Wednesday, May 28, 2008
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New developments in pedestrian and bicyclist safety are top of mind for airbag designers and vehicle makers today. Now, concerns for those outside the vehicle are proving just as important as those riding inside cars. Car makers like Toyota and Ford, working together with Autoliv and Bosch (among others) have designed and begun testing airbags to protect pedestrians and bicyclists.
Automakers are literally thinking outside the box to keep vehicle related injuries down and help reduce the costs of accident claims.
"The system, designed by Autoliv Inc, uses an airbag mounted in the A-Pillar of the car. When a front end impact is detected, the airbag inflates covering most of the bonnet and screen (windshield).
As part of the development into benefits for not only bikers but cyclists too, the Dutch Cycling Federation has said that over 60 lives could be saved and over 1500 serious injuries could be avoided every year by using these airbags in Holland.
Autoliv Inc said there is no news yet on price or availability yet, but that the system should be available for final testing in the near future."
(article by Visordown News)
...and, airbags are not just for cars anymore. Check out these new releases from Honda and Dianese for their new airbag protection on motorcycles.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
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- What is the best method of airbag deactivation?
- How safe is it?
- What about the new Hybrid vehicles?
- What causes an accidental airbag deployment?
- How can individuals protect themselves from personal harm caused by accidental deployments?
These are the critical questions on the minds of technicians, first-responders and car buffs as they work around vehicles with airbags. New cars can have as many as twelve airbags…now, there’s an accidental deployment waiting to happen!!
Take a look at this video showing how powerful and dangerous these ‘safety devices’ can be when they deploy inadvertently.
(Click on photo -- link to video)
There are many reasons why these systems malfunction, but for the most part, it’s human error and common misconceptions that cause the problem.
Let's explore the questions we posed earlier:
What is the best method of airbag deactivation?
Airbag deactivation:
Disconnect the battery and walk away for for 10-20 minutes.
All airbag systems have a backup power supply. This is primarily designed to allow the airbag system to deploy if the battery or power supply is damaged during the accident, but prior to any impact hat may harm the occupants. These power supplies can remain ‘hot’ for up to 20 minutes after the primary power supply is disconnected.
How safe is it?
For the most part, this procedure will disarm the system, HOWEVER, there are new problems that have arisen that are not the responsibility of the manufacturer. These problems arise when owners, technicians or other individuals begin installing aftermarket components, like cell phone adapters and cradles, i-pod/i-phone docking stations or auto computer / radio memory-savers.
These units are power supplies themselves and will back-feed power into the vehicle rearming airbags even with the main battery disconnected. To clarify this point, no matter how long you unplug the battery of a vehicle, if cell phones, i-pods or memory savers are plugged in or in use, the AIRBAGS ARE STILL LIVE!
What about the new Hybrid vehicles?
3) The new Hybrid and electric cars are a world to themselves.
As this technology develops, each manufacturer's guidelines must be followed for proper and safe deactivation of the power systems.
What causes accidental airbag deployment?
(Click on photo -- link to video)
1) Airbag systems are designed to deploy specific airbags under very specific impact, inertia and gravitational (g-force) conditions. Accidental deployment typically occurs during one of 3 conditions:
a. Manufacturer defects. If you want to check to see if your vehicle has been the subject of an airbag defect, recall or investigation, simply click on this link to enter your vehicle data.
b. Environmental conditions. We have found that moisture, rust, salt residue and other natural occurring elements and conditions can trigger the airbag firing mechanisms, causing an accidental airbag deployment. (see previous blog),
c. Human involvement. Many times though, it’s human intervention that causes an airbag to deploy without proper cause. Installations of aftermarket products, like radios, DVD players or custom interior dash lights are the most frequent culprits. A misplaced screw driven through a wiring harness, a pinched or shorted wire or a probe from a powered test light can all send power to the wrong circuit and cause the airbag to deploy instantly.
