2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Air Bags

[AndrewGray]

Hi all . Just was wondering about my air bags. I have a late '02 sport extended cab 4x4. I hit a deer doin about 55. I hit so hard it slid me in the seat, yes i had the seat belt on, but NO DAMAGE!!! :--) I couldnt believe it!! It sounded like it took the whole front off. All there was was hair stuck in the grill and the license plat was bent down. Why didnt my air bag go off? I thought they were designed to deploy at 30 or 35. Im just wondering. My brother -in -law and I were movin steers from one pasture to the next and we bump one at about 30 and the air bags deployed. Gave me a nasty face burn and broke his nose!! :{ Dodge is Ram tough and Deer tough too!! Oo.

 

[Hvy-DCZ]

Glad you didn't get hurt! I'm sure it was quite an event, though.



I'm no expert on air-bag deployment, but I'd say it has more to do w/ what you hit than how fast you're going. You're relative inertia compared to the object you hit should determine the point at which they deploy. Driving a Geo metro, it probably would've deployed and you might not have felt too good in the morning... inertia.



How much did that steer weigh? That little ol doe may have weighed in at 120-170 lbs. Even less in Western Oregon, the blacktails in the coast range are this size of big dogs. That steer probably wasn't getting outta your way to quickly. The deer just folded and got sucked under.



Just my . 02.



Hvy

 

[rkressg]

I do believe that the air bag has sensors in the crumple zones on the vehicle. The PCM measures readings from these sensors and combines them with sensors such as brake pressure, speed, ect... to determine if the air bags should be deployed. They probably did not go off because none of the crumple zones moved, but I am no air bag expert either.

-Rich

 

[AndrewGray]

Thanks guys. i just thought that by hitting the deer at a faster speed would in effect increase the interia at the point of impact. The steer weight was a lot more roughly 550lbs but at 30mph compared to hitting the 160-170 deer at about 55 mph it would be greatly increased. OK this is gettin to deep for me LOL. The biggest surprise out of this was that there was no damage :--) . The deer didnt drop low and slide under . When I hit it, it looked like a boomerang headin out to sea!! :-laf Thanks for the info i was just curious and very surprised they didnt deploy and more surprised that I didnt!!!o.