Airbag went off...

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Ashburnham, MA
#1
I need some advice from you guys. I'm not sure exactly what to do after I had a very unique situation occur tonight. I left my residence with a friend to head into Worcester (city in MA) and meet up with friends. I live way out in the boonies, so I have to take some longer back roads to get to civilization. I was driving down a road that I drive everyday on the way to work, but I hit a new pothole that was pretty big. It hit on the Passenger front tire, and there was no way to avoid it due to a car coming the other way at that exact instant.
Well I heard a bang and tried to figure out what happened, but I believe I was in a bit of shock. The car slowly came to a stop, and I finally came to my senses as it stopped and realised the Hazard lights were going off and the engine was OFF. I felt something wack my arm when I hit the pothole and I look to my left and the Driver door and curtain airbags went off. Now mind you I am stopped in the middle of the road, but it wasn't busy, so we were the only ones there. I get out of the car, take a walk around and finally inspect my passenger rim to see a big dent in it from the pothole. That is the ONLY damage to the car.
I ended up getting ahold of the police and filed a report when the officer arrived. The car was still drivable, and the tire had not lost the seal. So I drove the car home, called my insurance company and filed a "claim".
After closer inspection of the car, I see the curtain airbag ruined all the trim on that side of the car, and the door panel needs to be replaced since the airbag deployed blowing apart the door panel. My arm has a slight burn on it, and the rim is destroyed.
What do I do? Do I file a claim, get the car fixed and pay the deductable hoping my insurance company can later get me the money from the town to pay for the damages? Do I go after BMW for an airbag going off when it shouldn't have which is a MAJOR safety issue. I am under an assumption that the side airbags don't even go off when there is a minor side impact just due to the danger of additional injury not to mention when hitting a pothole..
Is this covered under warrenty (airbags, not rim). What if my suspension is damaged? Has anyone run into a situation like this before? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I will be posting some pics within the next couple days..
 
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New Jersey
#2
Sorry to hear about your bad luck.

1.) Call up BMW NA Consumer Affairs or some crap like that and explain to them what happened. Obviously they can't help you out with the bent rim because you went over the pothole (even though you had no choice).

2.) Make sure the town pays for a new rim (or however your insurance company wants to handle it), but I don't think the town will be responsible for the airbag deploying and the damage that it caused since that was a totally unnecessary measure that the car decided to take.

3.) Your suspension isn't damaged...if it was, you'd know it. Since your rim is bent, that is what took all (or most) of the shock from the pothole. Your suspension is very strong and I don't think that would cause any damage to it....if it did, you would notice it on the drive home. Perhaps get the dealership to look at the shock absorber/spring that hit the pothole just in case.

4.) For future advice, if you see a pothole coming up and you can't avoid it, slow down. I run around with 18" wheels and I go into NYC a lot and my whole area has crappy roads...from my experience, the safest thing is that when you just can't avoid it, slow down for it. If there are any cars behind you just turn on your hazards or something as a courtesy and so nobody rams into you.

I know it was weird for the airbag to go off, but nowadays cars have so many airbags and safety systems and shit, and sometimes the car deploys airbag(s) when it's not even necessary at all. I'm guessing that the pothole was so bad that it set off the side airbag sensor and caused it to go off.

Definitely show us pics and keep up posted. I hope what I had to offer helps out at all.
 
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Reading,PA
#3
I would go after BMW for the airbag deployment. They may deny it under warranty, but give it a try. I really don't think it should have triggered the airbag sensor.

When they see the rim, any suspension damage will not be covered.
 
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Metuchen NJ
#4
that's the most FOOKED up thing i've heard in a while....
good luck gettin it fixed!



when u are slowing down for a hole/speed bump/etc LET GO OF TEH BRAKE
before u actually hit it.
 
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New York City
#5
MrElussive said:
4.) For future advice, if you see a pothole coming up and you can't avoid it, slow down. I run around with 18" wheels and I go into NYC a lot and my whole area has crappy roads...from my experience, the safest thing is that when you just can't avoid it, slow down for it. If there are any cars behind you just turn on your hazards or something as a courtesy and so nobody rams into you.
Yea in NYC its hard avoiding the pot holes.. luckily i have a land rover, so i plow through most of them ( unless they are deep i slow down ) But like MrE said, just slow down and go through them slowly, I see soo many cars here with damaged rims it get ridiculous sometimes..
 
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Houston, Texas
#6
I just spent $796.00 to get four wheels shanked due to numerous potholes........now if its bigger than a pebble, I brake hard.......better not follow close or you're having a close encounter with my rear end............I hit a pothole that broke the seal on the tire and dented the wheel, but the air bag never went off........
 
