Old airbags tested

BrianD3

It is often said that old airbags (10+ years) cannot be relied on and should be replaced. I just found an interesting test of airbags in older family cars.
http://www.sicurauto.it/crashtest/speciali/12annidopo/index.php

11-12 year old examples of the Golf Mk3, Opel Astra, Fiat Tipo etc. were crash tested and the results compared to what happened when brand new examples were tested. It looks like the airbags deployed pretty well. Unfortunately the page is in Italian so i'm relying on the pictures and a crappy Babelfish translation. Are there any italian speakers here who can give a better summary.

Of course this is only an isolated test, it doesn't mean that all old airbags will perform as intended. Also some of these cars particuarly the Honda Civic gave poor protection even when brand new.

jayok

Don't speak Italian so can't help you there.

However, as someone who wrote off a Civic of that generation with the airbags, fully deployed, I can tell you they worked. The only thing is Civics of the 1996-2000 generation are feckin' death traps. Score 2.5 in NCAP, newer Civics 01 on are much better.

Anan1

jayok wrote: »

The only thing is Civics of the 1996-2000 generation are feckin' death traps. Score 2.5 in NCAP, newer Civics 01 on are much better.

I remember reading a German crash test of an older Civic - something along the lines of 'there's no point in having an airbag if it ends up behind your head'.

BrianD3

I remember reading a German crash test of an older Civic - something along the lines of 'there's no point in having an airbag if it ends up behind your head'.

Yes, this quote refers to the same Civic (EG model) as the one in my link. The "brand new cars" were tested by Auto Motor und Sport back in 1992-93.

JHMEG

BrianD3 wrote: »

Yes, this quote refers to the same Civic (EG model) as the one in my link. The "brand new cars" were tested by Auto Motor und Sport back in 1992-93.

Odd as the only model of the EG Civic that had an airbag (yes, just one) was the very rare VEi.

Actually I read that with the EG there is a serious risk of decapitation from the bonnet detaching and coming straight through the windscreen. Look at the angle on the bonnet next time you see one, and continue the line on into the passenger compartment, and you'll see how that conclusion was reached.

Maybe the young lads tearing around in them sit so low so as to avoid the flying bonnet.

But then again, no one bought an EG with safety as their primary concern. Isn't that what Volvos of the time were for?

E92

LOL, to think there was a time when cars used to include a 'coin holder' as standard equipment! And one of the 'benefits' of a more expensive model included a 'fuel reserve warning light'!

BrianD3

Civic

As can be seen it has an airbag. Not that it did the "driver" much good.

Around the time that the EG Civic came in, safety was starting to become a selling point among manufacturers other than Volvo. The likes of VW, Opel and Ford were bragging about the safety of new models and independent tests generally backed up the claims. Even when tested without airbags the Golf Mk3 and new Astra of the time did well.

JHMEG

BrianD3 wrote: »

Civic

As can be seen it has an airbag. Not that it did the "driver" much good.

Check page 21 of the UK Civic brochure I posted above. SRS Airbag is only on the VEi. Tho maybe in Italy it was on a few more models (tho that one has the hub caps that were on the VEi and LSi).

In fairness I don't think Honda ever made claims about the EG's safety. Not that they could.