Crashed 2018 Jeep Wrangler Sahara in less than 12 hours.

[dabears55]

Last Saturday less than 12 hours after getting my Jeep, my wife and I were in an accident. An elderly man hit us in the back going around 45 mph, then hit us again. Wife and I are bruised all over and I have a concussion. My question is why did the airbags not physically deploy, yet the cabin filled with airbag smoke, the airbag light is on, and seat belts locked in place. Thanks in advance for any advice

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[Jeepmarkjl]

Glad your mostly OK and not something more serious. No airbag deployment sounds like a giant problem. I'd report that to FCA immediately.

 

[Kata]

Sorry to hear that. Don’t contact FCA on your own. I would retain an attorney and have them fight this for you. Your bruises and concussion could have been avoided if the air bags deployed. You might have a lawsuit on your hands with Jeep, the airbag manufacturer, and that old (_!_) man.

 

[dabears55]

Glad your mostly OK and not something more serious. No airbag deployment sounds like a giant problem. I'd report that to FCA immediately.

Thanks for the fast reply! I will look into it

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Front airbags are not designed to deploy in rear end collisions. Sorry your Jeep got smashed and hope you feel better soon. Concussions suck.

 

[Jeepsterfreak]

Probably should file a claim with NHTSA also.

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/

 

[Jeepsterfreak]

Wouldn’t you only get airbag smoke and dust during deployment?

Does your steering wheel, seats or front dash show any sign of perforation?

 

[Kata]

Well this Rubicon didn’t make it 24 hours after purchase. Here’s the url https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/didn’t-make-it-24-hrs.8537/

 

[dabears55]

Front airbags are not designed to deploy in rear end collisions. Sorry your Jeep got smashed and hope you feel better soon. Concussions suck.

Thanks Jeep noob. The part that is confusing is the airbag smoke and the “service airbag system” indicator that went off after the accident. And pieces of foam from under the dash.

 

[CoolTech]

An elderly man hit us in the back going around 45 mph,

Airbag deployment triggers are extremely reliable these days. Essentially a reliable accelerometer. The accelerometer in the case of the airbag is calibrated for sudden deceleration. In your case, you were hit in the back - thrusting your head and bodies into the seats - not forward. Seat backs and headrest design is what you counted on. I get it, you said you were hit more than once - but maybe not sufficient force to trigger deployment - although it probably felt pretty horrific from your vantage point.

Not sure what happened or if they should have deployed or not - but at least it seems plausible that they acted properly.

Sorry for your accident nonetheless. Hope you and your wife have a speedy recovery.

 

[Oilslick]

Seat belts have a charge usually located in reciever end that deploys in a crash to affect how the belt holds your position. That's your smoke, I've replaced them in cars that were in collisions before, that's why light is on. Sounds like airbag wouldn't have helped so it was not deployed by controller. No need for a lawyer involving jeep but maybe the texted behind you?

 

[ered33]

Thanks Jeep noob. The part that is confusing is the airbag smoke and the “service airbag system” indicator that went off after the accident. And pieces of foam from under the dash.

Noob is right, the bags will not deploy in a rear end collision. There are a LOT of dynamics behind airbag deployment but unless the algorithms programmed into the module decide to fire either stage of the bags from the info provided by the gyro and/or micro electromechanical sensors, they will not fire. As for the indicator and the "smoke" that is the result of the seat belt pre-tensioners. It used to be just an airbag with one detonator but systems now have multi-stage bags set to deploy at different rates of inflation and the seat belts also have small gas fired mechanism (source of smoke) built into the spools that will automatically tighten the belt and suck you back into the seat. That way your neck and spine get as much support as possible and more times than not the pre-tensioners are fired off on rear end collisions. These pre-tensioners are a one time fire only and the module records this information. In most cases replacing the seat belt assemblies is all that is needed since most modules will allow one seat belt deployment (if the main bags are deployed the module is then no longer usable and needs replaced as well).
Just me but it's disheartening to immediately see so many people quick to say the system malfunctioned and a lawsuit must ensue immediately. Don't get me wrong, vehicles obviously have issues at times but the amount of engineering and safety protocols incorporated into airbag systems is staggering and as a whole they have been an enormous benefit. Hope the info helps

 

[mwilk012]

The seatbelts should pull tight on sensing a collision, which may be the cause of the "airbag smoke". Dash foam? I don't know about that one. . The system appears to have worked the way it should; front airbags deploying unnecessarily is dangerous. Depending on the severity of the damage, you should be able to get more information from the dealer.

 

[BillyHW]

 

[dabears55]

Noob is right, the bags will not deploy in a rear end collision. There are a LOT of dynamics behind airbag deployment but unless the algorithms programmed into the module decide to fire either stage of the bags from the info provided by the gyro and/or micro electromechanical sensors, they will not fire. As for the indicator and the "smoke" that is the result of the seat belt pre-tensioners. It used to be just an airbag with one detonator but systems now have multi-stage bags set to deploy at different rates of inflation and the seat belts also have small gas fired mechanism (source of smoke) built into the spools that will automatically tighten the belt and suck you back into the seat. That way your neck and spine get as much support as possible and more times than not the pre-tensioners are fired off on rear end collisions. These pre-tensioners are a one time fire only and the module records this information. In most cases replacing the seat belt assemblies is all that is needed since most modules will allow one seat belt deployment (if the main bags are deployed the module is then no longer usable and needs replaced as well).
Just me but it's disheartening to immediately see so many people quick to say the system malfunctioned and a lawsuit must ensue immediately. Don't get me wrong, vehicles obviously have issues at times but the amount of engineering and safety protocols incorporated into airbag systems is staggering and as a whole they have been an enormous benefit. Hope the info helps

Thanks for the reply and the info. I will ask the dealer and body repair shop why the passenger seat belt pre tension system didn’t fire. I rember my forehead burning after the accident but I was busy making sure that my wife and elderly guy ( who was an ex Marine who had been shot in both legs) was ok. I went and got x-rays on my nose because it hurt to tough. Thankfully no break. I am thankful it was not worse which it could have been.

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