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Edmond, OK
#7
Insurance companies don't like to shell out money, so most likely if they think is was a manufacturing defect, then they will go after BMW.

I know it sounds like it shouldn't go off, but I was talking to a BMW service rep and he told me a story about a lady that took a brand new M3 for a test drive. The saleman told her to speed through a highway exit that has those reflective, tall dome road dividers. She hit those, setting off the airbags and ruining the two right rims.

By the way, make sure that check your rack & pinion. I hit a curb a while back and not only did it destroy my rims, but it must have bent a gear in my rack because at center there is a little play.
 
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Ashburnham, MA
#8
Well here is the update as of now. I have talked to my insurance company and it looks as though I have to place a claim under collision. I have a 1000 deductable, so basically I will be eating a grand on this one. Now I do have a few worries coming up. I was planning on selling this car (I hate storing it in the winter, just seems like a total waste of money), and actually almost listed it on cars.com 3 hours before this pothole incident occurred.
It sounds now that my insurance company will take care of the paperwork and contact BMW to negotiate a labor rate. They will also look into seeing if the airbags went of defectively, in which case they will go after BMW for all the money (and I guess I would ger re-imbursed a %). They can also go after the town, in which case if the town pays for the damages, I would get refunded 100% down the road.
Now, here are my worries, it sounds as though the car has now been in a "wreck". Does this void my factory warrenty on the car? This would be a major devalueing point. I am hoping that if BMW does all the repairs, that the warrenty would stay valid and the car would not be devalued as much. Any insight?
I got the pictures developed today of my arm, the car, and the pothole, so I'll be posting those once I get my scanner up and working again.
I also have to get in touch with a lawyer to see what else I can do. Still haven't called BMW NA, but not sure if that would get me anywhere anyways (besides warning them that they may be hearing from me later on)
Thanks for the comments/suggestions so far. I'll keep you guys up to date.
Oh and just so you know, the pothole is 2 feet wide, about 3-4 feet long and has a 4" lip at the end. Not the most avoidable thing on a street in the dark with no streetlights and a car coming the other way.
Oh, and on top of that, this past weekend I saw a car stranded there with a flat front and rear tire from hitting the same hole.. This isn't a normal pothole!!!
 
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Seattle Area
#9
j2azz, man I am really sorry to hear about your car and your strife. It sounds like you should have a very strong case against the city where this occurs. To bad you didn't get a pic of the other vehicle that was stranded at the same hole with both tires flat. Good luck with everything and hope it turns out for the best. Keep us posted.
 
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#11
I don't see how the car would be classified as a being in a wreck just because the airbag deployed. There was no structural damage done the car itself besides the rim, right? Have you had the suspension looked at? Does the car drive like normal? Of course this is a high end automobile and you never know what a car company will do when it comes to this sort of thing, but if they did try and say the car has indeed been a wreck and class it that way. I would raise hell. It really does sound like a faulty sensor to me. I have never heard of a pothole engaging an air bag, but I am no expert on this subject. That really sucks.....
 
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Ashburnham, MA
#12
Well everyone, the saga continues.. Here is what has happened since I last posted. My car was appraised at about 1600 dollars worth of damage at a $35/hr labor rate. From what I understand, once I make the claim (have cash paid to me), my insurance company and BMW (dealership) haggle over the labor costs. So I would imagine I have close to 1800+ dollars worth of damage (rim, airbags, trim etc).
Well I spoke with an attorney, said it sounds weird, but it may be a bit hard to go after BMW on something like this. But the option is there for me. Also, I found out the towns here have a law that protects a municipality against claims from road damage.... UNLESS the town new about it and was negligent in fixing the matter. So I have to track down and see if they new about this pothole before I hit it. It was there about 2 weeks from what I remember, so I assume somebody had to of nailed it. I'll have to go through the police records/reports.
This past Sunday I had the car towed to my BMW dealership. Tuesday morning I get a call from the service department, and the rep is all confused as to what happened to my car. Has me explain it again over the phone and then tells me he's gonna get back to me later that day. Never does, so I call that evening. He explains they are looking/investigating the matter as to why the airbags went off. The only damage to the car was a bent rim (where the tire never lost it's seal). He said there is no suspension damage or anything to the car, and from the tone of his voice and with some of what he was saying, he was sort of telling me without incriminating himself that there was no way this should have ever happened. Asks me to give him another day on investigating. So I let him, and come Wednesday afternoon, I find out that there is a hold on my car. The dealership can't even touch it (take it apart) until they receive official word from BMW USA about what happened. I guess a lot of detailed information was sent to them, and from what the service rep told me, they were shooting to get the OK to get the airbags covered under warrenty, but he didn't want to be held to it since someone way above him will make that descision.
Now I have been playing phone tag with a rep at BMW USA, and will probably bitch him out pretty bad. The dealership has had my car since Sunday, and even though the service department wasn't open till Tuesday (Holiday weekend), It will be Friday (4 business days later) and no one has a damn clue why this happened or what to do with my car. So I'll bitch about devaluing the car, the hassle of time this is taking and try to get a free rim out of them or something. (haha, I know.. Long shot..) Then I can cancel my claim with Amica (insurance Co.), and not worry to much about the car or my rates going up.
Also as an FYI, my computer at home died (monitor), so I've been using my laptop which isn't hooked up to the scanner. Probably this weekend I'll get motivated to do it and post some pictures of this pothole and damage etc with any further information that I have found out.
Personally, even if the airbags were "supposed" to go off from this, I almost imagine BMW would just eat it to keep a lawsuit from happening where it could go "public" that their 55 thousand dollar cars will have airbags possibly go off when you hit a pothole. Oh and not just airbags, the ones on the opposite side of the car from where the impact occurred!!!!! What do you think?
 
