j2flo

Hey, guys..
While I was not THAT much active in the forum, I came here quite a lot to gain some information on great how-tos and all that with help of many a-ziners..

And as the title says.. my car is totaled. it's gone. long gone..

and here is my story..

I was involved in 4 car accidents on 110 fwy in CA..
My car is totaled and you can probably imagine how big of a damage I have up in the front.. my whole engine bay has moved in.. my center speaker popped out.. and another funny thing.. my passenger airbag popped..but there was no passenger at the time of the accident..

While I did like my TL, I am sorry to say I won't buy another one again..
Even though I am not much injured.. it just bothers me to the fact that my air bag did not pop at all.. it was my first accident in my 04 TL..

I hit it dead on center.. and it did come out to total loss.. yet my air bag didn't go off..just the passenger side went off.. my insurance guy told me that it popped to save my guardian angel bulls**t. wow.. I've had honda all my life pretty much and I am extremely sad myself to feel such disappointment..

Can someone explain how is this possible???

Thanks.. and farewell..in advance..

ecliptics

sorry to hear what happend. but of course at least youre ok. do you have pics of the accident?

erick3

at least it was only your car that was totaled - it's replaceable, right?
imagine this: you + totaled = gg lol

what's next on the list?
sorry for your loss, but look at it as an opportunity to explore the world OUTSIDE of your honda lineage

XjoEnX

iTrader: (2)

oh damn, i really hope you're ok.

please update us with more info as you get it to why the driver airbag didn't deploy. i drive an 04 also and think this is a huge concern for all of us.

j2flo

ecliptics: yea i've got some pics... i'll upload them tomorrow... pictures are sitting in my cellphone..
erick3: yea, glad i'm not totaled myself.. i'm just thinking about some ghetto ass car right now just for commute until i get my hands on Audi A5..
XjoEnX: i will be contacting acura myself, so soon as i get some infos, i'll let you guys know..

playa4real

iTrader: (3)

sorry to hear about ur accident. im glad you came out of it okay.

i cannot explain why your airbag didn't go off, but essentially there are a variety of conditions that will set the airbags off, i.e. speed, point of impact, force of impact. if the sensors are not activated, your airbag isn't going to go off. if you give us some more information on where the damage is and pictures we can probably give you a better idea. Saying that the engine came in, doesn't really help us - it actually did what its supposed to (the car should crumple) - so you can thank honda engineering. I was involved in an accident a year ago where I hit the driver head on about 35mph and totaled my car - none of my airbags deployed. What i'm trying to get at it is that it all depends. In any case, I am glad you didn't get hurt.

TL1999

damn...i am glad you made the safe. best luck on your next vehicle.

LoveMyTL-S

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. The TL can be replaced. Glad your not seriously injured. Good luck with your next ride. You can always come and visit now and then.

DJSlim

Wow, I'm glad your ok. The airbag is only one component of the entire saftey system of the car. Indeed its an important component...but it doesnt make up the whole entire system. You walked away from that accident even though there was a malfunction(anything man made will always have some type of malfunction somewhere down the line). I see that as a good thing because with other cars.....you probably wouldnt have made it. The TL doesnt have a 5 star crash rating for nothing.

I gotta stick up for the TL...its one of the safest cars on the road. I just had an 08 TL totalled back in July of this year...walked away with a couple scratches. My daughter was in the back seat and everything...we both walked away. Then I turned around and picked up my beloved Type-S!!! lol

RC51Ryder

I figure that this was your insurance guy attempt at making a joke but it wasn't funny. I understand your concerns on why your airbag didn't deploy and if he didn't know why which was obvious, he should not have said anything. Some people say the dumbest things at times when when all is called for is silence. Post up some pics so we can see and keep us updated on what Acura says about it. I'm interested.

6spdtl-s

iTrader: (1)

You could have had a fualty passenger sensor (senses if someone is riding shotgun), so your car thought someone was there and deployed the air bag. However, that theory doesnt match up with the fact that your air bag didnt go off. Thats pretty messed up. Maybe somehow they switched the wiring of the driver and passenger airbag systems???? Thats a long shot but thats all I can think off. Good luck with everything.

