Side Airbag deployment with No accident

[ninjamaster5000]

Originally Posted by ratfinkharley

If you really feel that way, then sell it and buy a Volvo.

Camaro and Viper are the only cars I like. I saw a post in another forum where it happened with a 2004 Viper. I've only seen it happen with '10-'11 camaros. Maybe I should trade in for '12 2LT

Originally Posted by Angrybird 12

I don't think they ever said the LS or LT models were designed for the track....or they would be covered if taken to the track.....

All camaros are listed under "Performance Cars" on the chevy website last I checked.

This mostly happens with SS models. I only read one other occurrence with a v6.

Anyway it doesn't matter if it happens on a track. it can still happen in an emergency situation.

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by ninjamaster5000

Camaro and Viper are the only cars I like. I saw a post in another forum where it happened with a 2004 Viper. I've only seen it happen with '10-'11 camaros. Maybe I should trade in for '12 2LT




All camaros are listed under "Performance Cars" on the chevy website last I checked.

This mostly happens with SS models. I only read one other occurrence with a v6.

Anyway it doesn't matter if it happens on a track. it can still happen in an emergency situation.

There are lot as of cars considered performance cars that made not intended for track use and will not be covered if taken on the track.
How many incidences have occurred on the street and were any accidents the result of the air bags deploying? If there were accidents was anyone injured?

[macwest]

Originally Posted by Angrybird 12

I don't think they ever said the LS or LT models were designed for the track....or they would be covered if taken to the track.....

They never said you could not do that. The basic idea is a camaro is viewed as a car that can be taken to a track and used as an every day driver, Also, if it deployed in that situation you can reasonably argue that an incident could arise on a freeway and cause the same effect.

This is one reason FORD clearly states all cars are not track cars and any track use voids warranty it is clear and concise and across the board.

[Number 3]

Hilarious that you guys don't understand the physics of a large car on an autocross course and the accelerations required to fire the airbags in a rollover.................combined with the HUGE liability GM undertakes if the airbags DON'T go off when and if you roll your car on an autocross course.

Airbag tuning is different manufacturer to manufacturer. I used to work in crashworthiness and there is a "no fire" threshold, a "may fire" threshold and a "must fire" threshold. These numbers are not industry standards.

I am bothered at you guys that SLAM GM for this. Take the ignition cylinder issue aside and I can assure GM does not get nearly the credit for what they do in this regard. GM crashes hundreds of cars per year optimizing for frontal, side and roll over. In fact if you study your history, you would know that GM basically invented this stuff. They used to picket the GM Tech Center over the anesthetized pig studies where GM was doing the very first studies on the effects of airbags on human tissue, pigs being a close surrogate.

And turning off the roll over sensors is different than turning off the side impact sensors. One is looking for inclination (30 degrees as I understand from Toyota), the other for pure lateral or near lateral g's that indicate an impact. I'm pretty sure Toyota isn't allowing you to turn off the side impact system. Someone can prove me wrong, but there are Federal requirements for side impact that the customer can not be allowed to "turn off" at their discretion. If any manufacturer is using the side airbags to pass the pole test (most severe test you can imagine) then they can't be turned off. Inclination is another story.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...C496532327FA04

[ninjamaster5000]

Originally Posted by Angrybird 12

There are lot as of cars considered performance cars that made not intended for track use and will not be covered if taken on the track.
How many incidences have occurred on the street and were any accidents the result of the air bags deploying? If there were accidents was anyone injured?

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showpo...8&postcount=33

In this case, she wasn't injured. That doesn't mean it's not possible. I don't think any driver wants their airbags to deploy and engine cut off during this kind of situation

[90503]

Ninja, don't stress...
I've heard the stories and the warnings about airbags going off by themselves at the track....but hey, it's one of those things....I've heard of some guys pulling fuses to disable the air-bags while tracking, (not sure if that's realistic)....

Anyway, you're like me....an '11 that's out of warranty....I'll take my chances on the bag going off on it's own....In fact, I'd be proud if it did!...lol...

...For sure it's not gonna keep me off the track....

Also, if I were most of you, I wouldn't worry about voiding any warranty at an auto-x...Most are pretty tame, and not really considered competitive racing that would void any warranty....

...Good luck...

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by macwest

They never said you could not do that. The basic idea is a camaro is viewed as a car that can be taken to a track and used as an every day driver, Also, if it deployed in that situation you can reasonably argue that an incident could arise on a freeway and cause the same effect.

