zumzum

So Wednesday night I got into my first accident and it was not pretty. My TSX is less than 4 months old, under 3000 miles...in any case, I was wondering if anyone knows under what condition the airbags are suppose to deploy. I was on the 684 in NY, which is a three lane highway, in the left most lane and most likely hit a patch of black ice (going btw 70-90? mph), the next thing I know, my car is swerving into the other lanes, I spin out --- flyin into the right shoulder guardrail and spin out some more. When the car finally stopped, I was perpendicular to the highway. The front and back corners of the driver's side are shot. In short, it looks like someone took a baseball bat and smashed the crap out of those corners. The hood is a little popped up...the trunk too...So any guesses as to why the airbags didn't deploy? As soon as I get the pictures, I'll post them...any guesses to how much it's going to cost to get my baby fixed? Thanks!

tsxer.ca

oh well.. another terrible story. wish you are fine. well .. the airbag did;t depoly maybe the they wany stay inside don;t want to meet you yet and they want save you some money for "hide them back". They save about $500 EACH . well you can take a look the site i give to you.. so you can see how much the parts worth, also have add the paint and labour fee. Post a picture of your car
http://www.acuraparts247.com/sunnysi...NG&ListAll=All

dnl2ba

They're meant as a last-ditch attempt to save your life and can seriously injure you. So, I imagine they're designed only to deploy when some computer decides your life is at risk.

bob shiftright

To oversimplify things, your airbags probably didn't deploy because you weren't involved in the kind of an accident that Honda designed the airbags to deploy for. Manufacturers use different systems to deploy the different airbags.

Honda has located sensors that deploy the front airbags in the RF and LF corners with the main sensor unit in the center console. The sensors that deploy the side airbags are in the door sills and if the sensor detects an impact it will deploy the airbag. The side curtain airbags are deployed by a sensor in the front door sill and a sensor in the rear door sill.

DOT on airbags

Why front airbags deploy.

Airbag FAQs from IIHS

I'm interested in the factors that caused your skid. Was your VSA "on"? Did you have the stock Michelins on the car or were you using snow/ice tires?

osubuckeye98

I'm guessing the decceleration of your car when it hit the guardrail was not high enough to induce airbag deployment. From your description of the damage to your car it sounds like you shimmied off the guardrail instead of smashing into it head-on.

I am interested in whether or not VSA was enabled. Like any safety technology, it's not meant to change the laws of physics - or protect you from it.

At least you won't have to pay for expensive airbag replacement. Sorry to hear about your TSX.

Glad you are okay.

gilboman

if he slid on blackice...VSA would've done absolutely nothing, b/c the wheels dont have traction, so the VSA can't do anything.

trolldrengi

The owners manual should give specific details regarding the conditions of airbag deployment. At least my Boxster's manual does.

Be glad they didn't... They cost about $3,000 each to replace... and have you been punched in the face by a gorilla recently?

No, because that's about what it feels like. If you didn't fracture your skull on the steering wheel or b-pillar, than your airbags didn't need to deploy.

osubuckeye98

Right, that's why I said VSA:

I didn't say or imply: "now if you had your VSA enabled you wouldn't have spun out."

I was interested in whether he had VSA on or not because another author posted in his own thread that VSA helped correct a skid after he encountered what he thought was black ice. The other author didn't mention approximate speed but i'm sure it was below the legal limit. If zumzum had posted saying VSA should've saved his a$$ I would've said "yeah right, you think you're piloting a space shuttle with side thrusters??"

phile

Why the sad face? It doesn't sound like you had any serious injuries without the airbags deploying. Don't know why you would want them to, either; you would've only had to get them needlessly replaced.

zumzum

The VSA was on...I think I hit a patch of ice. All I remember was I was driving and then the next thing I know, I'm spinning around on the highway...I have pictures of the car...but I don't know how to post it on here. It will only let me post one picture...the damage done to my baby is going to cost $12,000+ to fix...I apparently messed up the suspension and a bunch of other stuff. As for the airbags, I suppose the car decelerated enough to not have the airbags deployed. I just want to make sure they're not faulty...As for the sad face...this just blows...my car is less than 4 months old...plus, I have to drive a Nissan Altima while I wait for my car to get fixed....

yungwunn911

Hey, this is a really old thread.

I recently got into a side collision with my '05 TSX and no airbags deployed either. Was an extremely hard hit and shoulder smashed into the door.

npolite

I’m glad that you are ok. I hope that they can fix the suspension. My Integra which was my cousin's previously was involved in an accident by him in which an Acura dealer replaced the Lower Control Arm. I have spent a lot of money trying to get the alignment fixed on it but still haven't been able to. At this point since it's a 95 I've given up but I hope this situation doesn't happen to you.