Airbags did not deploy.

[dguinn81]

This is my first time posting and unfortunately I am posting about my 2016 Explorer Sport after a nasty wreck. My airbags did not deploy when I had a collision with a Toyota Tundra and just by looking at it, I thought it would have easily deployed. I was going 10-15 mph making a left turn at the intersection and the other driver was driving around 50 mph when he appeared from no where. He said he was going straight but the tire marks show he was coming from a turn lane. Anyhow, we came close to hitting head on but he was turning and avoided the head on. I walked away with just a bruised knee so I am very thankful and blessed. I am attaching a picture of the damage below. Please let me know your thoughts as to whether the vehicle just crushed in a way that prevented it or if I should be concerned. Someone will look at it in the next couple of days at the body shop still.

 

[ljcorby]

Holy crap....I would think they should have deployed in this situation based on his speed and the damage. Wow...

 

[LukeExplorer29]

If you only came out with a bruised knee and no head injuries, I'm sure the car knew what it was doing.

 

[Stic-o]

That's probably a total, depending on your insurance. Glad you are ok.

 

[peterk9]

This is my first time posting and unfortunately I am posting about my 2016 Explorer Sport after a nasty wreck. My airbags did not deploy when I had a collision with a Toyota Tundra and just by looking at it, I thought it would have easily deployed. I was going 10-15 mph making a left turn at the intersection and the other driver was driving around 50 mph when he appeared from no where. He said he was going straight but the tire marks show he was coming from a turn lane. Anyhow, we came close to hitting head on but he was turning and avoided the head on. I walked away with just a bruised knee so I am very thankful and blessed. I am attaching a picture of the damage below. Please let me know your thoughts as to whether the vehicle just crushed in a way that prevented it or if I should be concerned. Someone will look at it in the next couple of days at the body shop still.

Welcome to the Forum.
It is unfortunate this had to be your first post but fortunately, you are okay. I believe the airbag should have triggered. I also believe some of the sensors are located within that tangled mess.

Peter

 

[sheltonfilms]

Welcome to the Forum.
It is unfortunate this had to be your first post but fortunately, you are okay. I believe the airbag should have triggered. I also believe some of the sensors are located within that tangled mess.

Peter

Impact severity sensors are actually more in the engine bay behind the grille.

 

[thefranchise713]

The RCM makes a decision to deploy the bags based on a number of calculations--impact sensors are just one input.

It has a number of plausibility checks--and it's only going to blow the bags when they'll save you. Given the damage and what was probably low deceleration, the airbags were probably more likely to injure than save you. Given the internal checks that it undergoes--an undetected failure would be exceedingly rare. There are actually types of crashes that will blow side airbags even though it was a front crash, etc.

I suspect it may have done it's job just triggering the pretensioners to limit forward movement, if that even occurred.

Don't sweat it in short, the car did its job.

Edit: for slight bit more clarity

 

[blwnsmoke]

Although the front looks messed up if you really look at it, the passenger headlight is intact, the grill looks intact and the hood looks intact. Really it is just the bumper and associated wiring that fell off.

Looking at the NHTSA it states that airbags may go deploy when hitting another vehicle going 18-28mph or higher.

It is hard to judge not knowing how you hit, how fast you were truly going, how fast they were going and the angles of everything.

Frankly based on the front end, I think I'd be glad the airbags didn't go off and based on your injuries, sounds like besides being a little sore, everything worked as it should have.

 

[reserved50]

no one knows till its scanned, if the computer gave the signal for the bags to deploy then something went wrong. If the air bag light always passed the self test when starting the vehicle they probably were not meant to deploy. On the other hand if there was a rollover they should have.

 

[dguinn81]

Thank you for all the thoughts/replies. Most importantly in my eyes was that neither driver was hurt. The Explorer did a great job protecting me at one of the scariest moments in my life. It could have been a lot worse. I am very happy the airbags did not go off because I am sure it would have hurt. I was just shocked it did not go off because it felt like it was bad enough to be deployed. I also want to make sure the sensors are not defective. Praying it is not totaled because I have only had it for a month now and I like it.

