#1 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Flynrider - Phoenix (USA)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, July 05, 2011
POSTED: Tuesday, July 05, 2011
First, if those pictures are of the crash damage, this was not a 35 mph crash. Looks like 5 mph to 10 mph at the most. At 35 mph, the whole rear end of your van would have been accordioned in. I was hit from behind at at stop sign at 5 mph last year with nearly identical damage and my Nissan's airbags didn't deploy either. Actually, I would have been pissed if they did.
In a minor rear end collision like that, airbags are not programmed to deploy, particularly the front driver and passenger airbags. The impact should have sent you backwards, not towards the steering wheel. That's the reason that the forward airbag sensors are in the front end of the car, not the rear where yours was hit. I have no idea how you could have hit the steering wheel if you had your shoulder belt on.
If the sensor on your engine went bad and your vehicle is still under warranty, why wouldn't you take it to the dealer and have it fixed for free? I'm having a hard time figuring out why you feel you've been ripped off, since it sounds like you haven't even taken it to them.
#2 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Jim - Millbrook (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, July 05, 2011
POSTED: Tuesday, July 05, 2011
You were hit from the rear, that's unfortunate, but Air Bags are designed to deploy in a FRONT collision, NOT rear.
I'll bet the car that hit you Blew IT'S air bags, that's the way they work, Don't pay the $100 Diagnostic charge, there's no benefit.
They'll tell you the bags didn't work, that's normal, and PAY NOW.
As far as the collision, They'll pay, don't doubt it.
Maybe they'll Pay AFTER being sued and/or arrested, But they'll PAY.
#3 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Robert - Irvine (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
POSTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
The pictures do not look like a 35MPH collision, and by no stretch of the imagination is the rear end "demolished".
Had someone been in the third seat they would have been seriously injured because the airbags NEVER deployed anywhere in the car.
- Actually the way Airbags are designed, they are specifically designed to NOT deploy unless a minimum "threshold" has been reached. Just as in your case the seat belt was enough to protect you from major injury so the airbag did not hit this minimum threshold. Where in fact in minor collisions you could actually get more injuries from the airbag deploying than the actual crash. These thresholds are specific for each specific airbag. That is if you have a side-impact collision it is very possible that the side airbags will deploy, but the front ones will not.
As for the Airbag light. It is possible that it was a result of the accident, and the insurance company needs to pay. But also be aware that usually Airbags are not covered under the Bumper-to-Bumper warranty, but the Powertrain warranty. I had an issue with mine and even though the Bumper-to-Bumper had expired they were still replaced under warranty and didn't cost me a thing(not even the diagnostic fee).
Now if for some reason you don't want to take it to the dealer you may be able to at least diagnosis it for yourself. Here are a couple of ways you may want to try, but since I do not know specifically about your car it may or may not work.
First seems too simple, but if the light is flashing count the flashes. That is if it flashes once, then 3 times and pauses and repeats the code would be "13". You can search for that fault code for it's meaning. Now, if it is constantly on or a steady flash that may also mean something that a little research may uncover. It may be something simple or it may mean the airbag is in fact bad. The other way is to have any codes "scanned". In this case you may be able to take it into an Autoparts store and they will generally scan the codes for free. As with the other way once you have the code you can search to find what that code means.
#4 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: coast - (USA)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
POSTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
You bought an '06 in December '06. Are you the first owner of the car? What was the mileage when you bought the car? When did the car reach 48000 miles? What are the terms of the warranty?
#5 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: voiceofreason - (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
POSTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
You said an "Engine" light came on. Was it the dire warning light indicating a serious engine problem, meaning you should immediately stop and call for service? Or was it the nag light indicating the car is due for an oil change, etc? Toyota dealers program that light to go on at various intervals based on time elapsing or mileage reached since last servicing. Never bring a car into Pep Boys to get such a thing dealt with just to save a few bucks over going to a dealer. I'm not saying a dealer ought to be used for everything, but when it comes to regular maintenance service, I only go to the dealer. That way, I know exactly who to blame when something happens, or seems to happen. And a dealer oil change isn't so much more, and sometimes less, than other garages charge. and you don't want the cheapy bulk fluids in your car that cheapy chain places especially will put in it. I have to agree with the others. I don't understand the ripoff. You haven't said exactly what the dealer, or Toyota, didn't do that they should have done, or vise versa.
#6 Update By Author
AUTHOR: NativeGma - Staten Island (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
POSTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
First, my car has airbags all over the car from front to back and even in rear by the third seat should it be hit. When this person hit me, he was definately not paying attn and I was at an awkward position sitting so when it hit it was a surprise and my car even with my foot on the brake travelled forward, thank god I had room to maneuver from hitting the car in front of me narrowly. The pics there unfortunately do not show the damage that was inside the car as well as I could not copy then onto here off of the geico website. There was a bar behind the bumper that was pushed in about 12 inches inside the car. The airbag lights go on when you start the car and would go off but now stay on after the car was fixed it came on about a week to 2 weeks later....the engine light was from the sensor......I did have that checked. The maintence light comes on for the oil change so when it blinks I change the oil.....! Why would the airbags in the back not deploy then if you are hit in the back......makes no sense because they would get seriously injured.....! Makes me angry I bought the car for safety and get in an accident and still get hurt......
#7 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: voiceofreason - (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
POSTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Air bags are not designed to prevent mere injury. They are designed to prevent CATASTROPHIC injury and death! Preventing run of the mill whiplash, bruises and whatnot are not the main objective.
#8 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: coast - (USA)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
POSTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
"answering all questions......"
You didn't answer any of my four questions.
#9 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Robert - Irvine (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
POSTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
You seem to have a mis-understanding or belief on what Airbags actually do.
I bought the car for safety and get in an accident and still get hurt.
- Airbags are NOT a guarantee that you won't get hurt in an accident. Airbags by design will only deploy if the sensors detect enough forces that warrant them to deploy. You may want to actually read how much force is actually in an airbag you would realize that if they did deploy in minor accidents you would probably be more injured by the airbags than you would have in the accident.
What may appear "major" to you might be below the minimum required amount to deploy the airbags, and based on the pictures this does appear to be the case. I would be curious as to what were the extent of your injuries?
One other item about airbags and the back seats. If yours is a later "generation", they may actually detect if a person is in a seat or not. Many cars have sensors in the seats that if it does not meet a minimum weight(for example 25lbs) it figures that that seat is empty and in effect "turns off" the airbag. So even in a crash where they may deploy because it is empty they won't.
#10 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Cory - San Antonio (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
POSTED: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
"I was at an awkward position sitting when I was hit". You weren't sitting "properly" in your seat. "Not only did I receive injuries". By your own admission, you weren't sitting "properly". I laugh every time I see some young and not so young idiot with their legs and feet propped up on the dashboard and I think to myself what's gonna happen when they get into an accident and the airbags deploy. Their feet will be up around their ears just because they wanted to look "cool". I imagine their hips and pelvis shattered beyond repair. All those morons with the seats let down, layed flat, lowrider style so they can barely see over the dash? Saw a report where so many were coming into the ERs with broken necks and compression fractures of the spine and necks because they had slide under the airbags because their seats were down so low. What did Darwin say?
