Airbags - only last 10 years ?

: Fire one that's 20-25 years old, and see what happens. Ooops. You : can't.

I'd be more worried about false activations than non activations myself. I am very happy to drive around in a simple 28 year old car, but there is no way I would ever wish to do so sitting behind a significant and unreliable explosive device.

Old Johnston's Motoring Prophecy Number One: This is going to be a Big Problem.

Ian

It is only a problem in that regard if the devices do not 'fail-safe' In fact they might not fail at all within the useful life of 99% of cars and then fail-safe with a warning light.

Huw

Wikipedia is right but you have read it carelessly. It correctly states that airbags became compulsory in the USA during 1998, only seven years ago.

Huw

In news:Xns973C6A9FF4D94adrianachapmanfreeis@204.153.244.170, Adrian wrote something quite bizarre, possibly in an effort to confuddle the world. It went like so;

W126 Mercedes offered them from 1979.

Mine didn't have the bags, but it did have ABS, which was nice in an '82 car. Especially when it still worked.

In news:R_7tf.16840$ snipped-for-privacy@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk, mrcheerful . wrote something quite bizarre, possibly in an effort to confuddle the world. It went like so;

*All* Mondeos have a drivers airbag.

Unless it's an Alfa 155 - which doesn't have a warning light :-|

Well, mine doesn't, anyway. Nowhere for it, either.

I read the bit that says: "On July 11, 1984, the U.S. government required cars to have driver's side air bags or automatic seat belts by 1989. Over 15,000 lives have been saved by air bags in the last 20 years since. Initially, most vehicles featured a single airbag, mounted in the steering wheel and protecting the driver of the car (who is the most at risk of injury). "

mrcheerful

I meant to add: I didn't notice the bit about 'or automatic seat belts'

mrcheerful

I don't know why you are so selective, that's your business, but the unedited paragraph from

is copied below and is self explanitory. On July 11, 1984, the U.S. government required cars to have driver's side air bags or automatic seat belts by 1989. Over 15,000 lives have been saved by air bags in the last 20 years since. Initially, most vehicles featured a single airbag, mounted in the steering wheel and protecting the driver of the car (who is the most at risk of injury). During the 1990s, airbags for front seat passengers, then separate side impact airbags placed between the door and occupants, became common. In 1991 Congress mandated that all new passenger vehicles be equipped with driver and passenger air bags by 1998.

END

Just in case you have difficulty working it out, automatic seat belts OR airbags were made manditory by '89 but it was only 1998 when frontal impact airbags themselves became compulsory. Most are now SRS type, which are supplementary restraints used in conjunction with seatbelts. Of course most medium and premium cars had long airbags before the deadlines and economy cars just before. 'Automatic' seatbelts were never offered in the UK AFAIK because seat belt wearing was made compulsory some years ago and most people actually wear them.

I'm pretty sure that in Europe only substantially redesigned and newly launched cars actually have to be crash tested and need SRS and other systems such as similarly [now soon to be]'compulsory' ABS. Older designs still bought as new vehicles, such as the Land Rover Defender, are exempt. IMO this is inexcuseable and consumers should shun these substantially less safe vehicles. I am not aware as to the position in this regard in the USA.

During 2006 it is probable that almost all car launches will have standard tyre inflation warning devices as this also will soon become compulsory in the USA, mainly as a reaction to the Ford Explorer/Firestone debacle.

Huw

I don't suppose it needs it, Italian electronics being so reliable and all ;-) You could test the system by running into a stone wall at 25mph if you are really desparate to find out. I'll put a fiver on the system working as advertised if you like.

Huw

And they were introduced in 1993 with pretentioning seat belts also fitted as standard. I suspect that most models sold also had ABS even then. Only now is ABS compulsory on new models. Also airbags, but again not on existing old design models built new today.

Huw

Fine - but statistics simply show you to be wrong.

: > Old Johnston's Motoring Prophecy Number One: This is going to be a Big : > Problem.

: It is only a problem in that regard if the devices do not 'fail-safe' In : fact they might not fail at all within the useful life of 99% of cars and : then fail-safe with a warning light.

If the devices do not 'fail-safe' ... might not fail at all ...

Wanna bet? Wanna bet your life?

Ian

: In article , : Ian Johnston wrote: : > I'd be more worried about false activations than non activations : > myself. I am very happy to drive around in a simple 28 year old car, : > but there is no way I would ever wish to do so sitting behind a : > significant and unreliable explosive device. : : Fine - but statistics simply show you to be wrong.

Many twenty year old bangers around with air bags?

Ian

Huw (hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

AIUI, it's not legal-compulsory. There's an SMMT "Gentleman's Agreement" to fit it to all new cars, but it's not compulsory.

So even less to base your argument about 'unreliable explosive devices' ?

It was a P-reg Rover 800 so not *that* ancient :)

Opps Rover 600, but it was a P reg so not even outside 10 years for replacement yet so it should be expected that it would work.

: In article , : Ian Johnston wrote: : > On Sat, 31 Dec 2005 01:35:51 UTC, "Dave Plowman (News)" : > wrote: : : > : In article , : > : Ian Johnston wrote: : > : > I'd be more worried about false activations than non activations : > : > myself. I am very happy to drive around in a simple 28 year old car, : > : > but there is no way I would ever wish to do so sitting behind a : > : > significant and unreliable explosive device. : > : : > : Fine - but statistics simply show you to be wrong. : : > Many twenty year old bangers around with air bags? : : So even less to base your argument about 'unreliable explosive devices' ?

You misunderstand me, I think, Air bags are generally pretty safe things at the moment. However, as has been pointed out, they are designed with finite lives in mind. And it's not just the airbags themselves - the acceleration sensors ahev to be pretty damn reliable too.

My prediction is therefore that /as/ airbag equipped cars get older and therefore /as/ the number of old cars with airbags increases, /then/ (not now) there are likely to be issues with reliability of airbag systems.

Would you be quite happy to drive a car with a twenty five year old airbag and associated control system a foot from your face?

Ian