Side impact airbags?

Question

hi,

ive been searching and cant find an answer so i came here. are Side Impact Airbags Surpose to deloy only on door impacts or any where on the side of the car like the rear quater panel, the other car was probably going anywhere between 20-40 mph.

Answer 1

They generally deploy during any side collision, but whether they deploy or not depends on many factors. The air bag computer does many calculations before and during the accident to determine if the airbag would do more harm than good and then decides whether or not to deploy them. This specific incident may not have been severe enough to deploy the side airbags. I know with my car, if someone is sleeping and leaning on one of the side windows, the airbag computer will sense this and not deploy at all.

Answer 2

Frontal driver and passenger airbags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal crashes equivalent to hitting a solid barrier at 10-12 mph.

Some manufacturers use different inflation thresholds depending on whether people are using their safety belts.

Thresholds of 10-12 mph typically are used for unbelted occupants, but thresholds are higher — about 16 mph, so it would be safe to say that side airbags will deployed at that speed and if the shock is great enough to the rear quarter panel, it could be possible.

Answer 3

Questions like this are asked and answered all the time here.  There are specific criteria that need to be met to activate a deployment.  Check out this website for the EXACT answers to your questions including the blog specific to your concern. This site tells you exactly what needs to happen for the airbags to deploy and what needs to be replaced (seat belts & all) on over 3500 cars after they do.  

http://www.airbagsolutions.com

http://blog.airbagsolutions.com

http://www.airbagsolutions.com/resources...

http://blog.airbagsolutions.com/archive/...

Answer 4

I believe there is a "range" on the side within which, if hit, will deploy the airbags.  It is probably within the doors, so if you get hit in the side rear, it may not deploy the airbags.  Same with the front.