This happened to our 2011 Honda Civic last week. I was turning right from a dead stop out of a restaurant parking lot near Hillsdale, Michigan. All of a sudden it sounded like a shotgun went off inside the seating area of the car. I immediately stopped. The car started to smell slightly smokey (kind of like the sulphur smell you used to get when you shot off caps as a kid) and there were barely percepible wafts of smoke.
The airbag warning indicator light by the speedomoter was now lit. The front seatbelts were frozen in their position. We could unbuckle, but they would not tighten or loosen.
I looked around the vehicle and so no signs of damage. In looking at the parking lot exit we had just passed, there was a water drainage grid we would have passed over. For a second I thought we could have passed over a sewer gas explosion, but there was no sign of damage to the grating.
The car ran perfectly, save the slight odor and the fact that the seatbelts wouldn't adjust. So we drove back home.
I took it to the Honda dealer the next day. Explained what happened and left it to them to look at.
Received a call from the service department later in the day. They said once they got under the car it looked like there was damage to the front undercarriage that indicate it had struck something (probably pavement or curb?)as though it had bottomed out.
The seatbelt system has to be replaced and I am assuming the airbags as well (even though thankfully they didn't deploy)
I do not recall the bottom of the car striking the curb or pavement. Am not saying it didn't happen, but we were traveling at an extremely slow speed and making a right turn from a dead stop when the explosion occurred so it seems unlikely to me.
The Honda dealer says it is most likely the result of the bottom of the car striking a surface so it isn't covered under warranty.
I have spoken to our insurance agent and am waiting to speak with the adjustor.
Sorry about the long drawn out story, but has anyone else here ever had this kind of experience?
Would a slight bottoming of a vehicle (if that is what happened, and I am not too sure, am only taking their word on the undercarriage and theory) cause the restraint system to act that way?
Could the loud explosion mean that the airbags were supposed to deploy and that they malfunctioned?
Does their theory sound plausible? I went took it in thinking that is was a clear malfunction of the restraint system and was very surprised when they said they saw an indication of damage underneath.
What are your thoughts?
created
by shamrock44
on Jun 30, 2012 at 10:00:41 am
BusinessComments: 17
Weird. All I can offer (I am not a mechanic) is that air bags can be very loud when they deploy, and a deployed or malfunctioning airbag can be loud enough to cause temporary hearing loss. Perhaps it was an airbag that made the noise you heard.
posted by historymike
on Jun 30, 2012
at 10:31:34 am
#
There is apparently quite a few folks who like to deploy airbags for their explosive report and post the videos on YouTube; here is an example that might help you identify if the airbag was the producer of the explosion:
posted by historymike
on Jun 30, 2012
at 10:39:14 am
#
Err... "there are..." < /bad grammar>
posted by historymike
on Jun 30, 2012
at 10:39:39 am
#
Oh, and the acrid burning smell you discussed reminds me of the odor of a deployed airbag.
posted by historymike
on Jun 30, 2012
at 10:42:11 am
#
My oldest son is a factory certified Honda tech. He tells me that the Honda Civic has been plagued with airbag and SRS system problems. Evidently there was a massive recall involving earlier models in which the airbag systems self deployed and some exploded. There were deaths involved. He tells me to make sure that your adjuster inspects the undercarriage of your vehicle to make sure the dealer is being honest. He also told me that the newer models are still having problems with these two systems. I wish you luck and I am really glad you were not injured.
posted by Wydowmaker
on Jun 30, 2012
at 01:45:44 pm
#
All of a sudden it sounded like a shotgun went off inside the seating area of the car.
Which is consistent with the airbag deployment subsystem. Older airbag systems actually used a 12 gauge shotgun shell (less the lead) to deploy the airbag. I don't know what they use now.
They said once they got under the car it looked like there was damage to the front undercarriage that indicate it had struck something (probably pavement or curb?)as though it had bottomed out.
Bull Shit it did not. If you bottomed out your car you'd know it, and I don't care how slow you're driving. Think: The family sedan is built around the baby carriage model. When you bottom the car out the baby carriage springs fail, and instead of that nice, smooth ride the manufacturer promised you, you get dropped on the concrete and the shock tries to compress your spine.
Wydowmaker has the right of it. Approach the dealer correctly and tell him it's an airbag problem and you want it fixed. CC your attorney, because if it screws up again and kills you, your family can sue.
