Spontaneous Airbag Deployment

[redflower]

I own a 03 plate Citroen C3.

 

 

Last weekend, when in the middle lane of the M1 at approx 65-70 mph, my drivers side airbag deployed without warning, forcing my right arm across the wheel making the car swerve into the next lane. I managed to control the car across the carriage-way and bring it to a halt on the hard shoulder. Apart from being bruised by the bag and badly shaken up, both myself and the front passenger were unhurt.

 

We were fortunate that the motor way was quiet at the time-being late at night: had it been busier the consequences would have been fatal. There was no impact to cause the airbag to deploy.

 

Anyone heard of this before or got any advice what to do now?

 

Currently waiting on an experts report...

[Johndouglas]

I think you ought to email Citroen UK via this link and let them know what happened:-

http://www.citroen.co.uk/contact/contact.asp

 

Please tell us the outcome.

[raveydavey]

Where is the car now? I'd suggest you appoint an independent vehicle examiner (someone professionally qualified, either IMI or IAEA) to inspect the vehicle and compile a written report.

 

This needs reporting to both Citroen and to VOSA http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/contactus/contactus.htm or Enquiries@vosa.gov.uk given the seriousness of what happened. You need to be insistent that Citroen investigate this fully - don't let then fob you off claiming the car is outside warranty, that is no excuse as airbags are designed to have a minimum working life of 10 years and most fitted in the early 90's are still functioning fine.

 

Airbags aren't supposed to deploy without specific triggers being met.

[redflower]

Its taken the mechanics a week to look at the car as they where "too busy"

 

The mechanics at the Citroen dealership have examined it and found a tiny dent - "size of 1/2 a fingernail", possibly caused by a piece of debris/a stone being flicked up off the road - under the car. They concluded that this was responsible for the crash sensor registering an impact and deploying the airbag, We do not know if the dent they discovered was present prior to the incident or if if it could have been caused when coming to an emergency stop on the hard shoulder or if it could be responsible at all.

 

The computer registered airbag deployment but the seatbelt pre tensioners have not gone off. and the engine did start after the incident.

 

Where we go from here i am not yet sure...

[raveydavey]

Its taken the mechanics a week to look at the car as they where "too busy"

 

The mechanics at the Citroen dealership have examined it and found a tiny dent - "size of 1/2 a fingernail", possibly caused by a piece of debris/a stone being flicked up off the road - under the car. They concluded that this was responsible for the crash sensor registering an impact and deploying the airbag, We do not know if the dent they discovered was present prior to the incident or if if it could have been caused when coming to an emergency stop on the hard shoulder or if it could be responsible at all.

 

The computer registered airbag deployment but the seatbelt pre tensioners have not gone off. and the engine did start after the incident.

 

Where we go from here i am not yet sure...

 

With respect, that scenario seems highly improbable - if that sort of thing could trigger an airbag they'd be going off all over the place as folk drove around.

 

I still think you should insist on Citroen sending a specialist out to look at it and get your own independent report. Look at http://www.iaea-online.co.uk/ for a list of independent specialist engineers in your area

 

Try to find out which specific airbag / SRS sensor triggered the airbag firing too.

 

Funnily, seatbelt tensioners are normally triggered before the airbag as they are used in lower speed impacts which often don't trigger the airbag.