How can individuals protect themselves from personal harm caused by accidental deployment?
- Never work on or around an airbag with a “LIVE” battery or power source connected.
- Never tamper with, remove or service an airbag system without first knowing the dangers, precautions and procedures for proper removal, service or installation.
- Follow the manufacturer guidelines for deactivation. Every manufacturer is different and has procedures available in their repair manuals and shop service manuals.
- Use new, sealed, factory parts. Aftermarket, used and reconditioned parts do not always conform to the same strict safety guidelines required by law and may have been damaged, altered or tampered with affecting their dependability and safety. In addition, each state has its own regulations governing the sale and installation of used airbags.
- Contact a professional in the business.
Airbag safety is nothing to ignore. Too many professionals, technicians and 'first responders' have already seen the cost of accidental deployment. Airbag systems are designed to be powerful and effective. They deploy with the same powerful forces regardless of whether it's during a collision or as a consequence of an accidental deployment. Keeping a safe distance, working with knowledge of each vehicle's system and respecting the dangers involved will keep you safe when working around airbags.
For additional information on the best methods of safe deactivation, we always recommend obtaining vehicle specific manufacturer instructions.
Some of the photos and videos used in this blog are courtesy of extrication and accident scene safety rescue experts, Lee Junkins: Midsouth Rescue Technologies and Todd Hoffman: www.sceneoftheaccident.org
Nissan Motor Co. is recalling 16,365 Murano and Infiniti EX 35 sport-utility vehicles to fix a software program that may lead passenger air bags to fail.
The recall affects 11,511 Muranos from model year 2009 and 4,854 Infiniti EX35s from 2008, according to a Feb. 12 letter from Nissan posted on the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Web site.
The air bags may fail to inflate in a crash because of incorrectly programmed software, increasing the risk of injury, according to the agency.
Nissan sold 76,358 Muranos last year, according to Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey-based Autodata Corp. The Infiniti EX, a compact sport-utility vehicle introduced in December to compete with Bayerische Motoren Werke AG's X3 and Honda Motor Co.'s Acura RDX, sold 305 units in 2007.
Jeannine Ginivan, a spokeswoman for Nissan, didn't immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
Tokyo-based Nissan is Japan's third-largest automaker, behind Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda.
Volkswagen AG's 2003 and 2004 New Beetles are being investigated by U.S. safety regulators for a sensor malfunction that can reduce air-bag protection.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it received five complaints
that the failure of the front crash sensor triggered an air-bag warning light. The
preliminary inquiry may involve 104,000 vehicles, the Washington-based agency said today on its Web site.
"There have been no incidents or accidents resulting from this and we are
cooperating fully" with the agency, Keith Price, a spokesman for Volkswagen's Auburn Hills, Mich.-based U.S. unit, said in an interview.
About half of the initial inquiries by NHTSA result in a recall. Volkswagen, based in
Wolfsburg, Germany, is Europe's biggest carmaker.
Ford Recalls 470,000 Mustangs to update air bag software
Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday it is recalling 470,000 Ford Mustangs from the 2005-2008 model years to recalibrate how forcefully the air bag deploys on the front passenger side of the car.
