[Nadim786]

Although all my 2014 Volt airbags failed in three impact accident, I do believe that car was well build and accounts for me being alive today. The rescue team were astonished by damages of all three cars and why my airbags were only ones not deploy maybe someone in this group can give an explanation. I am very grateful that I was able walk away with seat belt contusions, dislocated shoulder and left side head concussion, my body and face was slammed against the driver door pillar.

My 2014 Volt took front right impact when I t-boned a Nissan Altima driver door, with in a few seconds later, followed by 2nd impact when I got t-boned by Chevy Equinox, left back door/wheel, and 3rd impact occured when the Equinox spin my volt around slamming my right side into the Altima again. See attached pics.

Per investigation, the Altima was at fault and Equinox was speeding and couldn't avoid my accident. I was just at wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[Loboc]

The only pic shows some relatively minor damage to the right side doors. Maybe the impacts were not forceful enough to engage the air bags? Although, I'd think that any front-end collision that deflects the car's body should deploy the air bags. Can't see that in the one pic though.

 

[Steverino]

need more pics of the rest of your car. It looks like a small dent on passenger side door only. But based on your description it seems like the airbags should have activated.

 

[MikeyCVolt]

Yeah, do you have pics of the front? The other vehicle in the photo seems to have taken a lot more damage. Are you sure that the other vehicles didn't just take the brunt of the impact and your impact was more incidental? In any case, glad you're OK... and hope no one else was hurt.

Mike

 

[Sly Bob]

From that pic in your post it looks like it would buff right out. Glad you are okay.

 

[canehdian]

Your car looks pretty much intact.
Air bags likely didn't fail, just the car absorbed all the energy and sensors didn't feel enough G's to warrant airbag deployment.

Ever since the 90s with airbags going off at full strength and severely injuring people (often children), they avoid unnecessary deployments as the airbags themselves could injure you when otherwise you would have been fine (as is the case here).
You need more than a light tap to make them go off.

 

[Nadim786]

There should be 4 pics

 

[Nadim786]

As I said, the car was well build, all three cars where totaled, although my volt seemed intact, but the frame bent and rear axel broke couldnt be repaired per Nationwide Insurance. Visual estimated cost was $16k,

 

[Upper5Percent]

As I said, the car was well build, all three cars where totaled, although my volt seemed intact, but the frame bent and rear axel broke couldnt be repaired per Nationwide Insurance. Visual estimated cost was $16k,

Glad you are relatively okay...make sure you get ALL of your medical paid by the other insurance companies...

Do you have GAP insurance on your vehicle assuming it is NOT paid off?

Ask GM to gather the data from the sensors that trigger airbag deployment...GM gathered the data when my wife was hit in our 2013 Volt...our airbags did NOT deploy when she was hit

 

[Nadim786]

I do not expect the front airbags to deploy when I was doing about 30-40 mph when altima pulled out in front me. It just seemed like a little accident to me. But do expect the side air to deploy when equinox plowed into me, it catapulted mv volt car side ways into the Altima, which also moved few feet. I do remember my front of my car was in her door and seeing her airbags go off. When I came around, the people were trying to get me out of the car from the passenger door since equinox had came to rest on my driver side.

 

[Nadim786]

The airbags didnt deploy

I just wanted know if anyone would know why not.

Insurance paid off the car, I netted whopping 3k from the difference.

The car valued at almost $16,500, it was 37 months old and 36k miles on it, I was little disappointed, in 2014, was $40k

i do believe the insurance company gather data from the cars, This is were I learnt, the cars records your speed on impact. Big brother is watching.

 

[Sly Bob]

This is were I learnt, the cars records your speed on impact. Big brother is watching.

Old news, this tech has been in cars for many years, since the early 90s actually.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech.../26/keep-your-car-black-box-private/20609035/

 

[Nadim786]

My Chevy Volt crashed the other two cars, LOL It would be awesome if i could have driven away.

Unfortunately, my dash cam broke in the accident along with my work laptop and Iphone, I manage get pics from witnesses.

