Airbag info

Hi - I am looking for information as to 97's airbag statistics. The speed they are supposed to deploy & When they are supposed to deploy.

Anything about the airbags on this year would be helpful.

Daughter involved in accident, brain injury resulting in epilepsy.
Anybody here know anything to help?

Trying to gather information to decide whether to file suit.

I am sorry to hear that!! Could you please post some details it will help me out in figuring out what happened. The best thing to do is consult a lawyer to see what they say. Usually if they can win the case they will try it. I am a GM tech so if you need some advice or help just PM me!

Here is some info for you

A frontal crash of sufficient force up to 30 degrees off the centerline of the vehicle will deploy the air bags.

Deployment occurs when the SDM detects vehicle velocity changes severe enough to warrant deployment.

When two of the signals exceed the stored values, the SDM will cause current to flow through the inflator modules, deploying the air bags.

Well-- I need the basics. Like was that year a Horizontal type airbag- or one of the vertical ones?? Also- at what speed are they intended to deploy? I would like to know the name of the airbag that particular year & model used.

The impact of the accident was a sideways hit into a tree on the front drivers side panal. Initial speed BEFORE traveling sideways - jumping a curb & traveling across about 15 feet of a grassy area was 40- 45 MPH. estimation of the acual hit- maybe 20 MPH probabally less.

Would a side impact to the front fender of a vehicle set off a front airbag? Wouldn't that be dangerous considering the momentum was going the other direction? I always believe that the airbag went off when the interior of the car was comprimised. In this case it wasn't.

Airbag knocked her out. gave her ocular trauma, corneal abrasions, burned her face & gave her a coup-contrcoup concussion. Later- as the brain healed- scars formed giving her epilepsy.

Thanks for your reply.

Depending on the object, an airbag can deploy as low as 9 mph. And no, they are not to go off only when the passenger compartment is compromised. Damage to the human body can and will occur much more sooner than that. In an accident/abrupt stop, there are actually 3 collisions:
One - Vehicle with object
Two - Human body with vehicle
Three - Internal organs with body

So you can see that an airbag needs to go off much sooner than a passenger compartment compromise.
To what degree did the vehicle hit the tree? If there was some sort of 'forward' momentum, it would be possible for an airbag to deploy. Also, was a seatbelt being used at this time? An airbag can cause more harm than good if a seatbelt isn't worn.. and worn properly. The seatbelt helps position the occupant properly in case an airbag was to deploy.
I have seen many cases where an airbag deployed at a side/frontal impact.. so if there was some sort of forward movement, its possible the airbag deployed properly.