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Seattle Area
#13
Wow j2azz, it sounds like BMW USA is a little concerned. I wouldn't be surprised if they pay for the whole thing minus the rim. I agree the louder and more frequent you complain that you may get a new rim from them as well. One can hope, but his this is BMW we are talking about here : ( so don't hold your breath. Good luck and keep us posted. I am interested in knowing what transpires.....
 
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Orange County, California
#14
seeing that this was my first time reading this saga, i got to say this sucks and hopes the problem gets resolved. I would say keep calling BMW USA and, haven't called them so dont know how the system works, but if the person you originally talk to doesn't give you any info ask to talk to a manager and complain about how this needs to get resolved ASAP. Usually managers can give you more info then the person initially on the phone. Well hope this gets resolves soon
 
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Ashburnham, MA
#15
Well Well Well... I again played phone tag with the rep at BMW USA today. Still haven't actually talked to anyone there over the phone yet. However.. I got a voicemail from the service rep at Wagners BMW dealership today (Shrewsbury Ma), and he had some interesting news for me. Said he heard back from BMW USA, and that I can cancel my insurance claim. The airbags will be covered under warrenty since they should never have gone off. Then on top of that since this was taking so long, as a goodwill gesture they will cover the rim too! I'll find out more on Monday when he's back working, but it sounds like BMW is taking care of me! woo!
 
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Seattle Area
#16
Now that's more like it. It is nice to hear that BMW has owned up to it. Do you know how long it may take to get it all resolved and get your car back? I know how hard it is not to have it around to drive. Let us know more and post the pics when you can. I am really happy this worked out for you. I don't think it is right when you’re a victim of circumstances and then get taken to the cleaner for something that isn't your fault. This is the way it should be from a car manufacturer. Good luck man and hope it is back better than new.....
 
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Melbourne, AUS
#17
Yeah this whole saga is rather strange but i must point out that BMW have always had a really good customer-service reputation. This situation seems to have proven it. I mean, those rims are damn expensive!

Good work anyway mate.
 
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Ashburnham, MA
#19
Well I finally have an update for everyone. I have included several pictures below as you can see showing the damage of the rim, and the door/curtain airbags. Not the prettiest site. My scanner is a bit old, so please ignore the "fuzziness" of the pictures.
I got the car back this past Friday (9/17/04) which would mark 3 weeks to the day since my little mishap occurred. BMW took care of me. They did a great job restoring the interior of the car and put a brand new rim on my car as well. So far I have had no problems and the car rides beautiful.
You can see why BMW was a bit perplexed when the only "damage" to the car was what you can see on the rim. The tire never lost the seal, yet somehow on the other side of the car, the airbags decided to go off.
You can see that the door airbag is pretty neat. The door panel pops open without actually breaking itself (they just reset that peice). However, you can see the curtain airbag crimped the headliner trim which all needed to be replaced. I have to say Wagners in Shrewsbury MA did a spectactular job, and you would never be able to tell these airbags went off.
As you can see from the pothole (which is the next post) it's pretty big. To get an idea of how big the pothole actually is, take a look at the picture where you can see my friend. He's 6 ft tall. The pothole is totally unavoidable without "breaking the law" by crossing the double yellow, and it's def huge. You can't really read the tape measure, but it says over 2 ft wide, and over 4 ft long (which decided to come out in black and white... Stupid Scanner). You can also see my roomates lovely 2000 323i in one of the pictures too. Anyways, let me know what you guys think, but all I have to say is BMW def served me well, so I know I'll be sticking with BMW for a long time to come.
 

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