This is one reason FORD clearly states all cars are not track cars and any track use voids warranty it is clear and concise and across the board.

So if you are not told you cannot do something then it must be OK to do it..... I used that excuse when I was 5, but I didn't get away with it.

[Frank in MD]

Originally Posted by ratfinkharley

Lawyers fees for suing GM are less than $4K?

This is not a case of bad engineering. Funny how you want him to lawyer up, when that is the root of most of our over protective laws and restrictions.

/thread.

[90503]

Man, I think some of you are missing out on what you paid for in this car...

They come from the factory with "Launch Control" for drag strip starts....Comp-Mode, T/C off modes for tracking....And you think that all voids the warranty if used???

You guys are confusing enjoying your car at a track, for which it does include features available to you to help you enjoy the experience, and hard-core competitive racing for prizes and money, which would not be covered....

[oldfriend]

Originally Posted by ninjamaster5000

Yeah, it's a poser car. Not suited for the track. But since I've seen it occurring with '10-'11 camaro models, GM must have seen this problem and fixed it for later model years.

And I don't mind admitting I was autocrossing the car. I'm not a liar, and the car called Onstar when it happened so they must have the GPS coordinates.

I've said it before, and I'll say again: Just because it happens in an autocross doesn't mean it can't happen on the street in an emergency situation. The car is a poser death trap.

I agree with you on the above statements , things can happen at just about anytime
But in your particular case , you will have a hard time to make the point across
Even that GM is aware of it happening before , on very different circumstances like every day driving , they will just pul the OnStar coordinates and just say Not covered
There is nothing for you to loose by trying , but keep your mind set that you may have to pay for it
Best of luck to you

[jd10013]

some of you guys are disillusion. HE WAS AT AN AUTOCROSS EVENT. there is no way in hell GM is going to fix it free. they're simply going to say (correctly so) that the car was being used in a manner it was not intended to be used. case closed, move on. some of the higher trims like the 1LE and Z28 may in fact be intended for track use, and even advertised as such, but the LT is built and designed for public roads. Go ahead, hire lawyers, call the "media" and whatever nonsense some people here are calling for. but whether there is a defect or not, GM isn't going to be paying for this one.

and to the OP, I'd definitely get it fixed, or never let anyone else in that car. if not, and you ever get in an accident with someone in the passenger seat and they get injured because you disabled a safety system..............your going to end up with a million dollar plus judgement against you that you'll be paying on for the rest of your life.

[macwest]

Originally Posted by Angrybird 12

So if you are not told you cannot do something then it must be OK to do it..... I used that excuse when I was 5, but I didn't get away with it.

You missed the point. In today's society a manufacture owes a duty to a buyer to make sure car is safe to operate in all areas is claims it can run. Gm has advertised the car is designed for the track PLUS it has never said it can not go on the track. In fact it says it warranty covers track use.

While you have asked if anyone has been hurt as we have seen from the key recall the issue is not if someone has been hurt but could this present a situation that can cause some one to be terribly injured and pose a danger for the road.

BTW on my own opinion, from what I understand you can deactivate airbags by pulling a fuse and that is what I would do avoiding the issue all together. Since a race is a off road track event no airbags are required and this is legal. To me airbags and racing just do not go together.

[ratfinkharley]

Originally Posted by macwest

PLUS it has never said it can not go on the track. In fact it says it warranty covers track use.

Read this...

http://www.chevrolet.com/content/dam...wm2ndprint.pdf

Page 10 specifically;
"Damage Due to Accident, Misuse, or Alteration The New Vehicle Limited Warranty does not cover damage caused as the result of any of the following:
. Collision, fire, theft, freezing, vandalism, riot, explosion, or objects striking the vehicle
. Misuse of the vehicle such as driving over curbs, overloading, racing, or other competition.
Proper vehicle use is discussed in the owner manual..."

[oldfriend]

Originally Posted by macwest

They never said you could not do that. The basic idea is a camaro is viewed as a car that can be taken to a track and used as an every day driver, Also, if it deployed in that situation you can reasonably argue that an incident could arise on a freeway and cause the same effect.

This is one reason FORD clearly states all cars are not track cars and any track use voids warranty it is clear and concise and across the board.

Ford and GM also specifically doesn't say .....don't take the car to the lake .....
Should we assume that's okay to do so ?
Or they also don't say that you ,,,can't make the car jump across Grand Canion .... Does it make them responsible if someone tries it and fail ?