Hyundai Admits Major Airbag Problem

I laugh every time I see a biker wearing the T-shirt that says:
If you can read this, the bitch fell off the back of the bike --AGAIN.

 

skull was

That's horrible!

 

Mitsubishi's Shame
http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/article/0,13673,501040705-658372,00.html

A string of safety scandals has left a Japanese carmaker facing the scrap heap

 

(George) wrote in message | Hyundai Admits Major Airbag Problem
| By Andrew Colton
| ABCNEWS.com
|
| F O R T L A U D E R D A L E, Fla., June 23, 2004? Hyundai Motor
| Company admits that its most popular vehicle has a serious airbag flaw
| that it doesn't know how to fix.
|
| The problem, in the company's 2004 Elantra, is a sensor system
| intended to prevent the airbag from deploying while a child sits in
| the front seat. But it's also preventing the airbag from activating
| for adults who weigh less than roughly 150 pounds and don't position
| themselves in the center of the chair.

I've never been clear on exactly who is at risk from an airbag (and perhaps
more importantly, why). Is the problem here that 150 pounds is too high
a requirement or is the goal really to distinguish "a child" (whatever
that means). If being under 150 pounds presents a risk, wouldn't it be
good to detect an adult with that characteristic as well? If the problem
actually relates to age (i.e., not size/weight/etc.) because of some issue
with, e.g., bone development then it's probably going to be impossible (or
at least not economical) to automate detection. In this case, wouldn't a
manual switch be better?

Dan Lanciani
ddl@danlan.*com

 

Imagine a half stick of dynamite buried in your dash, set to BLOW UP at the
slightest brush of your bumper on anything. An airbag is inflated with an
explosive charge. It inflates so quickly, that it can literally take your
head off. This has nothing to do with age or weight, except that it is LESS
LIKELY that you will be gravely injured if you are a full grown man of
average weight, as that is what the explosive charge was designed to
"protect". The problem is, the airbags only help in severe collisions . . .
the kind where your car suffers enough damage to be deemed unrepairable by
your insurance company ('totalled'). But then, the airbag can explode if
your car is hit by a runaway shopping cart, or if it's hit with a strong
wind gust . . . or for no apparent reason at all. And in any situation
other than a life-threatening, car-crushing collision, the airbag is
guaranteed to to more harm than good. That's why consumers (the smart ones,
anyway) want to DISABLE the airbag. But car manufacturers want to make this
damned near impossible, as they are afraid they will get sued if the airbag
does NOT deploy in a bad collision. -Dave

 

bullshit. the power is nowhere near that much.

bullshit. it takes a significant hit to make it go off- enough to cause
major front end damage.

bet you didnt know its possible to go straight on into a pole, and have
neither sensor trip. or under the rear bumper of another car.

An airbag is inflated with an

more bullshit. you ARE at greater risk of breaking a wrist or arm.

This has nothing to do with age or weight, except that it is LESS

yet they "go off at the slightest brush of a bumper"? i guess everyone
who parks in new york city must be driving around with popped airbags!

eeee....yeahhhh.

or if it's hit with a strong

yes, there ARE occasions of airbags going off for no reason. its roughly
equal to the amount of japanese mormons who have been struck dead by
lightning.

i will grant you that it has happened.

guess what? seatbelts have failed too? wanna ban those as well? they can
leave nasty bruises, or break ribs!

And in any situation

guaranteed... hm. everyone ive known thats been in an accident has had
more damage done from the friggin seatbelt, as in bruising and/or broken
ribs.

you going to ban evil seatbelts too?

im sure most people on these groups have known someone thats been in an
accident with an airbag-equipped car, and lived to walk away. and still
have their HEAD even!

yes- there are DROVES! lines around the block! widespread pandemonium!

But car manufacturers want to make this

if someone purposely defeats the airbag, and dies in a collision, they
dont have a legal leg to stand on. in fact, they pretty much deserve to die.

or, as youd say- theyd have died anyway, when the airbag takes their
head off.

so are you a troll? or a netkook?

 

And the reason for this is stupid American standards which make airbags
go off at ludicrously low speeds because they are trying to save idiots
who refuse to wear seatbelts.

The sensible way to do it is to set the airbags to only go off in high-speed
crashes. And if you want to save lives, you make it illegal to not wear
seatbelts and actually enforce it. Unfortunately, the US authorities prefer
to allow people to not wear seatbelts and then attempt to make car makers
design their airbags to do a job that they are not well suited for. Don't
blame the car makers.

 

All states except New Hampshire have seat belt use laws.

 

Good thing New Hampshire isn't dependent on the Fed to keep it's
highways running.

 

An accident happened in front of our house where the only injury to one
of the parties (the one in the Explorer) was a cut on his head from the
airbag. The other (airbagless) driver was just shaken up. More damage
to her car, of course. Stupid woman drove right into the SUV without
looking.

--
Cheers,
Bev
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"It is a matter of regret that many low, mean suspicions
turn out to be well-founded." -- Edgar Watson Howe

 

New Hampshire does have seat belt laws for children, just not for
adults. As with most things here, freedom of choice is protected.
However, personal responsibility is also expected. If you feel more
comfortable having a nanny government, The People's Republic of
Massachusetts is just across our southern border.