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Air bags and computers shutting down processes

Discussion in 'Prius v Main Forum' started by bikeboy999, Nov 21, 2014.

  1. bikeboy999

    bikeboy999 Junior Member

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    Location:
    Ottawa, Ont.
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    When my wife was broadsided in our Prius v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon), the passenger side air bags deployed. Then the car spun around and the rear was destroyed, no air bags fired. And then the car bounced off the telephone pole and re-hit the car that t-boned her. Enough to damage the front end, but again no air bags. My question is, when the air bags deploy does it shut down the system so no more monitoring happens?

    B Prius bangup results (2).jpg Prius bangup results (3).jpg Prius bangup results (4).jpg
     
  2. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    Yup, you get one shot.

    The car is obviously damaged. So how does it know the next signal to deploy is genuine or not? Let alone if it receives that signal because the first impact could take out the ECUs. So generally it is designed to protect against what it can in the short time it can still make an educated guess. The microseconds between it knowing that it is hit but hasn't been crumpled completely yet.
     
  3. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Did she get hurt?
     
  4. Quentin

    Quentin Member

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    With that minimal front damage, you don't want the front airbags to deploy. I'm not sure if the vehicle can deploy the airbags in two stages, though. Good question.


    Tandy 400