[W126 Coupe] I'll be needing a new hood...

[chris schafer]

 I went to work at an Oldsmobile dealership in 1978 as a mechanic. Some of these cars were already equipped with airbags.

The German and Japanese auto industries may freely share some information but I'm not sure about the American auto industry. Not that we are stupid in Detroit but just a little stupid in D.C. I have heard, and I don't know if this is really true, but I have heard that anti-trust laws prevent our industries from sharing some basic technology. Consequently, our industries had to develop emission controls independently. Consequently, an add on component system like air conditioning is different from make to make.

Chris Schafer 
> 
> 
> I also understand the sensors are located near the trans. or tunnel and require cosiderable impact to deploy
> the airbag. There is a back-up lithium battery for this system in the event of car battery failure or even loss of it. I think Mercedes was the first with airbag technology in 1980-83? According to a Structural Safety Engineer with BMW the auto industry freely share information, especially safety developements. So why did other car companies use a hair-brain approach to airbag integration. Design vs. Engineering vs. Bean counters. Of course now 25 years later airbags deploy at a speed/energy proportional to the car speed/impact. What the world needs is a good 5 cent cigar and cars made of Nerf. An airbag in a SUV normally is on a cell phone--or is that an airhead windbag!! Just always be prepared for the other driver to do the stupidest thing possible because they quite often do so. Jim Alexander
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: "Mike R." <mramay at att.biz>
> >Sent: Dec 23, 2005 8:49 PM
> >To: 'Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists' <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>
> >Subject: RE: [W126 Coupe] I'll be needing a new hood...
> >
> >I don't know where the airbag sensors are located but they are not in the
> >bumpers (at least on my '87). The only wiring into the front bumpers are the
> >fog lights and the outside temperature sensor behind the license plate.
> >There are no wires in the rear bumper.
> >
> >Later,
> >Mike R.
> >(702) 494-8056
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com]
> >On Behalf Of Paul Samarin
> >Sent: Friday, December 23, 2005 6:29 PM
> >To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists
> >Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] I'll be needing a new hood...
> >
> >No kidding, I'm lucky.  The airbag would've caused the only injuries, 
> >plus additional expense; I was just curious as to whether it should 
> >have deployed.  Tow truck driver just told me that the sensors are in 
> >the bumpers and that's why it didn't deploy.  In any event, it was just 
> >a tiny tap, so no need for the airbag--but all that lightweight 
> >aluminum, plastic and "bright work" looks quite expensive, nonetheless.
> >
> >Paul
> >
> >
> >The MB Coupes Website!
> >W126 SEC Mailing List
> >Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.
> 
> The MB Coupes Website!
> W126 SEC Mailing List
> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.
> 
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