I'm glad you weren't hurt, by the way.
posted by madjack
on Jun 30, 2012
at 07:38:43 pm
#
Stop talking to your dealer and start talking directly to Honda via the phone # or website in the link.
posted by SavageFred
on Jun 30, 2012
at 09:11:07 pm
#
2011 and you never hit a curb or bottomed out, etc? I'm saying B.S. on the dealer for trying to pass this one over. If what you say is true, there is no way the SRS or airbags should have gone off without an impact.
I'd try to go to dealership and "look" at this damage they are speaking of. Maybe a phantom curb jumped under your car without you knowing, but I highly doubt it.
Sounds like dealership is trying to avoid the real problem. Keep us updated, I'm very interested in this story.
posted by hockeyfan
on Jun 30, 2012
at 11:36:35 pm
#
Anyway, I was in a wreck about ten years ago where the airbag deployed. It happened very fast, so I don't recall much. I DO recall the airbag sounding like a gunshot, feeling like being punched in the face, and there being a brown burn mark from it on the grey sweatshirt I was wearing. So, the sound and smell you are describing sounds like an airbag to me.
hockeyfan beat me to it: go to the dealer, and ask them to show you this "damage." Get some photos. I have been in minor mishaps that did NOT deploy the airbag--many of them, in fact--so anything your car experienced that was bad enough to trigger the airbag should surely have left damage noticeable even to the average person. And hold their feet to the fire...don't let them give you the run-around.
I also agree with madjack: talk to a lawyer. You would be amazed how just having a lawyer send a threat letter can suddenly sweeten people up sometimes.
How about a second opinion from another Honda dealer? There are at least 2 around here.
posted by JoeyGee
on Jul 01, 2012
at 10:26:45 am
#
Sounds worth pursuing. I'd be curious if the OP would identify the dealer? Doubt I'm the only one who's wondering. Good luck!
posted by luvtoledo
on Jul 01, 2012
at 10:39:23 pm
#
Sounds worth pursuing. I'd be curious if the OP would identify the dealer? Doubt I'm the only one who's wondering. Good luck!
PS -- Worth checking to see if a technical bulletin was issued on all this. (I think that's what those are called.) Could help is discussions with the dealer. And yes, a second opinion is in order, and possibly also a call to a regional rep instead of a dealer.
posted by luvtoledo
on Jul 01, 2012
at 10:41:40 pm
#
[Sorry for the double post. Fingers just won't listen to me tonight.]
posted by luvtoledo
on Jul 01, 2012
at 10:42:20 pm
#
posted by Linecrosser
on Jul 02, 2012
at 12:22:09 am
#
SRS (supplemental restraint system) is very complicated. When the proper signal is recieved by the controller, it signals the seat belts to deploy (tighten) before the air bags go off. Sounds like your belts deployed. I have never heard of belts deploying without airbag deployment. I have been working for new car dealers since 1974 in the service and body shop departments. Anything is possible, but this sounds like a case of false deployment. The dealer should be able to show witness marks from any impact.
posted by WhatThe
on Jul 02, 2012
at 09:31:06 am
#
Hey everyone!
Thank you for all the comments and advice! Sorry for the delay in getting back to you - we left for vacation last week and I haven't been online.
To update, my insurance company sent an adjustor in to look at the car. He said there was some damage to the cradle that could have caused the restraint system to trigger.
Apparently when we were making the turn out of the parking lot it must have been a freakish angle (or bad luck) that the auto undercarriage came in contact with the grading of the entrance. The gunshot sound was from the restraint system and must have happened so fast that I didn't hear the other contact. Really freaky though, since we were making a right turn to merge on to the street from a dead stop.
I was concerned that it was a malfunction, since the airbags didn't deploy. The adjustor said that in circumstances like this the restraint system would lock up (as it did) and that it works independent of the airbags. So, in essence it did it's job.
I am still not happy that it happened and am having a hard time accepting that a car I had so much confidence in actually must sit so low that this could occur. I like Honda autos but this leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
Insurance is taking care of all but the deductible.
Thanks you all once again for your comments - This is such a great board - lots of knowledgeable and friendly posters here in the TT community!!!
posted by shamrock44
on Jul 07, 2012
at 06:03:19 pm
#