My father in law recently wrote of his 2006 Lexus GS 300SE. The car crashed at approximately 50 - 60mph into a stone dyke wall, tree and grass verge. None of the airbags were deployed and he suffered severe whiplash. The impact was [predominantly front and side and the car rolled.

Does anyone know what is needed to trigger the airbag deployment, i.e minimum speed/force?

Dominic · Post by **Dominic** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 11:21 am

Sorry to hear about your father in law. Pass on our regards.

Sounds like quite a nasty crash. There are sensors all over the car, which dectect decelleration, and deploy the airbags if required. It is not unheard for airbags not to go off if the computers think they are not required. Having said that, 50-60 into wall, tree etc, I would be sure to expect some airbags. Certainly sounds like something failed in the system.

I guess someone more expertise will be along in a while....

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 12:42 pm

Sorry to hear

As I understand it the airbag systems have quite a narrow angle of impact they will deploy for. I would also imagine that they will stay inactive after a large impact, the last thinig you need when trying to get out of a car in a hurry is an airbag going off.

Also they will fail safe (Safe for whom?) and not fire if there is a fault. That said I would have hoped a offset frontal impact to have at least triggered the front bags.

As Dom said, please pass on our regards.

fd · Post by fd » Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:00 pm

presuming there was no airbag warning light on before the crash it's unlikely there was a fault . . .

even if written off it should be possible to recover any fault codes from the car and see what it thought happened . . .

as an example my audi logs crash events in multiple systems on the car including the airbag and central locking controllers . . .

The activation criteria for airbags in modern cars are extremely complex . . . if the airbags go off in the wrong circumstances they can kill you . . . I've seen footage of accident testing with old airbag systems where the driver would have been killed because the airbag pushed his head into the structure of the car on even a slight offset impact . . . a modern system will not deploy under those circumstances because you stand a 'better' chance without it . . .

I'd say he got away lightly . . . and that the car did it's job . . . and that in a lesser car the result of a 60mph crash into a hard structure may have been very different . . .

Fd

BiggestNizzy · Post by **BiggestNizzy** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:12 pm

any accident where everyone walks away is a good one, trust me I have plenty of experience

airbags deploying/not deploying is something thats not worth worrying about some ibuprofen will and a week taking it easy will sort the whiplash* then you can go looking for a new car. The old one did it's job as your father in law is fine.

*I am in no way a medical professional bear that in mind when following my medical advice.

The_Rossatron · Post by **The_Rossatron** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 3:59 pm

My ex hit a embankment wall at about 45mph in VW lupo at about a 30 degree angle and both airbags deployed and I missed the passenger one and hit the door!

I guess there is no standard as to when and how they are deployed.

elise82 · Post by **elise82** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:42 am

Thanks everyone. Father in law is now doing well but was in hospital for a few days.

You are all absolutely right about any crash you walk away from is a good one. The car did do it's job well in the fact that nothing protuded into the cabin.

We were all just a little surprised that for rolling it that none of the curtain airbags went off. The garage (not lexus) were very surprised.

Anyway here is to a speedy recovery.

Thanks again.

elise82 · Post by **elise82** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:06 pm

NOOPS 160 wrote:What is a Lexus

I know, I know, but thought someone on this forum would be able to help. Actually found a Lexus forum as well, pretty much the same layout as this one. Loads of adverts though.