Well, so much for Maxwell and my lemon claim.

http://www.casadeloso.com/newmax.htm

Anyone else seen the windshield fracture from the airbag door ?? and it has a second fracture from where the airbag struck it above the airbag flap.

Yeah I'm injured, all the fun starts tomorrow. Can't discuss it due to legal reasons, but there's the pix.

Enjoy your cars and health while you have them.

On a technical note. Anyone know the min or max speeds that one or both front airbags deploy ?? I was kinda shocked that the passenger bag went off, no one in the car but me, but maybe it's just a speed thing. Anyone know what what mininum speed they deploy ??

 

ouch that sucks man, sorry to hear

 

That blows. I hope you're OK, Sherlock. Maybe the insurance repairs will improve the issues with the car ("lemonade"?) ?

 

neuron: if it hadn't hurt to laugh at that it'd be really funny.. I still don't want the car, repaired or not, it's not going to change the fact that the car keeps breaking and falling apart.

Life goes on.. I'm gunna try to go get tires on my Accord. I like the MXV4+ M&S's on it now for all around lifespan, water traction, and noise. any recommendations for something new to try ?? they were originally 195/65 15's I think.. and I went to 205/60, but I found out later that that is a wrong ratio for the car so I want to try 215's if I can get them. Any thoughts ?? Per TireRack's calculator, the 215/55 or 215/60 I forget is within like .1 off the original ratio. the 205's were like 5%..

I kinda want to get something a bit sportier if they aren't an arm and a leg.. but the Accord goes back into full duty as of today since the TL is airbagged and shattered windshield.

thanks for inputs.

 

Sherlock,

Sorry to hear the news, be well soon!

 

Get well man.

(You sabotaged the car didn't you :P)

Seriously though I bet the dealers are laughing all the way to the bank because they don't need to replace the car now. Bastards.

 

i didnt think the passengar airbag would deploy if noone was in it

 

where did this happen in Atlanta?

 

Peachetree street northbound at North avenue.. I was in the right lane, about to pass North avenue and go up to Ponce and turn right, that's a turn only lane, and no one was in it so I'm just bummin along and she pulls thru stopped cars into the intersection, she couldn't see and just went, right in front of me.

I'm sure the dealers are going to have fun, if this negates the Lemon claim, then I'm going to wring this lady for the cost of the car, plain and simple.

Just got the Yokohama Avid H4S on the Accord, man are they quiet. About to go out to CiCi's for some grease dinner and give them a spin seein how they do. They compared VERY well on TireRacks' pages versus the Michelin Pilot XGT's and the Pirelli P6000. and were damn near half the cost. Now it has to go in for timing belt and clutch before my Orlando trip since I can't take the Acura now. (2 weeks)

later.

Thanks for the best wishes and concerns guys i'll find out tomorrow at the doc how i'm doing.

 

I'm glad your sense of humor survived intact.

Get well soon!

 

Man, sorry to hear of the accident.

 

I believe that this is by design. The airbag uses the windshield as a "backstop" to control and direct its inflation back at the passenger. The unfortunate side effect is that it shatters the windshield.

 

Neuron: much to many of my lifetime acquaintances, my sense of humor is ALWAYS present, even in my most angry times. I have a philosophy that music and humor are more important than food and water. Keep them all and you have a happy life and a few good friends. I can always crack a joke even at the worst of times.

Time for bed, my arms ache..

 

what lemon claim are you trying to make, that the driver's airbag didn't deploy?

 

kevin: no. i've had a long history of problems with my TL, vin #259, very early build, been filing lemon on it all summer and was probably very close to finishing it. I'm very happy the airbags deployed, just kinda thought I read that the passenger wouldn't go if no one was in the seat..

 

The windshield is considered a component of the SRS - it controls deployment - one reason that aftermarket windshield replacement must use the proper urethane sealant. Sorry about your loss.

 

I wonder why they couldn't make a forward firing airbag like the steering wheel on the front edge of the passenger side. I'm sure if they could have they would have, but dang. If you get in a low speed crash like I did, and the car is not totalled, then having to replace the windshield as part of the fix just adds a lot of cost, and we all know how many times it takes to get a windshield in correctly, sealed, stop the whistles, all the stories of leaking into the footwells, black sealant all over (i've had that on my Accord). I know now that safety translates to "trash the car to save the driver" but dang it gets expensive.

Thanks RR.

 

Sorry to hear this. It's bad to know Maxwell got hit like this.


Acura claims that our passenger side Airbag has seamless lid, called "slush molded", maybe this is why...

Also, in 04TL, except the indicator light of the passenger airbag is deactivated because of the position of the passenger or the passenger is less than 70 lbs, IMO, your passenger airbag will always go on. Meanwhile, if it's blown, our TL is suppose to choose one of the dual-stages. (it depends on speed/severity/seatbelt position)

 

Many safety features built into cars protect the occupants but result in higher repair costs and more damage to the vehicle. Some cars have a small explosive device built into the seatbelt tensioner to tighten the belts at the moment of impact - airbags are one time use only and MOST passenger airbags will destroy the front windshield on deployment (necessary for proper deployment pathway as it's several times the volume of the driver's airbag) - crumple zones in the front and rear absorb impact energy but totally deform - breakaway engine mounts protect the occupants to a degree but destroy your powertrain.

A car can be replaced and more money can always be made...if you survive the accident.

 

Here's an interesting link to an IIHS article about vertical vs horizontal deployment of passenger airbags. Neat video too.

Passenger airbag link

 

Sherlock, sorry about your TL, but like you I have an Accord as well, so hopefully I can help! It's my wife's car and we've tricked it out a bit. I have studied tires extensively and have found the most AWESOME tires for our car. THESE ARE GREAT FOR TLs also. I had Michelin Energys on the Accord and didn't like them one bit. We now have Falken ZE512's and love them! I too had 15s and snagged some 2003 factory 16s off eBay. 205/60R16.


They handle great and are AWESOME in the rain. Super wear rating too (400 i think.) Besides, they're very inexpensive at about $65 per tire.

Here are a couple more links of pics of the car.

AfterHID
Accordbehind

Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help.

 

The windsheild is a stressed part of the structure: The force of the impact through the structure plus the airbag hit must have done it in. Both airbags will deploy in a forward crash, but the car will default to the lower power setting on the passenger side if the seat sensor is below the weight limit. The manufacturer cannot take the chance the passenger's butt is off the seat for a moment before impact and not deploy the airbag. The exception seems to be the side air curtin bags: I had kids leaning out the rear windows in a parking lot and a warning came up that the side air bags were disabled. Sorry for your loss.