GM is recalling 181,516 MY 2006-2008 Chevrolet HHR vehicles not equipped with optional roof rail air bags for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 201, 'Occupant Protection in Interior Impact.' In tests, one of the upper interior occupant protection test points exceeded the standard's requirement. This standard specifies performance requirements to provide head impact protection for occupants. Dealers will install an energy-absorbing plastic piece to the headliner trim. The recall is expected to begin during March 2008. This recall was the subject of an investigation, OA-201-060918B, conducted by the Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance. 08V-046
Mitsubishi is recalling 7,340 MY 2006-2007 Endeavor vehicles. The right side lower seat belt anchor may separate during a severe vehicle crash. A severe crash could allow the seat belt to not properly restrain the passenger and potentially result in injury or death. Dealers will replace the front passenger side seat belt and bracket assembly. The recall is expected to begin during February 2008. 08V-022
Maserati is recalling 56 MY 2008 Granturismo vehicles equipped with the advanced passenger seat air bag weight sensor system. A malfunction can occur in the supplemental restraint system (SRS) electronic control unit (ECU) software when the battery is not fully charged. In the event of a crash, the passenger side air bag and passenger seat belt pre-tensioner may not deploy increasing the risk of injuries. Dealers will replace the SRS ECU units as necessary. The recall is expected to begin during January 2008. 07V-550
Honda is recalling 34,300 MY 2007-2008 Fit vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. The wire harness for the occupant detection system (ODS) and the occupant position detection system (OPDS) is routed underneath the carpet on the driver's side floorboard. In areas where road salt is used, salt from the snow on the driver's shoes will melt and may penetrate the carpet and leak into the wire harness. If the harness is exposed to salt brine, corrosion may occur and the wire may break causing the SRS indicator light to illuminate. A failure of the ODS and OPDS may not detect the presence of a child seat or an out-of-position passenger and deployment of both the front seat passenger's frontal and side air bags will not be suppressed. In the event of a crash, a deploying front passenger air bag or front passenger's side air bag will increase the risk of injury to small or out-of-position occupants. Dealers will inspect and replace the wire harness. The recall is expected to begin during January 2008. 07V-549
GM is recalling 57,100 MY 2007 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent passenger vehicles not equipped with optional roof rail airbags or optional sunroof. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact." During NHTSA impact tests, the interior occupant protection test points exceeded the standard requirements. The results of this test indicated a possibility of an increased risk of head injury in a crash. Dealers will install an energy absorbing foam piece to each of the a-pillar trim assemblies. The recall is expected to begin during January 2008. 07V-520
Ford is recalling 45 MY 2008 Focus, Expedition, F250 and F350 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, 'Occupant Crash Protection.' The driver air bag module may not have been properly assembled. This condition may prevent the driver air bag from properly deploying and reduce occupant protection in the event of a crash. Dealers will replace the driver air bag module. The recall began on November 20, 2007. 07V-541
Thursday, January 03, 2008
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"I thought my car was on fire after my accident. My airbag went off with such a noise and the next thing I knew I was surrounded by smoke. I just knew I had to get out of there!"
Whenever an airbag deploys, the occupants are subjected to an array of chemicals and substances foreign to most people. New information regarding these combustibles is now available. We have learned of potentially harmful side effects as airbags continue to evolve.
(photo courtesy of National Science Foundation)
At Airbagsolutions.com, we keep you informed so you and your customers will have the most recent and practical data. We continually monitor and research new information from all the manufacturers as well as independent studies to stay on top of our field.
These are the results of the information available today regarding chemicals and dangers in airbags.
Before a Deployment
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This is the most dangerous time to handle an airbag! The air bag inflator cartridges contain an explosive chemical, sodium azide. This is the same chemical used in making solid rocket propellants.
.JPG)
(photo courtesy of www.swicofil.com)
If the airbag has not been deployed, this material can be dangerous to handle. It can explode, it can cause burns if it gets on unprotected skin, and it can severely irritate the lungs if inhaled. These units are sealed from the factory and should never be opened, or tampered with. They are a "replacement only" item.
Driver's Airbag w/ Inflator Seat Airbag w/ Inflator
The danger is amplified if sodium azide comes in contact with heavy metals in the car, such as lead and copper, because these may react to form a volatile explosive.
NaN3 + H2O ---> HN3 + NaOH.
But most importantly, when sodium azide (NaNO3) is mixed with water (sweat or tears) it forms hydrazoic acid (HN3). This new chemical is highly toxic, becomes airborne easily and is potentially explosive. The other byproduct is Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) and this is the one that hurts!!!
