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Major Safety Issue with my 2010 Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by White-Wagon, Mar 9, 2011.

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  1. White-Wagon

    White-Wagon New Member

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    AWESOME. Solid answer. Thanks.

    On this same note, would it be a bad idea for me to have her sit on a weighted pad (like the ones in the X-ray room at the hospitals)?? To offset the sensor causing the front airbag to deploy if we were in an accident? Would that put her in harms way? She is about 5'4", 95 - 100 pounds. She always sits straight up, but we will put the seat all the way back when she rides along. What about her driving? Is the sensor system the same for the driver as it is for the passenger? If she is driving and crashes, will the front driver side airbag deploy?

    Thanks everyone for all the help so far.
     
    #21 White-Wagon, Mar 10, 2011
  2. my-prius

    my-prius New Member

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    My fiancee is about that same size and the light is always switching from on to off depending on how she sits but I am not even going to try telling her she has to sit in the back.
     
    #22 my-prius, Mar 10, 2011
  3. my-prius

    my-prius New Member

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    The weight sensor is more for detecting a child who would be lower in the seat making it dangerous for the airbag to deploy so IMO I would say sitting on a weight would be no different than her gaining enough to trigger it. As far as the drivers side goes it is always on.
     
    #23 my-prius, Mar 10, 2011
  4. Ryanpl

    Ryanpl Active Member

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    Feed you women guys and problem solved.
     
    #24 Ryanpl, Mar 10, 2011
  5. mainerinexile

    mainerinexile No longer in exile!

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    My briefcase sets off the seatbelt buzzer on my 2010 Prius III also.
     
    #25 mainerinexile, Mar 10, 2011
  6. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    OCS mandates

    I found HowStuffWorks "History of the OCS" that says:
    Unfortunately, the NHTSA link is dead (probably because they've rearranged their site a lot recently). I'd be curious to see their verbiage and actual requirements..

    If being 5'4" and 95-100 lbs. is not supposed to disable the airbags, then the OP has a legitimate safety problem that should be fixed and he should also file a safety complaint w/NHTSA at http://www.safercar.gov/.
     
    #26 cwerdna, Mar 10, 2011
  7. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    Re: OCS mandates

    I am quite sure it's supposed to do that because I once carried such an adult passenger and the airbags were off. Moreover, there are some 5'4", 95-100 lbs kids.
     
    #27 32kcolors, Mar 10, 2011
  8. jdimetal

    jdimetal New Member

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    This is not a warranty issue. The car is doing what it was designed to do. Your dealer can show you all the white papers on how the seat sensors work if you ask them and in thoe white papers it will display weight ranges and what the sensors will do at each and every range. They can demonstrate by putting sandbags in the seat and showing you via the cars computer exactly what the cars sensors are picking up.

    A few years ago I had a similar issue with my 07 Tundra and the passenger seat. The seat and sensors had to be replaced ($3k) because it was getting to the point that it was not turning on the airbag even if I sat in the seat and I am 6' 190 lbs.
     
    #28 jdimetal, Mar 11, 2011
  9. dtuite

    dtuite Silverback

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    Looking back a few responses, I get a sense that if a person were too small to make the light go on, (or if they were slightly larger, but sitting in a way that doesn't make the light go on), they would probably be injured by the air bag going off. Sitting on more weight to make the bag go off in a front-end impact could result in broken facial bones, knocked out teeth, or worse. One size does not fit all; be careful what you wish for; etc.
     
    #29 dtuite, Mar 12, 2011
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