Passenger air bag and putting things on the grab bar safety question

[Dkretden]

Good luck with those lawsuits. The ones I've seen are Chinese companies.

Generally agree with this but there does seem to be some legal cases already against online retailers (specifically Amazon) holding them liable for product “defects”. Bolger vs Amazon (California) was just the latest example. Others are listed in this write-up too:

https://www.natlawreview.com/articl...ms-liability-defective-products-third-parties

Does this case apply to those products being sold by Amazon (like the little Chinese plastic tray in the grab bar) should a passenger loose an eye When the airbag deploys? I have no idea. But I absolutely can see lawyers and their clients trying to sue on these grounds.

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[KevinD]

Fuck this. I am removing the cheap cubby on my grab handle, yeah it is very convenient but not worth the risk.

Funny, I just ordered one.
BUT, I won't let anybody put something in it that sticks above the grab bar.

 

[xeon]

As a prior airbag engineer, I can tell you anything not firmly attached to the vehicle can become a serious problem during a deployment event. Cell phones are an issue but there are worse things. Pens, pencils, cups with straws...anything left loose in the upper dashboard tray. These items often are found embedded in people's arms, face, etc. It's a bad idea to put a cell phone in the Jeep in such a way that it would be hit by the airbag during deployment so ya...don't recommend that but for those wanting a little more excitement after their accident with the added....where the "F" is my phone, or having to dig it out of your passengers head sure ... why not, its your phone, CB or anything else that you might mount so that is propelled at your passengers face. On a more serious note....the amount of stuff flying around in the jeep during deployment will surprise you, especially when most of the stuff in the back of the Jeep will make its way to the front seats if not tied down. Just saying...the phone may not be your biggest worry.

 

[Maverick1999]

I was considering using a JeepUniq grab bar mount for my GMRS and Garmin InReach Mini combo but this thread has enlightened me that is not a good very well thought out idea given that it sticks a substantial amount above the grab bar. It looks like I’ll go with a 67 Designs bar mount instead.

Cheers Gentlemen!

 

[Kyanche]

On a more serious note....the amount of stuff flying around in the jeep during deployment will surprise you, especially when most of the stuff in the back of the Jeep will make its way to the front seats if not tied down. Just saying...the phone may not be your biggest worry.

Sometimes that includes random dash panels. lol.

I still think the best place to mount a phone is in your pocket. Provided the pants are comfortable and have big enough pockets, anyway. Sadly a lot of the time that just isn't the case. Tight fitting jeans, small pockets, giant phones. I get it.

I am amused how the tone of these kinda posts always involves a lot of "WELL I DON'T PLAN TO CRASH!" (nobody does, duh), and "MY BIG SAFE JEEP WILL RUN OVER THE STUPID HONDA CIVIC!" (what if a suburban runs into you? or an F350 with a baja kit? Jeeps are pretty small and light in the grand scheme of offroad vehicles.)

I think the JL is decently safe. Probably safer than the Wranglers that came before it. It's still good to not get too confident about things and do dumb things that make it more dangerous. That's all. Try and stay safe out there! Please drive carefully.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

Came across this pic today... really good pic of passenger and driver's side deployed..

 

[Mitoni]

As a prior airbag engineer, I can tell you anything not firmly attached to the vehicle can become a serious problem during a deployment event. Cell phones are an issue but there are worse things. Pens, pencils, cups with straws...anything left loose in the upper dashboard tray. These items often are found embedded in people's arms, face, etc. It's a bad idea to put a cell phone in the Jeep in such a way that it would be hit by the airbag during deployment so ya...don't recommend that but for those wanting a little more excitement after their accident with the added....where the "F" is my phone, or having to dig it out of your passengers head sure ... why not, its your phone, CB or anything else that you might mount so that is propelled at your passengers face. On a more serious note....the amount of stuff flying around in the jeep during deployment will surprise you, especially when most of the stuff in the back of the Jeep will make its way to the front seats if not tied down. Just saying...the phone may not be your biggest worry.

I've been in an airbag deployment once before, in a Suzuki Sidekick. I got airbag friction burns on both of my arms from the force of the airbag deploying from the steering wheel between them. I was lucky, I've seen people with airbag burns to the face, and it's not pretty. I can easily see a phone mount becoming a missile.

 

[ArcadeTracks]

I know this is an old thread, but seems like an appropriate place to post:
Would vinyl decals on that airbag panel possibly hinder the airbag's operation? (Large decals, but not a full wrap.) I'd like to liven up the space visually, but I'd also like my passenger to be protected. I figure the vinyl would tear without issue, but that stuff is a PITA to rip by hand. It would be pretty stupid to essentially disable a piece of safety equipment for a "look."

 

[autotragic]

I know this is an old thread, but seems like an appropriate place to post:
Would vinyl decals on that airbag panel possibly hinder the airbag's operation? (Large decals, but not a full wrap.) I'd like to liven up the space visually, but I'd also like my passenger to be protected. I figure the vinyl would tear without issue, but that stuff is a PITA to rip by hand. It would be pretty stupid to essentially disable a piece of safety equipment for a "look."

No, the vinyl doesn't stand a chance. It's not as strong as the dash panel is and it breaks that open with no hesitation/delay/resistance at all. The explosive in the airbag isn't going to be stopped by some vinyl applied to your dash panel.

 

[PhxJLUR]

Yeah. Trust that guy.
He knows EXACTLY what you are putting over the tested safety device.

 

[keithcroshaw]

I know, old thread, but...

This is a Gladiator, but the JL airbag is the same.
The freeze frame shows the passenger airbag cover splitting at the top third, forcing the bottom 2/3 of the cover over the grab bar. So anything small stowed behind the bar, or hanging below it, won't be ejected by the airbag.

Another shot...

Thank you, this kind of sets my mind on not getting one of those grab bar trays for my wife’s phone. Unless the phone goes really low in the tray, which would seem like a PITA in the first place.

 

[xeon]

Just my two cents… air bags are complicated devices that rely on a lot of data collected by the crash sensors to inflate the air bag at the exact moment your head is in an optimal window of deployment. The events and decision to deploy are in tenths of milliseconds and the exact thickness of the dash panels( within allowed tolerances) are known factors that were used to create your vehicles deployment algorithm to fire on time and hopefully save the occupants. Placing stickers, vinyl wraps or other objects on top of or near the deployment area may themselves cause injury but could cause delays in proper deployment… yes .0001 seconds could be the difference between walking away vs injury. Do your passengers a favor and don’t put anything on or near that area. They can sue the owner of the car too for making the vehicle unsafe.

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