body shop said the airbags should have whent of

[suss6052]

Quick summary per wikipedia, might not be 100% accurate, but its a good primer.

Triggering conditions


Some cars provide the option to turn off airbags.
Airbags are designed to deploy in frontal and near-frontal collisions more severe than a threshold defined by the regulations governing vehicle construction in whatever particular market the vehicle is intended for: U.S. regulations require deployment in crashes at least equivalent in deceleration to a 23 km/h (14 mph) barrier collision, or similarly, striking a parked car of similar size across the full front of each vehicle at about twice the speed. International regulations are performance based, rather than technology-based, so airbag deployment threshold is a function of overall vehicle design.
Unlike crash tests into barriers, real-world crashes typically occur at angles other than directly into the front of the vehicle, and the crash forces usually are not evenly distributed across the front of the vehicle. Consequently, the relative speed between a striking and struck vehicle required to deploy the airbag in a real-world crash can be much higher than an equivalent barrier crash. Because airbag sensors measure deceleration, vehicle speed is not a good indicator of whether an airbag should have deployed. Airbags can deploy due to the vehicle's undercarriage striking a low object protruding above the roadway due to the resulting deceleration.
The airbag sensor is a MEMS accelerometer, which is a small integrated circuit with integrated micro mechanical elements. The microscopic mechanical element moves in response to rapid deceleration, and this motion causes a change in capacitance, which is detected by the electronics on the chip that then sends a signal to fire the airbag. The most common MEMS accelerometer in use is the ADXL-50 by Analog Devices, but there are other MEMS manufacturers as well.
Initial attempts using mercury switches did not work well. Before MEMS, the primary system used to deploy airbags was called a "rolamite". A rolamite is a mechanical device, consisting of a roller suspended within a tensioned band. As a result of the particular geometry and material properties used, the roller is free to translate with little friction or hysteresis. This device was developed at Sandia National Laboratories. The rolamite, and similar macro-mechanical devices were used in airbags until the mid-1990s when they were universally replaced with MEMS.
Nearly all airbags are designed to automatically deploy in the event of a vehicle fire when temperatures reach 150-200 °C (300-400 °F). This safety feature, often termed auto-ignition, helps to ensure that such temperatures do not cause an explosion of the entire airbag module.
Today, airbag triggering algorithms are becoming much more complex. They try to reduce unnecessary deployments and to adapt the deployment speed to the crash conditions. The algorithms are considered valuable intellectual property. Experimental algorithms may take into account such factors as the weight of the occupant, the seat location, seatbelt use, and even attempt to determine if a baby seat is present.

[Pendarus]

If the sub frame and the A pillars are bent, the car is a total. I don't think your insurance would authorize a repair on a structurally compromised car.

Of course the body should could be exaggerating a bit.

[JonathanGennick]

Originally Posted by suss6052

If the deceleration was not severe enough to trigger the air bag deployment they generally don't go off just for the hell of it.

Probably this ^.

The airbag itself presents a risk of injury. You don't want it blasting off in your face unless there's a real need.

[Superlifted06FX4]

Originally Posted by Pendarus

If the sub frame and the A pillars are bent, the car is a total. I don't think your insurance would authorize a repair on a structurally compromised car.

Of course the body should could be exaggerating a bit.

This. It doesn't make sense.

[jdetzel]

Front airbags are designed to deploy if a frontal crash impact is so severe that the seat belt will not prevent chest and face injuries from contact with the steering wheel and the windshield.

[Pendarus]

Originally Posted by Superlifted06FX4

This. It doesn't make sense.

My understanding is the A Pillars in modern cars are a major part of the safety cage. If they are damaged it compromises the structure of the uni-body. At that point most insurance companies will total the car, because that kind of damage is not repairable.

I of course could be wrong. But that is my understanding.

[BLRich1]

Originally Posted by mikebontoft

well guys its either that or something similar to the fiestas recall... though I believe those didn't deploy the side airbags if there was no one in the passenger seat.

with the fiesta it was the rear curtain bag would not deploy unless there was some one in the front passenger seat.

[jdetzel]

Originally Posted by Pendarus

My understanding is the A Pillars in modern cars are a major part of the safety cage. If they are damaged it compromises the structure of the uni-body. At that point most insurance companies will total the car, because that kind of damage is not repairable.

I of course could be wrong. But that is my understanding.

You can repair almost anything if you spend enough money on it.

The "A" pillar which is actually the hinge pillar or windshield pillar, in the case of our cars it is referred to as the door opening frame are repaired or replaced all the time. The sub frame or crossmember assembly is a bolt in part that supports the transaxle and serves as a mounting point for the front suspension and steering. Agreed, what the body shop told the owner does not make sense.

In most cases an insurance company will total a car because the dollar amount to repair the damage exceeds a percentage (usually 70-80%) of the replacement cost of the vehicle. Insurance companies, as much as they may try, do not determine how a vehicle is repaired. Only how much money they will spend repairing it.

[Pendarus]

Originally Posted by jdetzel

You can repair almost anything if you spend enough money on it.

The "A" pillar which is actually the hinge pillar or windshield pillar, in the case of our cars it is referred to as the door opening frame are repaired or replaced all the time. The sub frame or crossmember assembly is a bolt in part that supports the transaxle and serves as a mounting point for the front suspension and steering. Agreed, what the body shop told the owner does not make sense.

In most cases an insurance company will total a car because the dollar amount to repair the damage exceeds a percentage (usually 70-80%) of the replacement cost of the vehicle. Insurance companies, as much as they may try, do not determine how a vehicle is repaired. Only how much money they will spend repairing it.

Good info! Thanks!

[hotleadsingerguy]

Originally Posted by dstiefel

I am just saying thats what the body shop said. The sub fram was pushd back enough to bend the a pillars. <<<<--- just saing decent hit. Other than there opinions i have no credible knowledge on the topic. Hence me posting here. i

Wait...she hit the deer hard enough to do damage to the subframe and the A-pillar, but they didn't total out the car? Are you joking? lol what kind of insurance company do you have?

If I were in your position, I'd demand it be totaled out...because that car will *NEVER* drive like it did before.