Mazda3 Air Bags Faulty?

[mazda3driver]

it's understandable naman for this thread to become personal. after all, kayo ang nasaktan. and dont worry if you're being accused na pine-personal mo, coz what happened to you is something personal.

hindi naman ito yun tipong tumirik ka sa daan coz faulty ang engine mo like the fortuner thread. this case almost put you and your wife's life in danger. ibang usapan na yun ...

Thanks pare

[nugundam93]

butch gamboa posted something about airbags sa phil star motoring section...i'll try to find it.

[vinj]

I didnt have a chance to read all the replies but just to share, some months back my cousin t-boned his Altis onto a Benz that made a sudden u-turn. The damage was big and the airbag deployed but looking at things (IMO lang), the seatbelt would have kept him okay as there was no interior protusions on the part of the vehicle damage and the seatbelt held it's place... but my cuz did break his arm because of the airbag deployment (his two hands were on the steering wheel).

I read a case before where the airbag was found to be responsible for saving a life but that was in an accident where the seatbelt failed (it snapped due to the heat friction)... i'm not up-to-date on these things anymore though.

[OTEP]

butch gamboa posted something about airbags sa phil star motoring section...i'll try to find it.

Yes, Philippine Star, last Wednesday.

[mazda3driver]

From continuous research, I've learned of this device: the Restraint Control Module (RCM)

http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:...ient=firefox-a

It's like a "black box" that records several data after the crash. The technical consultant of Ford did not include this in his report nor even told us in our meeting about its existence.

Maybe some of you out there could also research and help me with this.

Since June 21, I've been calling daily the Ford technical consultant. I also sent him a request to have a copy of the data extracted from the RCM. After a week, Ford unusually sent me a letter from their lawyer saying "the airbags were in perfect condition" and attached with the letter is the same report from May 20 that did not mention anything about the data extracted from the RCM.

I've talked with their lawyer and also requested from him this data. Until today, July 6, the technical consultant of Ford has not returned my phone calls and has not replied to my emails.

This is unfortunate since all of this confusion could have been prevented and whatever data that comes out, good or bad, could have given me and my wife some piece of mind.

[OTEP]

RCM's are usually found on Domestic brand USDM cars (e.g. GM's and Fords). They are not very much welcomed by motorists in most other parts of the world as they can contain potentially criminally incriminating evidence (towards drivers). I've mentioned this in a previous post already (pertaining to retrieving data from the vehicle).

Don't be surprised if the Mazda is not equipped with such equipment. Even manufacturers who agree to install RCM's don't equip their full model line up with it. Even Volvos and Mercedes Benzes are not RCM equipped. That's why they have a crash investigation team on standby in their home markets to investigate 'interesting' crashes and improve vehicle safety. The team actually goes to the site, interviews those involved and 'process' the vehicle in their safety laboratory. In such instances, no RCM-type date is stored in nor retrieved from the vehicle. They calculate crash speeds, angles, etc. using forensics, good 'ol physics, and some bad *ss computer programs.

[mazda3driver]

Obviously I'm one of those motorists who welcome that device. I'll be even glad if the data confirms the airbags functioned properly so all of this could be layed to rest.

It seems illogical to have the airbags in the car and not have the RCM. Might as well not install the airbags.

Anyway, I've confirmed that the mazda3 does have that device. I just hope we get to see the data. I think they at least owe us that.

[the_wildthing]

The manual will tell you whether there's an RCM.

[redorange]

Wow this is a really long and heated thread. Sorry to hear about your accident and the injuries you and your wife sustained. Just a question for you, have you read your owners manual since you bought the vehicle? The reason I ask is because the owners manual here in the states show that your vehicle and airbag functioned as they were intended.

mazda manual

Page 62 and 63

Depending on the severity of impact, the front air bags may not inflate in the following
cases:
Non-activation of front air bags
Front air bags will not normally inflate in the following cases:
Impacts involving trees or poles cause severe
cosmetic damage but may not have enough
impact to activate the air bag. (This is what happened to you car because the barrier hit it at the center)

Rear-ending or running under a truck's tail
gate may not provide the stopping force
necessary for air bag deployment.
Frontal offset impact to the vehicle may not
provide the stopping force necessary for air
bag deployment.
Collision from the rear.
Impact to the side, but it may deploy the
side* and curtain* air bags.
Vehicle roll-over, may deploy the side* and
curtain* air bags but not the front air bags.
*Some models.

Not to say that you shouldn't sue but if there was anyone you should be filing a case against it is the MMDA not Mazda. You pay taxes so that the government can maintain roads and keep it safe but the barrier they used was not meant to be used for that purpose and did not have proper marking to make it visible at night. Here in the states if similar barriers are needed we use plastic ones filled with water or sand so that upon impact the energy is distributed to the barrier and it breaks to absord most of the energy. A sample can be seen in the movie Speed when Keanu Reeves takes the guys MB to chase the bus.

[redorange]

It seems illogical to have the airbags in the car and not have the RCM. Might as well not install the airbags.

The RCM and airbag are not interconnected as far as vehicle requirements, airbags were first and recently mandates have been made by the feds to have "black boxes" in vehicles. So just because you have an airbag it does not mean you have a RCM in your vehicle.