OT: Airbags did not deploy

[Coronita]

[quote=flu][quote=svelte]I typed Tundra, should have said Sequoia.

We were talking about airbags deploying. That’s usually a frontal crash.

Here are the specifics for truck, small SUV, large SUV, large car, and small car (5 different categories)

Ford/Chev win 4 categories, and tie in one.

Now, how is it that Toyota is better?

Large truck winner: Ford and Chevy
2009 Chevrolet Silverado: driver 5 star passenger 5 star
09 Ford F150: driver 5 star passenger 5 star
09 Toyota Tundra: driver 4 start passenger 4 star

Large SUV winner: Ford and Chevy
09 Chevrolet Suburban: driver 5 star, passenger 5 star

09 Ford Expedition: driver 5 star, passenger 5 star

09 Toyota Sequoia: driver 5 star, passenger 4 star

Small SUV winner: Chevrolet (yes, the HHR was classified as a small SUV)

09 Chev HHR: Driver: 5 star Passenger: 5 star

09 Ford Edge: Driver 5 start Passenger 4 star

09 Toyota RAV 4 Driver: 5 star Passenger: 4 star
09 Scion xB: Driver: 4 star Passenger: 4 star

Full size winner: 3-way tie

09 Chevrolet Impala: Driver 5 star Passenger 5 star
09 Ford Taurus: Driver 5 start Passenger 5 star
09 Toyota Camry: Driver 5 star Passenger 5 star

Small car winner: Ford

09 Chevrolet Cobalt Driver 4 star Passenger 5 star
09 Ford Focus Driver 5 star Passenger 5 star

09 Toyota Corolla Driver 4 star Passenger 4 star[/quote]

Well, I thought you were talking about overall car safety, from which includes not just airbag deployment, but ensuring passenger/driver compartment remained intact and that passenger injuries were minimized. There are numerous reasons why/why not an airbag would/will not deploy at a given time depending on many factors. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not vouching for why this particular case the airbag didn’t deploy…But it’s not the first time I’ve heard a frontal impact and an airbag didn’t deploy…Happens all the time across all makes/models.

IIHS provides a comprehensive test of frontal,side, and rear impact test and soon to be evaluated roof strength.[/quote]

Svelte, funny to resurrect this…But it appears NHTSA are playing something funky with crash test ratings…. 2010 Tundra is now rated at 5 stars, despite how Toyota did nothing structurally for 2010 years…Hmmmm…I wonder who was stuffing NTSA’s pockets in 08/09….Time to put on the tin-foil hats…Even the IIHS results indicate this inconsistency…

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/04/report-toyota-tundra-finally-earns-its-fifth-star-but-how/

REPORT: Toyota Tundra finally earns its fifth star… but how?
When Toyota crashed the domestic automakers’ pickup party with the arrival of the 2007 Tundra, the truck-buying public took notice. Bad news struck the Tundra from the start, though, as heavy rebates were needed to move the new truck, and numerous quality issues were reported. Toyota has since addressed those issues, but one problem has continued to follow the truck: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the Tundra a four star rating for front driver and passenger collisions, denoting a 11-20% chance of serious injury in a 35 mph crash. That’s one fewer star than the competition from Dodge, Chevy, and Ford, and a big-time marketing disadvantage for Toyota. The four star rating became a bit more puzzling when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the Tundra a Top Safety Pick for 2008. Toyota seemed dumbfounded as to why its truck received a four star rating, but the Japanese automaker may have received some vindication for the 2010 model year.

The star power of the Tundra has finally been amped up for the new model year, as NHTSA is now giving the Double Cab and Crew Max configurations of the truck a five star rating. The regular cab Tundra hasn’t been tested. There have been several changes to the 2010 Tundra, including interior and exterior updates, plus a new 310 horsepower 4.6-liter V8 engine. Pickuptrucks.com contacted Toyota to see what structural changes were made to the Tundra to improve its crash test scores, and Toyota reportedly told the website that no structural changes to the trucks frame were made, and no safety enhancements have been added. Interesting.

[svelte]

flu,

I just finished reading that over at autoblog before I saw your post here!

Yes, I must say I wear the tin foil hat on this one…I certainly suspect tampering by Toyota lobbyists.

Not that other car companies don’t have lobbyists also.

I guess I had thought that NHTSA was immune to auto manufacturer lobbying, or at least the star ratings were based upon science only. That apparently is not the case.

Sigh.

[svelte]

flu,

I just finished reading that over at autoblog before I saw your post here!

Yes, I must say I wear the tin foil hat on this one…I certainly suspect tampering by Toyota lobbyists.

Not that other car companies don’t have lobbyists also.

I guess I had thought that NHTSA was immune to auto manufacturer lobbying, or at least the star ratings were based upon science only. That apparently is not the case.

Sigh.

[svelte]

flu,

I just finished reading that over at autoblog before I saw your post here!

Yes, I must say I wear the tin foil hat on this one…I certainly suspect tampering by Toyota lobbyists.

Not that other car companies don’t have lobbyists also.

I guess I had thought that NHTSA was immune to auto manufacturer lobbying, or at least the star ratings were based upon science only. That apparently is not the case.

Sigh.

[svelte]

flu,

I just finished reading that over at autoblog before I saw your post here!

Yes, I must say I wear the tin foil hat on this one…I certainly suspect tampering by Toyota lobbyists.

Not that other car companies don’t have lobbyists also.

I guess I had thought that NHTSA was immune to auto manufacturer lobbying, or at least the star ratings were based upon science only. That apparently is not the case.

Sigh.

[svelte]

flu,

I just finished reading that over at autoblog before I saw your post here!

Yes, I must say I wear the tin foil hat on this one…I certainly suspect tampering by Toyota lobbyists.

Not that other car companies don’t have lobbyists also.

I guess I had thought that NHTSA was immune to auto manufacturer lobbying, or at least the star ratings were based upon science only. That apparently is not the case.

Sigh.

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