WARNING....Airbag deployment problem
03-19-2003, 06:27 PM
#1
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WARNING....Airbag deployment problem
My six month old 2002 Audi A4 3.0L fully loaded to the brim was recently written-off after
having sustained severe frontal damage from a head-on collision with a concrete barrier, the
result of being rear-ended. Transport Canada has a recall (#2002221) which applies to the
2003 A4 model. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the U.S. also has the same
recall on the 2003 A6 (#02V275000). There is also a Technical Service Bulletin for the 2002
A4 (#690201) issued Feb 2002 and titled "Deployed Air Bag-Repair Warning". There could be
other information I am not aware of as well. Here's the problem....the passenger side frontal
airbag deployed but not mine. I was the only one in the car. All emergency personal on site
expressed their disbelief when they saw the driver's side frontal airbag did not deploy and
said that this should not have occured and I should take it up with Audi. Audi customer
service was told of this 10 days ago and I am still waiting for a an explanation for such a
severe safety issue that appears not to be important to Mr. Len Hunt, VP of Audi USA and
their customer service department (800)822-2834. I only sustained minor injury this time and
perhaps I'm lucky the airbag didn't go off because it may have caused more injury BUT what
would have been the consequence in a more severe collision when I would have needed the
help of the airbag!!!?
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53078/audi001.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53078/audi002.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53078/audi003.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53078/audi004.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53078/audi005.jpg">
having sustained severe frontal damage from a head-on collision with a concrete barrier, the
result of being rear-ended. Transport Canada has a recall (#2002221) which applies to the
2003 A4 model. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the U.S. also has the same
recall on the 2003 A6 (#02V275000). There is also a Technical Service Bulletin for the 2002
A4 (#690201) issued Feb 2002 and titled "Deployed Air Bag-Repair Warning". There could be
other information I am not aware of as well. Here's the problem....the passenger side frontal
airbag deployed but not mine. I was the only one in the car. All emergency personal on site
expressed their disbelief when they saw the driver's side frontal airbag did not deploy and
said that this should not have occured and I should take it up with Audi. Audi customer
service was told of this 10 days ago and I am still waiting for a an explanation for such a
severe safety issue that appears not to be important to Mr. Len Hunt, VP of Audi USA and
their customer service department (800)822-2834. I only sustained minor injury this time and
perhaps I'm lucky the airbag didn't go off because it may have caused more injury BUT what
would have been the consequence in a more severe collision when I would have needed the
help of the airbag!!!?
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53078/audi001.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53078/audi002.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53078/audi003.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53078/audi004.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53078/audi005.jpg">
03-19-2003, 06:55 PM
#4
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perhaps this is the reason...
many newer cars have much more advanced air-bag systems installed... ones that try to determine the impact energy based on how fast the car was going and how fast it is decellerating, etc... some also know the weight of the seat occupant... (although, i'm not so sure the new A4s have this techology).
it's possible that the car determined that for the impact energy, you were safer without the airbag...
but it would very well be a real malfunction in the unit...
it's possible that the car determined that for the impact energy, you were safer without the airbag...
but it would very well be a real malfunction in the unit...
