Camaro's side airbags pop from drifting

[HyperTek]

Chevy Camaro's Airbags Deploy While Attempting To Drift -- Update: GM Responds (http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1064805_chevy-camaros-airbags-deploy-while-attempting-to-drift---update-gm-responds?fbfanpage)

Update: Chevrolet's director of communications, Michael Albano, has responded with the following:
"It is unusual to have this occur. However, it is possible for a driver to create conditions where the air bag sensors believe a rollover is imminent. This can lead to an unwanted air bag deployment. On rollover side curtain bags, the vehicle's rollover sensing system is looking for a certain set of factors that "predict" a vehicle is going to roll over. The airbag system cannot wait until it is too late to deploy the airbags. Drifting or creating a situation that has a certain combination of speed and vehicle angle can lead to an unwanted air bag deployment."

Yep, that's about what we figured. The computer decided it was better safe that sorry--and given the skills exhibited in the video, we tend to agree.



TpL4VwhYSE8

I think this is fitting of its own thread instead of video of the day blah blah.

My view, the car wasn't design for that type of use. They should program some stronger parameters for their high performance vehicles... I can imagine this happening in one of their lesser cars. Should have never bailed their ass out imo

[LimeLite Racing]

Yeah that's a pretty costly fuck up.

[curbhuggerrps13]

hmmm who is gonna pick up the bill?

[Matej]

That is not drifting.

If Chevrolet will not want to cover the costs, the owner should just show them any of the commercials for the car.

[tricky_ab]

Yeah that's a pretty costly fuck up.

That's the first thing I was thinking...

hmmm who is gonna pick up the bill?

I don't believe Chevrolet will pick that up... the driver can look forward to splashing a bunch of cash to get new ones fitted.

That is not drifting.

If Chevrolet will not want to cover the costs, the owner should just show them any of the commercials for the car.

Agreed...

[fliprayzin240sx]

Holy Body Roll and Understeer Batman...

[h2v7]

that is some real bad driving...

[yokotas13]

I don't believe Chevrolet will pick that up... the driver can look forward to splashing a bunch of cash to get new ones fitted


orrrr cut that shit, and put a new trim panel up there and call it a day.

[280zx2by2]

I saw the body roll and was like, airbag suspension?

[S14DB]

The motion that set them off was almost the same as a emergency lane change. I wouldn't expect side curtains to come down till the car reaches 30* of angle.

[theronin]

orrrr cut that shit, and put a new trim panel up there and call it a day.

exactly what i was thinking.

[simmode1]

So far... this is a funny ass thread...

[EsChassisLove]

haha what the hell?

Chevy probably wont pick up that bill.

Probably the guys first try at it......I hope...

[yokotas13]

not everyone is an awesome drifter out the box

what i like, is hes out there in his brand new 30k car having fun. that ALONE gives him props in my book. who cares if you are awesome, out there doing it is waht matters if you suck or not doesnt matter. not a competition

[DS562]

that would have scared the shit out of me.

[HyperTek]

not everyone is an awesome drifter out the box

what i like, is hes out there in his brand new 30k car having fun. that ALONE gives him props in my book. who cares if you are awesome, out there doing it is waht matters if you suck or not doesnt matter. not a competition

I dont think that was the point


They advertise the vehicle as a high performance machine, even tracked in the freaking commercial and shown drifting,.. the guy did what they did in the video pretty much
-U6ZMiKkbrM

[Prime]

The motion that set them off was almost the same as a emergency lane change. I wouldn't expect side curtains to come down till the car reaches 30* of angle.

I didn't think of it, but that's a really good point. Turns an averted accident into a disaster. Side-bags going off can rupture your ear drums from what I understand, and at speed...

[yokotas13]

I dont think that was the point


They advertise the vehicle as a high performance machine, even tracked in the freaking commercial and shown drifting,.. the guy did what they did in the video pretty much
-U6ZMiKkbrM
it was in response to the i hope its his first time comments

[Hywarp161]

they may have to change the disclaimer at the bottom of their commercials. "Do not attempt. Professional driver, closed course, airbags disabled."

[alexanderig]

Lol @ airbags disabled

[rb25_s13*CHUKI]

Chevy Is gonna pay for It no questions asked

[Gnnr]

So let me get this straight.

A sports car marketed towards enthusiasts can not even be tracked?

lol GM fail

[josephin510]

What would you do? Bite the bullet and cough up the dough our drive without them.

[HyperTek]

side air bags are still pretty new huh? Probably not as refined as typical driver/passanger bags. Now that i think about it, they deployed during the transition change, thats about similar to being side swiped im sure.

Pretty cool tho that he seemed pretty chill about it, cut them off and probably went back out there.

[fliprayzin240sx]

Whats funny was when I first got back stateside, I noticed the buttloads of Camaros around. Thought about how well do these things handle off the factory. After seeing that video, pretty shitty. I'll go spend my $30k on a 370Z instead thank you very much.

[Matej]

Does this make the car legally totaled? Or does that only apply to dash airbags deploying?

[HIGHFIVEBETA]

ugh. fuck GM

[EsChassisLove]

Does this make the car legally totaled? Or does that only apply to dash airbags deploying?

No. From what i know a car is totalled only if the cost of repair exceeds the actual value of the car.

[Prime]

No. From what i know a car is totalled only if the cost of repair exceeds the actual value of the car.

Untrue in a lot of States. California's got the wonkiest car laws in the union, but sometimes a bit of it makes sense.

[TheWolf]

Government Motors... Saving the Day!

[jesse_s13]

Shoulda bought a mustang ;)

[dsastr_clan]

^^^ uuhhh no

[Daniel.]

^^^ uuhhh no

Uhhhh..

Hell yeah bro.

2011 BMW M3 Coupe vs. 2011 Ford Mustang GT Comparison - Motor Trend (http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupes/1010_2011_2011_ford_mustang_gt_vs_2011_bmw_m3_comp arison/viewall.html)

[EsChassisLove]

Mustang>Camaro.

The new gt is sick

[Bambi]

No. From what i know a car is totalled only if the cost of repair exceeds the actual value of the car.

example: You were trying to get some mad angle in a school parking lot trying to show off in front of all the school girls and you scrape your rear bumper against another car but you're chillin' cus you kept going and you meant to do that. Because of that scrape your insurance company will deem your 20 year old hood-Ferrari totaled.