13 Tahoe curtain bags deployed

[Vernski]

My step daughter bought it a few months ago it only has 5844 on it. When she was driving it she says that she was pulled off the road by the tires and hit a rock puncturing the tire. The tire had to be replaced but the rim was not hurt. In this process all the curtain air bags deployed plus the shoulder bags in both front seats. If it hit hard enough to set these off how come the dash bags did not deploy? She was the only one in the vehicle so why should both sides all deploy? I was wondering if anyone else has had this experience out there Thanks...Vernski

[piecesparts]

I just had a deer hit on my 2011 GMC Sierra. The deer hit the left front headlight and the side of the driver's door. The side air bags and the driver's seat bag deployed and nothing else popped from the dsh or the steering wheel. The hit came from a side contact, so the side bags were the side ones to deploy. These can be replaced and the computers will need to be replaced, also. My bet is that your seat belts will have to be replaced, since they probably had the charges go off in them causing them to set tight. There is a chance that the headliner may need to be replaced, as well as some small parts that get damaged with the fast deployment of the bags. I had a sun visor that was broken on the base mount bracket, due to the headliner moving for the air bags. It took us a week to put my truck back together and then the painting of the body parts as needed, took another few days to complete.

[Vernski]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

I just had a deer hit on my 2011 GMC Sierra. The deer hit the left front headlight and the side of the driver's door. The side air bags and the driver's seat bag deployed and nothing else popped from the dsh or the steering wheel. The hit came from a side contact, so the side bags were the side ones to deploy. These can be replaced and the computers will need to be replaced, also. My bet is that your seat belts will have to be replaced, since they probably had the charges go off in them causing them to set tight. There is a chance that the headliner may need to be replaced, as well as some small parts that get damaged with the fast deployment of the bags. I had a sun visor that was broken on the base mount bracket, due to the headliner moving for the air bags. It took us a week to put my truck back together and then the painting of the body parts as needed, took another few days to complete.

Thanks for the reply Frank you are right about the parts to be replaced I have been researching the repair for her to get an idea of the cost. I just can't figure out why the dash bags did not deploy, as it hit the tire on the right front with no damage anywhere on the vehicle. A GM wizz-bag said it must have sensed a roll over and responded. From what I can tell so far from a safety stand point the dash bag should have responded also. 2013 is the first year Gov mandated curtain bags, It may take someone getting hurt real bad or killed before they fix them safely. I feel that if this system has sensors it should have sensed there was only 1 passenger and deploy the needed bags around the one and only person in the vehicle. Not every bag on both side front to rear JMO..Vernski

[Special-Ed]

hope its insured...

send it to the dealer..this is not a DIY solution... may be covered under warranty

typically the dash bags only go off when a front impact on bumper occurs.

its gonna cost a lot to fix... but insurance should cover it.

[Jonboy]

There are front sensors, sensors in all 4 doors, and passenger presence sensors. As far as I know, if it detects a rollover or side impact, it will blow the curtain airbags and most likely the pretensioners in both front seatbelts, regardless of occupants. The passenger presence system only comes into play in a frontal impact, where the front sensors only are involved. The front impact sensors will trigger the left front bags (since there should be a driver....), and rely on the passenger presence sensor in the seat to determine if the right bags need to deploy. On the Tahoe, the front impact sensors are mounted on the core support; the side sensors are mounted in each door. In a curtain airbag deployment, you will need to replace the sensors (all 4 side sensors), SDM (airbag control module), headliner, locked seatbelts (should be both fronts), and any bent trim (it will usually wipe out the C-pillar trim) in addition to the deployed airbag modules. The shoulder bags will require the replacement of the upper seat covers, and possibly the seat back frame and foam, pending inspection.

If the vehicle left the road and experienced enough tip that the yaw sensor would pick it up and determine that the airbags might be needed, then it is working properly, and is probably not eligible for a warranty claim. I have seen it just scuff the tire and pop the curtain bags in a similar situation.

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by Vernski

Thanks for the reply Frank you are right about the parts to be replaced I have been researching the repair for her to get an idea of the cost. I just can't figure out why the dash bags did not deploy, as it hit the tire on the right front with no damage anywhere on the vehicle. A GM wizz-bag said it must have sensed a roll over and responded. From what I can tell so far from a safety stand point the dash bag should have responded also. 2013 is the first year Gov mandated curtain bags, It may take someone getting hurt real bad or killed before they fix them safely. I feel that if this system has sensors it should have sensed there was only 1 passenger and deploy the needed bags around the one and only person in the vehicle. Not every bag on both side front to rear JMO..Vernski

From what you have given us, I believe that your front bags could (and the word COULD it the important part) deployed, but when you replace sensors, then the GM dealer will have to do a reset and verify if the circuit is working. My guess is that you had somewhat of the same impact sensed as I did. The only thing to go would be the side curtains.

[Vernski]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

From what you have given us, I believe that your front bags could (and the word COULD it the important part) deployed, but when you replace sensors, then the GM dealer will have to do a reset and verify if the circuit is working. My guess is that you had somewhat of the same impact sensed as I did. The only thing to go would be the side curtains.

