What Causes Airbags Not to Deploy?
3 Answers
Airbags may not deploy because the conditions for airbag deployment are not met. Necessary conditions for airbag deployment: 1. Vehicle speed is generally above 50 km/h, but the key factor is the acceleration at the moment of collision. In national certification tests, the instantaneous acceleration during collision is approximately -40g. 2. Frontal impact: The angle of impact must be within approximately 60° from the front. 3. Collision object: Rigid walls or obstacles. Airbags will not deploy when a car collides with soft objects at 80 km/h. 4. Deployment time: Within tens of milliseconds after the collision occurs.
I remember my friend's car was in a minor accident once, and the airbags didn't deploy, which was really scary. He later looked into it and found there were quite a few reasons. The most common one is sensor failure—the part that detects collisions might be covered in dust or malfunctioning. Or it could be an electrical issue, like loose wiring or a blown fuse, preventing the signal from getting through. There's an airbag warning light on the dashboard; if it's on, don't ignore it. Another possibility is a problem with the airbag module itself—if the control unit is faulty, nothing will work. Also, some cars have a passenger detection system, and if it mistakenly thinks no one is sitting there, the airbag won't activate. My advice is, if there's an issue, first check if the dashboard light is on, then get it diagnosed by a professional shop as soon as possible, because this is a matter of life safety—don't delay.
It's really frustrating when airbags don't deploy during a collision. The most common issue is sensor failure. These sensors are distributed throughout the vehicle, and if they get damp or damaged by vibration, they can't detect impact signals. Wiring aging is another major problem—loose connections or short circuits can disrupt the electrical flow. Blown fuses are also quite common, especially when there's excessive current. If the control unit in the airbag module malfunctions, the entire system shuts down. Additionally, improper reassembly after vehicle repairs can prevent deployment. From my experience, the best approach in such cases is not to tamper with it yourself—using a diagnostic tool can pinpoint the issue, and safety should always come first. Airbag systems are highly precise; even minor oversights can cause failures, so adding checks during regular maintenance is essential.
