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A sad day. Got T-boned today.
- Thread starter mbdionio
- Start date
Class action lawsuit against Tesla's failed airbags?
No airbag deployment is excellent news. It shows the car was able to (relatively) slowly absorb Mr./Ms T(bone)’s vehicle energy by using it to bend metal in the door, frame & body. This meant less violent lateral acceleration for the humans in the car, with reduced risk of serious injury.
Airbag deployment is near-instantaneous, driven by a powerful explosion. It can cause minor injuries. It’s the vehicle’s last-ditch attempt to protect the occupants from forcefully hitting some part of the interior. If the vehicle could absorb enough collision energy through deformation, then the airbag violence is unnecessary.
There was a good thread in the Australia section where someone’s Tesla ran off the road, ended up with the front-end wrapped around a utility pole. The car’s owner/driver was preparing to sue Tesla for defective airbags. A knowledgeable response set him straight.
Good to hear everyone is okay. I’m not an auto body repair wizard, I think the car might be a total loss. A lot of stuff got bent. At least some of it probably can’t be easily straightened out or replaced.
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All the more reason to get folks into newer cars. They are so much safer.
I can attest to that, as I was in an airbag deployment some years ago when an idiot crossed lanes and hit me head on. You dont experience the deployment .. it just suddenly appears instantly with a bang. Dont get me wrong, it probably saved me from any serious injury (I got out and walked away), but the force of the deployment blew the sunroof off the car (was detachable), ripped the wristwatch off my wrist and sent that out the roof as well (leaving me with lacerations from the metal strap), and gave me two black eyes.
Rothgarr
Active Member
There needs to be a "O_O" reaction button, because that's nuts! Glad you are OK, sounds scary. What kind of car was it?
It was Porsche 944 Turbo S .. great car (for the time). At the time airbags were new enough that I actually got a phone call from Porsche technicians in Germany as they wanted to talk to me about the experience.
CyberGus
Not Just a Member
ElectricLee
Member
EnrgyNDpndnce
Member
Thanks for sharing your experience and pictures. Really glad there were no serious injuries. Would you mind following up after your insurance company or designated body shop gives you a repair estimate, and letting us know what the estimate is? I’m gonna spitball at least $10k to repair that, and leaning toward they may just total it. Curious to know, thanks.
Also sad to see this, but glad the car protected you and saved your lives.
Looks like at least 12-18K worth of damage (most of the cost is labor, second parts).
The fender is fairly simple, front passenger door will be replaced, rocker potentially salvegable (depending on internal damage, alignment rack status, etc).
Then re-paint of both doors and fender with blending and either bumper cover or bumper and hood if the blend get tricky).
Thats just the body panels/sheet metal damage to the outside... underneath hides more aluminium and high-strenght steel. Hopefully none of the structure, battery, etc is compromised.
Carfax value hit will be huge so consider a diminashed value claim (regardless how painful a process that might be).
Looks like at least 12-18K worth of damage (most of the cost is labor, second parts).
The fender is fairly simple, front passenger door will be replaced, rocker potentially salvegable (depending on internal damage, alignment rack status, etc).
Then re-paint of both doors and fender with blending and either bumper cover or bumper and hood if the blend get tricky).
Thats just the body panels/sheet metal damage to the outside... underneath hides more aluminium and high-strenght steel. Hopefully none of the structure, battery, etc is compromised.
Carfax value hit will be huge so consider a diminashed value claim (regardless how painful a process that might be).
El joe
Active Member
So glad everyone walked away ok. That whole thing looks so scary and I’m glad no one was hurt.
Question regarding the airbags: If the airbags deployed, would that make the Mode 3 a total loss? Cause if so, that’d be another positive about the airbags not deploying in this accident.
Question regarding the airbags: If the airbags deployed, would that make the Mode 3 a total loss? Cause if so, that’d be another positive about the airbags not deploying in this accident.
Ciaopec
Active Member
Going to have to respectfully disagree on the $10K figure. Had something much less severe to my MS and it clocked in at $13K.
But I'll eat my words if it is 10 or less!
Some wire harness cold be shorted or even the battery pack itself. Dont park it near anything.
Insist on salvaging this car and getting a new one from insurance. Repair cost plus diminished value can help you with this.
Wait a minute! There’s an oversight - nobody blamed this on Autopilot malfunction.