It hit hard enough to sever the casing of the tire, but not bend or damage the rim. That has to be one hell of a g-force and in my mind the dash bags shoulda,woulda,coulda deployed. It sure don't make me feel any safer here to just have the curtain bags go off JMO. Yes it looks like the insurance will have to eat it $3-4000 or more, at least someone will have some work over the holidays..Vernski

[Special-Ed]

the front air bags are impact sensors... requiring impact... not g-force

[Vernski]

Originally Posted by Special-Ed

the front air bags are impact sensors... requiring impact... not g-force

You sound just like the wizz-bag I talked to at GM, you are splitting hairs my friend hitting a tire hard enough to cut the carcass in two is an impact where I came from. Are you sure you don't work at GM? Quit being a Richard!..Vernski

[Special-Ed]

Originally Posted by Vernski

You sound just like the wizz-bag I talked to at GM, you are splitting hairs my friend hitting a tire hard enough to cut the carcass in two is an impact where I came from. Are you sure you don't work at GM? Quit being a Richard!..Vernski

in a roll over situation the front air bag going off will kill you.

im not splitting hairs at all... impact and g's are completely different.

im sorry you think im being a dick!!! im being factual.

would you want your front airbags to deploy hitting a large pot hole? no you do not.

if your bumper and core get impacyed you want the front bags to deploy.

[Jonboy]

Originally Posted by Vernski

You sound just like the wizz-bag I talked to at GM, you are splitting hairs my friend hitting a tire hard enough to cut the carcass in two is an impact where I came from. Are you sure you don't work at GM? Quit being a Richard!..Vernski

It is an impact, but in a very literal sense. The impact sensor is detecting a sudden stoppage of forward movement; a pot hole shouldn't have that effect. If the front impact sensors were that sensitive, there would be a lot more front airbag replacement. The airbags are designed to go off if they are needed to protect the occupants. It doesn't sound like having the frontal airbags going off at the same time as the curtain airbags would have been an advantage in the situation, or they would have been triggered.

I have a truck in the shop now that hit a car sticking out into the road in the dark at 60+ MPH. It mangled the right corner of the truck, and the damage continued to the right front door. In that case, the driver's bag was blown, and the head air bags deployed as well, as the side sensors responded to the impact to the door. It did not blow the passengers front bag, as the owner was driving the vehicle alone. The sensors in the vehicle determined it was not necessary. This is on a 2013 1/2 ton crew cab.

I would imagine your $3-4000 estimate is a little light to replace the curtain airbags in the Tahoe. My guess is a little closer to $7K. The windshield will have to come out to reinstall the headliner as well.

[piecesparts]

As stated above, the deer hit in my 2011 GMC happened at aobut 65 MPH on a four-lane highway. It got both of the curtain bags, the driver's seat air bag and set the charges on the seatbelts on both seats. I was the only one in the truck, the deer hit the headlight and front hood corner on the driver's side, followed by his a$$ hitting the driver's door (nice rounded impact bump on the door). I had to replace the hood, the left front fender, the inner fenderwell, the driver's door, the curtain bags on both sides, the driver's seat air bag, the front bumper, the left headlight assembly, the grille, the trim piece between the bumper and the grille, the passenger sun visor (air bag broke the mounting tab), the air bag install into the seat and the seams resewn to restore the seat, air bag computer sensors and computer replacement for the curtain bags with a GM dealership repop on their computer, and paid for paint and check the wheel alignment. The total of the repairs was at $7400.00 and that included the use of all GM parts, and the bodyshop did not ask for my deductable on the insurance claim. My truck looks and drives like it did prior to the deer hit and I am not afraid of it. This all happened on the 24th of October of this year, so the prices are what you could realize if you were doing the repairs now.

I agree that it seems that a hit on a tire that cuts the carcass sounds like a bad one, but without being there to know different; a tire can get cut if it is hit at an angle and allow the tire to tear apart, thus taking up the momentum of the vehicle and dampening the impact to the passenger compartment. I would believe that the bags not deploying is a very great possibility. However, IF you have doubts, then by all means dig deeper into the bank account for more repairs or sell the truck to someone else. My bet is, there are many out there looking for a low mileage vehicle, that is going cheap. Good luck!

[AMERICAN PICK-UP]

I tear down over 150 late model wrecked gmc and chevy trucks,vans and suvs every year. and maybe one out of 100 roll overs will have the dash bags deployed, most every time in a roll over the roof bags will be blown and the active seat belts will deploy. i had a 08 tahoe hit in the right doors and only the right side seat bag and the active belts were blown. i have had a 2013 crew cab truck hit in the front and the dash bags deployed and the active seat belts deployed. i have had several that the right side dash bag that dont deploy i also had a 2011 gmc 1500 regular cab that ran off the road and the roof bags deployed and the active seat belts went off and the dash bags were ok.

[BigRed76]

Originally Posted by Jonboy

There are front sensors, sensors in all 4 doors, and passenger presence sensors. As far as I know, if it detects a rollover or side impact, it will blow the curtain airbags and most likely the pretensioners in both front seatbelts, regardless of occupants. The passenger presence system only comes into play in a frontal impact, where the front sensors only are involved. The front impact sensors will trigger the left front bags (since there should be a driver....), and rely on the passenger presence sensor in the seat to determine if the right bags need to deploy. On the Tahoe, the front impact sensors are mounted on the core support; the side sensors are mounted in each door. In a curtain airbag deployment, you will need to replace the sensors (all 4 side sensors), SDM (airbag control module), headliner, locked seatbelts (should be both fronts), and any bent trim (it will usually wipe out the C-pillar trim) in addition to the deployed airbag modules. The shoulder bags will require the replacement of the upper seat covers, and possibly the seat back frame and foam, pending inspection.

If the vehicle left the road and experienced enough tip that the yaw sensor would pick it up and determine that the airbags might be needed, then it is working properly, and is probably not eligible for a warranty claim. I have seen it just scuff the tire and pop the curtain bags in a similar situation.

Does the SDM only need replaced when the curtain airbags are deployed, or anytime a deployment is requested by the SDM?

[piecesparts]

We replaced the sensors for the side bags and the SDM in my 11 GMC after the deer hit and curtain bag deployment. We then had to have the trouble code reset by the local dealer.