Airbag questions

[alexander750]

Recently I had a very unpleasant surprise with my 1994 EX sedan, which I'd obtained only two weeks prior. The car has a pair of tow bar mounts under the front bumper, installed by the previous owner, that tend to "bite the pavement" a lot on speed bumps, curbs, etc.

I hit a curb at about 5 mph...and both airbags went off. In addition, the windshield above the passenger airbag was smashed. The windshield has been replaced, and--along with getting those blasted tow bar mounts removed--I was considering replacing the airbags with junkyard pulls (quoted price about $100 each, from various Web sites) and resetting the SRS computer.

Until, that is, I saw Honda's Airbag Aware site, warning of the Very Very Grave Dangers of installing anything other than brand new Honda airbags...at about $650 each (price quote: Majestic Honda). Honda's position is that there's a very high risk that "junkyard pulls" are really counterfeits, which could inflate incompletely, and/or at the wrong time, or not at all, or even worse, EXPLODE, essentially acting as fragmentation bombs.

My questions are thus:
(1) Why did the airbags deploy at such a low speed?
(1a) More importantly, why did the passenger airbag deploy at all? The seat was empty.
(2) Is the risk of getting counterfeit airbags real, or does Honda just want my $1300?

[nehonda]

The car speed doesnt matter for air bag deployment. Its the impact (deceleration) that trips the SRS sensor and sets off the air bags. Your tow bar hooks hitting the solid speed bump must have created a big enough impact to set off the sensor.
I dont thnk the older cars like your 94 had occupancy sensors in each seat. The SRS just deploys both the airbags.

I suppose there is some risk of getting counterfit airbags at a junkyard, but I doubt it is "very high". Safest plan is to buy the expensive new Honda bags. Are you the only person in the car or do other family members use it? You will have to evaluate you own situation.
At the other end of the spectrum, I know some people who just drive repaired cars without air bags like we all did prior to 1990 or thereabouts.

[cshiffy105]

My sisters 97 coupe's airbags were replaced twice and the car was just in another accident a few weeks ago and they deployed again. The first owner replaced them and those were not the best quality. I'm not sure if they were new or used but you could just look at them and tell they were poor quality. I myself purchased some from a junkyard and these looked much better. Not nearly as much powder.

On the sensitivity side of things my sisters car seems very sensitive. Very low speed side impacts have made them come out. I know someone with the same year as you that has his someone head on at 60 mph and here didn't go off. I guess some cars just are that way.


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