Here is a list of the medical information available regarding
Sodium Hydroxide
Potential Health Effects
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Inhalation:
Severe irritant. Effects from inhalation of dust or mist vary from mild irritation to serious damage of the upper respiratory tract, depending on severity of exposure. Symptoms may include sneezing, sore throat or runny nose. Severe pneumonitis may occur.
Ingestion:
Corrosive! Swallowing may cause severe burns of mouth, throat, and stomach. Severe scarring of tissue and death may result. Symptoms may include bleeding, vomiting, diarrhea, fall in blood pressure. Damage may appear days after exposure.
Skin Contact:
Corrosive! Contact with skin can cause irritation or severe burns and scarring with greater exposures.
Eye Contact:
Corrosive! Causes irritation of eyes, and with greater exposures it can cause burns that may result in permanent impairment of vision, even blindness.
Chronic Exposure:
Prolonged contact with dilute solutions or dust has a destructive effect upon tissue.
Aggravation of Pre-existing Conditions:
Persons with pre-existing skin disorders or eye problems or impaired respiratory function may be more susceptible to the effects of the substance.
(source..Material Safety Data Sheet )
During a Deployment
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Airbags use cornstarch or some other powder to help lubricate them. The powder floats around in a cloud for a few minutes after the airbag is deployed, and that looks like smoke. Although the airbag cloud is usually harmless and is not a fire or fire hazard, there have been reported cases of the airbag itself catching fire during a deployment. The smoky cloud may cause mild respiratory distress. If you have trouble breathing, you should step away from the cloud to get to fresh air.
There are also serious and physical dangers reported by hundreds of accident victims. Scrapes from the abrasive material and burns from the high heat during deployment are among the most common complaints and concerns.
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After a Deployment
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After the air bags have been deployed, handling and disposing of the airbag is no longer dangerous, and you will not have to take special handling precautions, however latex gloves and breathing filters are both recommended by the manufacturers.
(photo courtesy of Stolen & Recovered)
If the vehicle is going to a salvage yard, laws in most states require the airbags to be manually deployed.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
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It’s now been 2 years since stories of flood cars from Hurricane Katrina saturated the world of ‘buyer-beware’. But it’s not just flood cars that cause problems. Other liquids like spilled milk, snow melt, pressure washed carpeting or a leaking windshield can cause serious problems too. Let us show you just how serious a wet floor can be!
Our expertise is in airbag systems, airbag replacement and airbag service, so we are often called upon to do investigations for insurance companies, attorneys and individuals involving accidental or inadvertent airbag deployment. After inspecting many such vehicles and knowing the serious personal injuries they can cause, the reason for these airbag deployments are shocking. What we have found has a common theme...liquids and electronics do not mix!!
This article will show you exactly what happens; not necessarily immediately, but 6 months, 1 year or even up to 4 or 5 years down the road. Once you know the facts, just being aware of these potentially serious situations and hazards can help you deal with the causes and may just save you from serious personal harm.
Although an estimated 500,000-600,000 cars were damaged by the hurricane and subsequent flood waters, many non-flood vehicles are susceptible to the same type of damages. What damage? Water or moisture collecting under the seats and console damaging highly sensitive electronic components.
The airbag control units for most of the vehicles on the road today are located on the floor, or near the center of the vehicle under the seats and consoles. They are positioned there specifically by the manufacturers in order to replicate, as closely as possible, the effects of an accident on the passengers in the vehicle. But by being positioned at such a low point in the vehicle, they are at risk of contamination from water or many other situations. Some simple, normal, everyday things that happen when you drive a car can have severe consequences. Here are a few.
With winter coming and snow flying in many states, melted snow and ice will now be introduced to the floors of vehicles across the country. Turn on the heater and this snow and ice becomes water, saturating the carpet and ultimately draining to the lowest pint in the vehicle…the floor under the seats.