Mug

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the first gen of airbags (in all makes) actually cause more damage to the driver when they deployed during low speed accidents? If you think about the physics, the bag has to get to your face really fast for obvious reasons. If the bag deploys when it is unnecessary, it probably feels like getting hit in the face with a sack of potatoes dropped from three stories up.

Black_05_TL_6SP

I am glad to hear you are ok. I do have a question, from what you wrote, all the damage was front end damage, were you the 4th in the accident? What happened to cause the 4 car pile up? How fast were you going when this all happened and how close were you to the car in front of you?

01tl4tl

new cars are designed to crumple and deform around the passenger cage-
absorbing impact, and sparing the occupant from injury

Cars can be replaced with a check-,,,, you---- not so easily

If you had anything sitting on the passenger seat, the weight sensor would believe it to have a small person not wearing seatbelt....and trigger the airbag

If you came out unhurt- why is it so hard to believe that each of us has a personal guide/guardian thats always around to pull your dumazz from the fire-

How many times in your life should you have died already--
close encouters with road edge and mountain cliffs---??? amazing reactions to a situation you ~didnt see~- but responded to?

For the regular world thinking:
Once again, I encourage everyone to read the owner book- gen3 has several computer driven safety override systems that might freak you out if they activate and the car doesnt do what a normal car would do~

After that- go to the local roadracing track and spend $150-$250 on High Performance Driving School- 1 day in your car- on track- with a Pro race driver as your in car teacher, later you can lead and follow the instuctor, then get to the advanced group and everyone has a known skill level- more passing- more speed...
excellent skills development and situational awareness is the result of just 1 day!
be aware its very addictive stuff~
and cheaper than any 1 speeding ticket at less speeds than you will be running

6spdtl-s

iTrader: (1)

So if someone is riding shotgun and not wearing their seatbelt at low speeds and the car is in a collision, the pass. airbag will go off because their seatbelt is off and the driver side will not because they are wearing their seatbelt? Did I catch that right? Never knew that if its true.

I hate cars

Several critera have to be met to set off the airbags. I've always thought the front two would deploy together unless something triggered the override to the passenger (like a light child in the seat). It's hard to imagine how the passenger side would go off without the driver's side going off.

Airbags do hurt. They can break noses, give you a black eye, and burn you. That's why they only go off when the good outweighs the bad.

Glad you're ok. I just had the first wreck of my life. ABS malfunction (no brakes at all). Luckily it didn't hurt the body much but it just about ripped out the underside of the car.

I hate cars

If the car detects someone under 60lbs (I think that's the correct weight) it turns the passenger bag off. The airbag deploying with a small child in a car seat would do more harm than good.

6spdtl-s

iTrader: (1)

I understand that. Thats not what I asked. What I asked has to do with a low speed crash where a airbag would not normally deploy and a person not wearing their seatbelt.

1fsthatch

lexanilover8

i as well had hit my 08 from the front and totalled a mercedes. but going 30mph i thought my airbag would have come out and it didnt, thank god i was not injured.

01tl4tl

I am guessing on why the passenger side deployed
No fact at all behind my total guesstimate- based on why the side bag turns OFF and what may trigger it accidentaly

It would not surprise me that if it thought an unbelted passenger - it would deploy
gen3 probably has smart bags that factor seat location to airbag and alter its deployment speed too- again a guess

mikiTL

Very good point. The airbag system takes into account all possible criteria, and the seatbelt not being latched on the passenger side is definitely a factor that would cause the passenger airbag to deploy. I would not be so hasty to call it a malfunction.

As others have pointed, the airbag will only deploy when it needs to. The nature of the frontend collision also has many variables, the speed of impact as well as the speed of deceleration caused by the impact. If the vehicle you hit was still in forward motion the transfer of energy from your car to the one in front of you is far less than hitting a stationary object or wall.