I didnt understand your statement "more incidental" My volt was only vehicle hint 3 times. The altima was hint 2x, when I t-bone it and when Equinoxs t-bone me flinging me into altima sideways.

 

[BoogetyBoogety]

My Chevy Volt crashed the other two cars, LOL It would be awesome if i could have driven away.

Unfortunately, my dash cam broke in the accident along with my work laptop and Iphone, I manage get pics from witnesses.

I didnt understand your statement "more incidental" My volt was only vehicle hint 3 times. The altima was hint 2x, when I t-bone it and when Equinoxs t-bone me flinging me into altima sideways.

Your dash cam card didn't break, so you should have video of the accident on the card. Something's not right here.

From your pictures, I don't see why airbags would have deployed. Your description of the events doesn't quite jibe with what the pictures are showing... I know an accident can scramble what you see and experience versus what actually happened, not doubting your word, but nothing shown justifies even side curtain airbag deployment

 

[Steverino]

The car valued at almost $16,500, it was 37 months old and 36k miles on it, I was little disappointed, in 2014, was $40k

Assuming that the $40K (not including taxes and fees) quoted is what you paid for the car, I would agree that you were underpaid by about $2700. Now if the actual purchase price was different the results could change too.

While different cars depreciate at different rates, it's a good rule of thumb to assume that a new car will lose approximately 20 percent of its value in the first year and 15 percent each year after that until, after 10 years, it's worth around 10 percent of what it originally cost.

So, let's do the math.
Day 1: 40,000 - 7500 tax credit = 32,500 market value.
End of Year 1: 32,500 less 20% depreciation = 26,000
End of Year 2: 26,000 less 15% depreciation = 22,100
End of Year 3: 22,100 less 15% depreciation = 18,785
End of Year 4: 18,785 less 15% depreciation = 15,967

So it seems they gave you a year 4 value rather than a year 3. Now there may be other factors in play, but that's just looking at a general depreciation estimate.

 

[quirkySquirt]

I think the air bags should've deployed. You suffered bodily injury, but everyone's different and what is a head concussion for you might be a life ending internal bleeding in the skull for another. I've never felt an airbag deploy but perhaps it's strong enough that it's worse than what you felt, Nadim786.

You should definitely follow up with the investigator or your insurance to see if the airbags are faulty. If the air bags could've reduced your injuries but didn't because of some bad calibration or assumption about what is "safe" for you, you should be compensated.

 

[Qinsp]

Airbags are a two edged sword.
While they save far more lives, they also kill a certain percentage of people.
It is not a gentle event. It is a violent high speed explosion.

Without knowing actual impact velocity and g forces, it's hard to say whether it was safer for them to deploy or more dangerous.

 

[Sean-a-Tron]

Unfortunately, my dash cam broke in the accident along with my work laptop and Iphone, I manage get pics from witnesses.

Your dash cam card didn't break, so you should have video of the accident on the card. Something's not right here.

Yep. The SD card should have survived. Though whether or not the camera was able to save the last video before it died would be the deciding factor.

 

[PilotAlan]

Although all my 2014 Volt airbags failed in three impact accident,

I am a traffic homicide investigator. Here's my take, based on the limited info from the pictures.

1 - The first impact was a t-bone. Structural protection for side impacts is much less than frontal, and there's essentially no crumple zone. Side impact airbags have a much lower deployment threshold than front impact airbags.

2 - If one vehicle hits another in the rear, it is not unusual for the rear vehicle's airbags to deploy, and the front vehicle not to. Getting hit from behind, the whole body is supported by the seat. The rear vehicle has only a seatbelt preventing impact with the steering wheel and dash. As a result, the deployment threshold for front impacts is much lower than for rear impacts.

3 - The spin and third impact was almost certainly below the impact threshold for the airbags.

 

[Nuclearboy]

My daughter recently survived (no visit to Hospital, small concusion) a major high speed accident in a Chevy Cruise. The damage was catastrophic looking compared to the Volt in your pictures. I would be shocked if anyones survival was challenged in a Volt with the amount of Damage shown.

Glad you are OK and hope you have no spinal rearrangements from all those various angles of impact.