HELP: My brother was driving his BMW 323i and hit a pot hole

[2000sforce]

The force destroyed the FR wheel and only left a bubble in the tire. Here is the thing, the passenger door and curtain airbag both went off. My brothers girl friend was in the seat and got a little burn on her leg. We get a tow truck and take it to the body shop. When i get in to move it into a spot the car will not turn over but will turn on. When the airbags went off he was able to drive to safety remember. Here are my questions...

1. Was there something wrong with the airbags? They went off on a 55mph impact w/ a pot hole, no body damage.

2. Is the state(Michigan)any bit responsible for partial or full cost of repairs or would we have to sue?

3. Why will the car not start now?

[cipher982]

That's a big pothole.

[themadhatter]

if the force was hard enough to force the sensors to create the required circuit, then it'll pop the bags. I is odd how this happened, I'd contact BMW NA with your story, they may want to take a look at the car.

most local governments will take responsibility for their roads but some will tell you to go fly a kite. you're best of sending the claim to the party responsible for that road via a lawyer, not on your own.

-Ron

[ted13b]

The airbags go off from decelleration, must have been a hell of a pothole! The reason the car won't start is the BST (battery safety terminl) There is a small explosive charge in the battery cable which severs the cable when the bags deploy. This is to prevent a fire in a serious accident. It has to be replaced along with the airbags and seat belt buckles. They also have a small pyrotechnic which tightens and locks the blet when the bags go off.

[2000sforce]

thank you all so much. Anyone have a email or # to bmw of NA?

[karim e36]

thank you all so much. Anyone have a email or # to bmw of NA?


check @ http://www.bmwusa.com/

BMW of North America, LLC
300 Chestnut Ridge Road
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677-7731

[RGNASNe36]

it doesn't take much to deploy an air bag. I think its like a 3 volts if I remember correctly. Thats weird it went off because of a pot hole.

[equate975]

Very odd, I remember though when I was in my buddys crapalier he rear ended a guy and the bags went off. The car would not start just like you described, the dealer told him that was normal, if the air bags went off you could not drive the car until they are fixed.

[AuburnGrad323is]

The thing is with this happening, there was a recall on this part. You can search for BMW recalls and it will give you list. There are several sites that cover this, but I am not sure which one I read this on. But, this is something that BMW was fixxing, so I am not sure if they will take the blame for this, if your car was not taken in in the first place to get it fixxed, even if you are not the first owner. I have heard of this happening also when you jump someone off, that they volts could surge enough to trip the bags.

Hope that helps. I will search for one of the articals and post it when I find it.

[AuburnGrad323is]

this is a list for my car
http://www.autosite.com/content/own/service/index.cfm/action/RecallsView/seriesid/13983
this is the start of the search section
http://www.autosite.com/content/own/service/index.cfm/action/recalls?CPCID=22041-5-0-0-1926-60-0-0&id=22041

[carguy101]

i kno this may sound bad but wouldn't he've seen the pothole if ot was deep enough to set off the air bags?

[ducowti]

If you go at them hard enough you may get some compensation from the state but some states won't cover you unless they were previously made aware of the pothole. In NY for example DOT has x of days to repair a pothole once notified before they're held liable. Check w.MI's DOT. Good luck.