Drivers airbag didn't deploy

kd7iwp

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2009
Location
Abbotsford, BC, Canada
TDI
2002 Golf GLS
My sister rear-ended a minivan yesterday in her 2003 Jetta TDI. She was driving by herself. The passenger airbag deployed but the driver airbag did not. I'm not sure about the belt pre-tensioners. The car has never had an accident previously. Can anyone think of a reason why driver airbag didn't deploy or was it a fluke? The hit was straight-on. She was wearing her seatbelt. Ask me any other questions.
 

kd7iwp

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2009
Location
Abbotsford, BC, Canada
TDI
2002 Golf GLS
Not all airbags will deploy in a given accident. Was she seriously hurt? (I hope not, of course!)
Sore neck, but not hurt.

What I don't get is why the passenger bag would deploy (unless the car does not check if that seatbelt is connected or not).
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
What year was her car? How fast was she going? If she was wearing a seatbelt it probably only fired the belt tensioner, and it assumed the empty passenger seat was someone unbuckled, who would need the airbag to not hit the dash.

-J
 

kd7iwp

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2009
Location
Abbotsford, BC, Canada
TDI
2002 Golf GLS
What year was her car? How fast was she going? If she was wearing a seatbelt it probably only fired the belt tensioner, and it assumed the empty passenger seat was someone unbuckled, who would need the airbag to not hit the dash.
That was kind of my thinking as well I wish I had the car here to look at the pretensioner. I don't know the speed. She was merging onto the highway when the car 4 cars ahead stopped at the end of the onramp. She was last in line to hit the brakes, no one else was hit though.

I did think that if the occupant didn't have a seatbelt on that the bag would not deploy (ie, the empty passenger seat). Seems that without a belt the bag could hurt you pretty good.
 

david_594

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 28, 2004
Location
Cheshire, CT
TDI
2000 Jetta GLS Silver
Can anyone think of a reason why driver airbag didn't deploy or was it a fluke? The hit was straight-on. She was wearing her seatbelt. Ask me any other questions.
Your sister walked away from the accident uninjured and your asking why the airbag didn't deploy? Do you think if the airbag deployed she would have walked away more uninjured?

The airbag controller decided the airbag wouldn't have benefit her. And it seems like it was right. Airbags do cause injuries to drivers, and as such you need a system that will ensure the airbag doesn't cause more damage than it prevents.


I've yet to see this question asked where the airbag didn't deploy and the driver crushed their chest on the steering wheel.
 

kd7iwp

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2009
Location
Abbotsford, BC, Canada
TDI
2002 Golf GLS
It's not that I'm asking because I'm angry that it didn't deploy. Rather, I'm curious about the logic inside the airbag controller.
 

skatanic

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
Location
Hamilton, ON
TDI
'00 Golf 450k
Air bags are more to protect those who are not wearing a seatbelt. You'd think it would have a sensor to know there was no one in the passenger seat though.
 

Steve-o

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 1999
Location
Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon
Air bags are more to protect those who are not wearing a seatbelt. You'd think it would have a sensor to know there was no one in the passenger seat though.
I don't think VW put those in the '03 Jettas. I've seen lots of stickers on sun visors and dashboards indicating whether the passenger airbag is active or not; nothing like that on my '03 Wagon.
 
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