As vehicles in the ‘sun states’ get older and sit in the sun day after day, the soft rubber seals around the windshield begin to harden and crack. Once the brittle seal cracks or breaks, any rain or water from the car wash that hits the roof and windshield is now channeled into the car, hidden by the interior trim panels and travels down to the lowest points in the car…the floor and beneath the seats.
Or how about the used car dealer wanting to get the most for his cars? With the best intentions, he power cleans the interior of a every vehicle he gets from the auction. These are not flood cars, just used cars 
with soiled carpets. With a pressure wand in hand, or a power steamer, the carpets are purposely washed and then dried as well as possible. But it’s too late… the water that soaked the carpet during the process has already seeped through, drained under the seats and now collects on the metal floor, saturating the padding on the way and going exactly where we don’t want it wet; around the airbag control unit.
And with so many people eating and drinking in their vehicles, cup holders all over the dash and console, the potential for a spilled soft drink or cup of coffee is greater now than ever. And guess where that spilled
liquid goes…Right, through the console to the floor, or between the seats where you can’t dry it up.
Whatever the reason, liquids make their way to the carpet and interior of the vehicles exactly where we don’t want it…mixing with the electronic control module.
Here’s what happens when water and electronics mix. These pictures capture the inevitable results of ignoring the problem of a wet floor. Over time, water can turn the part on the left into the part on the right. Which one is in your car?
The owner of the vehicle this part came from suffered serious injuries as the airbag deployed immediately upon starting her car one morning. She wasn’t belted in place, nor was she prepared for the impact of the airbag. She was just starting her car to go to work when she was hit in the face and jaw by an airbag at 200 mph. (General Motors Safety webpage)
Airbags are designed to protect us from injury, but just like so many other conveniences in our lives, they need care and maintenance to insure their reliability. Most car manufacturers recommend servicing the airbag systems every 10 years. Checking the floors for moisture buildup should be included in that procedure and done more often. As a vehicle owner though, it’s ultimately your responsibility to care for and maintain your car. After all, it’s you who is at risk.
Here are some simple things you can do to identify if your car is at risk. Be aware of any of the following indicators. They may indicate a serious problem brewing:
- Dampness in the floor and carpeting; moisture on the inside of the instrument panel
- Rust on interior screws and other metal parts
- Mildew, debris and mold in places where it shouldn’t normally be found
- under the seats or carpeting,
- in the trunk, or
- in the rear floor wells
- Water stains or discoloration of seat belts and door panels
- A moldy odor or an intense smell of Lysol or deodorizer being used to cover up an odor problem
Keeping you safe and maintaining a properly operating airbag system is what Airbagsolutions.com is all about. For more information on airbags and common airbag situations, check out our website @ http://www.airbagsolutions.com
Sunday, November 18, 2007
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Airbag warning lights are exactly that...a warning that the airbag system is not operating properly. When they illuminate, the system is inactive. That means the airbags will not deploy if you are in an accident. Very often, owners will tape over the dash or actually remove the bulb to avoid looking at it. Some states have laws against tampering with the bulb, and most newer vehicle have dash circuits that do not allow access (sealed printed circuits).
When the warning light comes on, it is indicating a fault in the system and a scanner is usually required to diagnose the problem. The scanner for an airbag system is a different scanner than the one used to diagnose engine problem or reset the 'check engine' lights. (although some scanners will do both). Vehicles have different computers for each system
As the airbag systems are now covering more and more components, front airbags, side airbags, curtain, seat belt pretensioners, knee airbags (and coming) seat belt airbags, it is important to get the right answer before you start working to get the light out.
There are sensors throughout the vehicle, under the hood, in the pillars, under the console, and in the seat tracks. There are now sensors in the seats detecting occupant classification (OCS) There is wiring in the steering column (clockspring) and on-off switches in the dash. The wiring and components of this safety system are an integral part of the vehicle and should not / cannot be removed completely.
So when the airbag light comes on, get the system tested by either the dealer or a competent technician, find out what has failed and then make an educated decision on how to and whether or not to fix it.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
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