[SteveF1]

I had a head on crash in my E90 a few weeks back when I hit the car in front at around 10mph. The drivers steering wheel airbag went off and instantly cut the cars engine which refused to start from that point onwards. This required my garage sending the car to BMW for a new component to be replaced.....

The cars been in the garage for the past fortnight, thankfully its only minor damage and its only the front bumper that needs replacing along with a new steering wheel airbag. However, the garage state that ALL the cars seatbelts need replacing after an airbag activation as requested by Thatcham and BMW despite me being the only one in the car during the bump.

Is this right as its bumping an insurance claim that replaces only the bumper and airbag from £1500 to £3700!!!

I'm really annoyed the airbag went off as it was a tiny bump that would have only required a new bumper otherwise. Ive seen crashes at 50mph that have crumpled every panel of the car and that hasn't activated the airbag so why this one?

[toxicnerve]

Originally Posted by SteveF1

I had a head on crash in my E90 a few weeks back when I hit the car in front at around 10mph. The drivers steering wheel airbag went off and instantly cut the cars engine which refused to start from that point onwards. This required my garage sending the car to BMW for a new component to be replaced.....

That seems a bit weird. I thought it was just a fuel switch that caused this to happen?

Originally Posted by SteveF1

The cars been in the garage for the past fortnight, thankfully its only minor damage and its only the front bumper that needs replacing along with a new steering wheel airbag. However, the garage state that ALL the cars seatbelts need replacing after an airbag activation as requested by Thatcham and BMW despite me being the only one in the car during the bump.

Is this right as its bumping an insurance claim that replaces only the bumper and airbag from £1500 to £3700!!!

Not 100% sure about this. Could be plausible if all the seatbelt pre-tensioners trigger regardless of whether there occupants in those seats or not.

[Dr Dave]

If the right protocol was met by the sensors 'feeding' the SRS ECU then the airbag(s) and pretensioner(s) would be deployed regardless of vehicle speed.

I know it sounds harsh Steve but there's no way around it, even if no-one was sat in the seat at the time of the impact - the tensioners would still activate.

[shane55]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

If the right protocol was met by the sensors 'feeding' the SRS ECU then the airbag(s) and pretensioner(s) would be deployed regardless of vehicle speed.

I know it sounds harsh Steve but there's no way around it, even if no-one was sat in the seat at the time of the impact - the tensioners would still activate.

Yes Daves right....bacause of the highly complex way the airbag system works...when the conditions are met from gyro sensors, abs sensors, brake effort...and so on the car decides "oh shit I better pop an airbag" and if your lucky you'll only get the front driver....I've seen the curtain airbag go out on very minor front wing/driver door tips.

[m1bjr]

I think tis cheap.

We repaired a few catD cars over the years, we looked at a Cougar once that was nearly new.

It required a replacement dashboard as well due to passenger SRS deployment and we estimated £6k - no wonder they canned it.

Scary, and that was years ago!

[dxb335d]

actual 50mph impacts devestate cars. Written Off beyond repair. Don't confuse 50mph before slowing down to 50mph impacts,

here is a Euro N cap 40mph shunt

Originally Posted by SteveF1

I had a head on crash in my E90 a few weeks back when I hit the car in front at around 10mph. The drivers steering wheel airbag went off and instantly cut the cars engine which refused to start from that point onwards. This required my garage sending the car to BMW for a new component to be replaced.....

The cars been in the garage for the past fortnight, thankfully its only minor damage and its only the front bumper that needs replacing along with a new steering wheel airbag. However, the garage state that ALL the cars seatbelts need replacing after an airbag activation as requested by Thatcham and BMW despite me being the only one in the car during the bump.

Is this right as its bumping an insurance claim that replaces only the bumper and airbag from £1500 to £3700!!!

I'm really annoyed the airbag went off as it was a tiny bump that would have only required a new bumper otherwise. Ive seen crashes at 50mph that have crumpled every panel of the car and that hasn't activated the airbag so why this one?