 

[thefranchise713]

The airbags not going off saved a good amount of money--making it that much closer to a repair rather than a total.

 

[KayGee]

I'm not an expert and I've never stayed at a holiday inn express, but I would have expected at least driver bag to deploy.

If you go look at salvage vehicles with similar damage, you will get an idea of what happened in vehicles with similar/less/more damage. It looks like it's maybe 50/50 with similar damage - some bags deployed with less damage and some didn't deploy with what looks like worse/more damage. I don't think the airbags not going off saved you much as it appears others with similar damage were write offs or totals/salvage. It wouldn't surprise me if the repair estimate was 10 large.

no bags deployed, but bumper beam has less/no damage compared to OP - 1FM5K7D83FGB66971 - 2015 Ford Explorer price history - Poctra.com

driver and left curtain bag deployed - 1FM5K8AR1FGA56777 - 2015 FORD EXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPTOR - Poctra.com

driver bag deployed - 1FM5K8D84GGD19249 - 2016 Ford Explorer price history - Poctra.com

driver and left curtain bag deployed - 1FM5K7F8XFGC39699 - 2015 FORD EXPLORER price history - Poctra.com

driver and left curtain bag deployed - 1FM5K8F81FGC49849 - 2015 FORD EXPLORER price history - Poctra.com

no bags deployed - 1FMHK8F85CGA06716 - 2012 Ford Explorer LIMITED price - Poctra.com

driver bag deployed - 1FMHK7D91CGA17962 - 2012 Ford Explorer XLT price - Poctra.com

no bags deployed, but bumper beam has less/no damage compared to OP - https://poctra.com/2017-FORD-EXPLORER/id-AhL0ucC1Q7w3brzw/ANAHEIM-CA

Can't tell, but driver airbag looks ruptured/not fully deployed/maybe cut open for some reason?? - https://poctra.com/2016-FORD-EXPLORER/id-AhL0t8FYZnsKGAC6/GRAND-RAPIDS-MI

no bags deployed, but bumper beam has less/no damage compared to OP - https://poctra.com/2014-FORD-EXPLORER/id-AhL0uUzophyfw0Rs/FREDERICKSBURG-SOUTH-VA

no bags deployed, but bumper beam has less/no damage compared to OP - https://poctra.com/2016-FORD-EXPLORER/id-AhL0wGsNPbDKlr6g/LONG-ISLAND-NY

 

[96firephoenix]

I'd expect pretensioners but not airbags on that.

 

[BerndM]

I had a very similar amount of damage to my 17 Sport. I T-boned a woman dead center at 40 mph on her driver's side as she ran a red right in front of me.
Only the steering wheel airbag deployed.
My only "injury" was a very slightly bruised left thumb from where the airbag cover hit me as it split to let the airbag out.
Mine was deemed totaled with about $30k in damage. Mechanically it was fine and driven out of the intersection and up onto the tilt bed towtruck.

 

[Ramsbow]

Yesterday I hit & destroyed a Nissan. I was going about 35-40 mph. No air bags went off on my 2017 Explorer. Me and the driver of the other car are ok. Both were able to walk away with no injuries. Accident happens in Spring Lake, NC

 

[peterk9]

Yesterday I hit & destroyed a Nissan. I was going about 35-40 mph. No air bags went off on my 2017 Explorer. Me and the driver of the other car are ok. Both were able to walk away with no injuries. Accident happens in Spring Lake, NC

Welcome to the Forum.

Peter

 

[Toddman41]

Glad your ok, extremely surprised not one airbag deployed.

 

[joney]

Also glad you're OK. Perhaps even a frontal collision relies on the angle of impact to deploy airbags? I wonder. I wouldn't want one going off in my face, just saying. Unless of course it was life-saving!