I drive on the 110fwy from time to time, and save for a few places past downtown LA heading into Pasadena on the old Route 66 stretch of the 110fwy, the freeway itself is very wide has ample space for a safety cushion.
I find it hard to believe that there could be a 4car pile up given the amount of space there is. Was it during rush hour traffic? in the fast lane? or a merging lane? There are a few exits on the 110fwy where retarded people slow down way too much before exiting an offramp that surprises many drivers who are just starting to reach the freeway speeds coming from an onramp.

These types of accidents involving more than 2 vehicles just goes to show how important it is to drive with a safety cushion. Generally if you crash into the car infront of you, you were driving too fast and too close to the car infront to avoid the situation.

pokin

Good points above...may not be a malfunction.

j2flo, sorry for your loss. Safety is not absolute, so be grateful - many have lost life or limb over far less.

cheers!

jptl04

iTrader: (1)

sorry to hear about your accident dude. the air bag issue is weird to me cant explain it. but like someone else mentioned the steering wheel airbag is only one component of the entire safety system of the car. i too was involved in a total loss accident. i was T-boned by a small pick-up going 50 mph. all my airbags went off including the passenger i had no one else in the car at the time. i even fiddled around with the steering wheel airbag removing it completely months prior to the accident. i was injured in the accidents but nothing too major, it could have been worse, alot worse.

heres a pic of the aftermath

see the passenger side airbag? this was my 04 TL

i truly believe this car saved my life! had i been in a lesser car things would have been well ....................i don't even want to think about it. being able to walk away from an accident like this played a major role in the purchase of my new 07 acura TL. just thought i'd share my experience. sorry to hear you're leaving us. good luck

mmade22

^^jptl04, That is one of the many reasons to purchase our car. I had no idea this was your second TL. Wow guys accidents really suck. Just be glad you were in a TL!!!

Houston

...after seeing that, I'm gonna start sitting between the front seats.

Glad to hear that you're both ok. Acura FTW!

jptl04

iTrader: (1)

yea thats why my im jptl "04" keeping the memory of the old AM alive

04WDPSeDaN

iTrader: (1)

In 04 I believe both front airbags deploy.

In 05+ Above the hazard switch is the passenger side airbag light
As theory would be true here... If you have passenger side airbag indicator then It would only go off if a passenger 60 LBS+ is sitting as the passenger.

The light would go off which will arm the airbag. Once the light is on, indicates that there is no passenger in the seat thus the airbag will not deploy in an accident.

YeuEmMaiMai

02 CLS has the auto detect for passenger airbag disable OPDS is what the system is called. my friend can trigger airbag off if she leans forward or sits a certain way. I have to tell her to sit still all the time lol....... air bag deploy sucks but it is better than the consequences imho

disco1999

TL is great in crash test but not perfect

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=257

1075

Sorry to hear about the crash.

There are several possible reasons why an airbag may deploy or not deploy in a crash. One in particular that I can think of could be a possibility in this case would be that if you were braking and hit a car in front of you, the sensor could have been under the point of impact. This is called "submarining" which means that under hard braking, the front of your vehicle "dives" which will cause the sensors to be below the point of impact with the vehicle in front of you.

I do not know if the TL's front airbags are designed to deploy independently. I am not an expert by any means, but I have worked for the fire department for 34 years and have seen tons of vehicle crashes and many airbag deployments in recent years. I no longer refer to these as "accidents" because the overwhelming majority of these are caused by people behaving irresponsibly. Going too fast, too fast for conditions, eating, texting, reading, applying make up, using cell phones, working on laptops, etc. while driving. Predictible IS preventable.

A side note, one weak spot for the 3rd generation TL, is that is does not protect the torso as well as it could in a side impact crash. Here is the link;

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=257

EDIT; Sorry for the duplicate link.

Vanessa Thomas

I have a 05 tl in yesterday iwas blindsided from da front side in both air bags came out in honestly dey was right on time so i just thought u should no dat me in my passenger walked away with minor scratchers so i put my money on da tl my first accident wasn't trauma to me 😆 thanks to my tl

TheSauceBoss

I was in the 9th grade when somebody last commented on this thread. How do people find posts like this and resurrect them lol...