air bags - '03 Forester

The air bags will only deploy in certain types of collisions as determined by inputs from the various impact sensors to the airbag module. A rear-end collision will not result in deployment, as a frontal impact above a minimum speed is required to activate the front driver and passenger bags. The airbags in newer vehicles have been "depowered" and engineered to be less likely to deploy in minor collisions compared to those in older airbag-equipped vehicles.

Sorry to hear about your accident.

Airbags are designed to deploy to reduce injuries for front or side impacts respectively, they don't do much good when you're rear ended, and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't go off.

Newer Foresters (possibly 03? certainly my 04) have active head restraints that reduce the impact of being rear ended, by jumping forward to catch your head gently, if these fired they'd need to be replaced.

It may be that the towball assembly is designed mainly for tension, and has minimal compression strength, which is why it bent.

However, if I were you I'd take the forester to a dealer, tell them that the other guy's insurance is paying, and ask them to check what damage has been done to the chassis, wheel alignment, suspension, brakes, airbag sensors, head restraint sensors/activators etc.

Ian.

Thank you both, I'll follow your advice.

H.