Do Grille Guards Affect Airbag Switches?

[LexKid630]

Do you think the front stainless steel grille guards have an effect on accidents hitting airbag switches when they are needed? Does the metal prevent them from being turned on?

[jbarhorst2]

It should not affect it.

Those switches work because of the massive deceleration forces caused by contact with another heavy object. I don't think your guard will affect the deceleration enough to make a difference.

Tom

[wwest]

Anything that "softens" the blow in an accident will affect the trigger level of the airbag system.

[SKperformance]

any grille guard guards the sensor as well

so you save the truck some damage but more than likely the airbags won;t go off.

[LexKid630]

So you think a grille guard actually protects the bumper and headlights etc during accidents?

[SKperformance]

they do a great job for low speed impacts under 30 mph

over that they also do a good job but that is when you start to get hurt more than the truck since the vehicle is made to crumple under stress but instead sends the velocity changes to the passagners instead of it being absorbed

If you can get a custom mount that breaks under more than 80 punds of force then it will protect the vehicle until it is needed to protect you instead

[ArmyofOne]

they do a great job for low speed impacts under 30 mph

over that they also do a good job but that is when you start to get hurt more than the truck since the vehicle is made to crumple under stress but instead sends the velocity changes to the passagners instead of it being absorbed

If you can get a custom mount that breaks under more than 80 punds of force then it will protect the vehicle until it is needed to protect you instead

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thast a good point sk. a breakable mount. i never woudl have thought of that.

[jbarhorst2]

I believe most sensors (at least the older ones) are triggered at speeds of 12 mph and above. The newer sensors "read" the severity of the impact and adjust the air bag deployment force.

Will the grill guard affect the force read by the sensor? Yes.

Will it really make that much of a difference? I don't believe so because the deployment is programmed for such a low level anyway.

Just my 2 cents.

[lexus ls430]

i dont think it will affect the sensors

[SKperformance]

Here is a very simple way to understand the sensor

it is an instant switch.

If their is no contact by having the sensor crushed it will not activate. correct?

So if you have a guard then it will guard the sensor.

I wouldn;t think it would neeed any more explanation.

Go to the dealer and see if they sell any OEM toyota/lexus grille guards.

[pvtpilotwendell]

Here is a very simple way to understand the sensor

it is an instant switch.

If their is no contact by having the sensor crushed it will not activate. correct?

So if you have a guard then it will guard the sensor.

I wouldn;t think it would neeed any more explanation.

Go to the dealer and see if they sell any OEM toyota/lexus grille guards.

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My airbag did not deploy when I smacked into a deer at 50mph. well i was actually slamming on my breaks so I could have maybe hit the deer at a slower speed. But my airbag did not deploy, it ripped my bumper in half where the grille is installed and pushed it into the radiator. Plus the insurance paid for replacing the grille because it prevented the airbag from deploying. (i need to use a thesaurus, how many times did i use the word deploy? )

[jbarhorst2]

The reason that your airbag did not go off when you hit the deer is the force of the collision.

The airbag sensors do not work by getting crushed. They work based on the rate of deceleration. Typically (at least on the sensors in the 90's) you will have a metallic ball bearing contained inside the sensor. When the deceleration rate is large enough, the ball bearing moves forward in the sensor package and makes contact with two metal wires. I believe everything used to be gold plated to reduce or eliminate corrosion. When the contact is made, the airbag is signaled to deploy. There used to be a cut open sensor picture on the web, but I cannot find it now.

Remember that force = mass X acceleration.

The heavier the object is that you hit and the faster you are going will make your airbag more likely to deploy.

Tom

[jbarhorst2]

I found what I was looking for.

I also found some other interesting info. There are different types of airbag sensors now that we have side airbags and all the new gadgets.

I'm not sure which one our RX has. I'll have to go look, but here is the link to see a cutaway version of the sensor I described above.

Tom

Airbag sensor link

[pvtpilotwendell]

Tom,

you seem like you know lots about airbag for the rx300, maybe you could help me.

How difficult is it to replace the factory steering wheel and removing the airbag sensor? do you have any tips?

thanks

[SKperformance]

Removing the airbag is easy but why do you want to remove the sensor?

[pvtpilotwendell]

I want to change my steering wheel with a momo steering wheel( idon't even know if momo makes a steering wheel that will fit the rx)or atleast a universal "sporty" looking wheell

[SKperformance]

Get your wheel modified with carbon fibre or wood inlay instead

Or else all of your airbags will go dead.

Momo made an airbag wheel a few years ago but for legal problems stopped selling it especially since now every system, is slightly different.

Besides you SRS system is an accident data logger so it may be illegal to disarm airbags as well as the system the cops can use to decipher an accident

[jbarhorst2]

I agree. I don't think I would go using non-factory units on a modern car.

Just my 2 cents.

I don't have the service manual for the RX yet. Perhaps someone else on here who has the manual can give you accurate removal instructions.

Sorry.

Tom

[pvtpilotwendell]

thanks for the feedback, guys