low speed collision

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K-Man - 06 Jul 2007 14:13 GMT

G'day,

I would like to know what is the threshold of GM cars (Pontial Sunfire
in particular) regarding deployment of the Air bags? i.e. at whats
the minimum speed of the impact that the air bags should pop open?

I had a fender bender in a rush hour traffic (may be at 5km/h) and the
Air bags popped open!

Any thoughts??

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Don Stauffer in Minnesota - 06 Jul 2007 15:27 GMT

> G'day,
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Any thoughts??

I think the speed sensor itself is set for a very low value. It is the
accelerometer that is the main determiner of the "severity" of the
crash.

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Steve W. - 09 Jul 2007 01:30 GMT

> G'day,
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Any thoughts??

No speed sensor other than the accelerometers in the sensors. You can be
parked and get hit hard and have the bags go off. It all depends on the
G forces involved in the accident. If you hit a stopped vehicle and
little of the energy was absorbed they will go off. On the other end if
both cars were traveling at 55 and hit BUT kept moving at 55 the bags
won't deploy.
Kind of like swatting a fly, hit the fly in the air while it is going
away from the swatter and you may knock it out of the air but not really
hurt it. Put said fly on the wall so it cannot dissipate the impact
energy and you get a smashed fly.

Signature

Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York

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