Team-BHP - XUV500: Severe crash, but not a single airbag deployed (driver injured)

The reply from Mahindra is just filling up pages with ink without actually saying anything at all. This incident has personally dented whatever confidence I had in Mahindra. I see ABS and airbags as basic safety measures and don't recommend anyone to buy cars without these features. With ABS, I have driven cars with and without ABS and know exactly what ABS does and how it helps avoid accidents.

After this incident, I don't know if I can confidently recommend to anyone that airbags will inflate on impact and save life. The way Mahindra is communicating seems to indicate that airbags come with an asterisk and text in tiny font saying terms and conditions apply. The car may have umpteen airbags but if their deployment is subject to the crash meeting several qualifying criteria, what's the difference between an airbag and maata ki chunari, Ganpati idol and neembu-mirchi when it comes to safety?

Dear Arvind ji, May god give you and your family strength to cope up with the situation. Wishing a speedy recovery to your son.

As an owner of XUV 500, I am really appalled by this incident. Safety aids not working at the time of need are useless. We buy cars with maximum safety so that we come out unharmed of an accident like this. There's some serious lapse in the car which resulted in non-triggering of airbags. Safety system of any vehicle should be fail-safe. Technical issues like, Ecu failing or sensors not getting activated are important to be investigated. But as a layman when I look at the photos and see no airbags I wonder in what scenario will they actually deploy.

We Bhpians are whole heartedly with you in your effort to bring this issue in limelight. I really appreciate you looking after your son and still continuing to fight the system.

Mahindra replying and acknowledging the incident is one step in right direction. But as others have said it is too little and too safe.
Please take care of your son and wishing him a speedy recovery. We BHPians are there if any support needed from us.

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Originally Posted by ksameer1234 (Post 4438336)

The reply from Mahindra is just filling up pages with ink without actually saying anything at all.

I could not agree with you more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotspot (Post 4438339)

Dear Arvind ji, May god give you and your family strength to cope up with the situation. Wishing a speedy recovery to your son.

Thanks so much. I was trying to find, late hours yesterday to find a single instance where the manufacturer has conceded to the faults. NONE. In our country there is no real mechanism to monitor or investigate accidents. I have been told that 90%, cases go unreported.
The Police confirms the same. The cases they get too, go unreported because there is no Agency to collate data.
This is unthinkable in 2018. We are not a banana republic.
So statistics of sales is no track record of safety.
How can it be?

Quote:

Originally Posted by B103 (Post 4438289)

Arvind, I chanced on this web link:
https://www.rushlane.com/mahindra-xu...-12276218.html

Both the responses are mentioned.

I have lost the capacity to get surprised at their media blitz. All I can say is that nothing is further from truth. If I had a media agency, probably I would have rebutted. I don't have one and neither can I afford . I am a father and I have sworn justice for my son and I am not going to rest. Not just for him but for every life at stake.
I know it's a hard journey but I have no fear.
I know as a medical fact that my son is never going to be the same as many others.
I have never shied away from the investigation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhinavrm (Post 4438163)

We need a car data recorder (CDR) in all cars similar to the flight data recorder(CDR) used in airplanes. All car telemetry data and all sensor data to be stored for the last 1 or 2 days of driving time.

In Indian automotives sensor failure is very common, I have been told. Compromise on quality? I don't know

Quote:

Originally Posted by arvindb4 (Post 4438064)

My son is just out of a major brain surgery and due to infections earlier caused by multiple skull fractures and excessive bleeding, is still under observation in the hospital.
I think Mahindra chose an apt time to reinforce my determination and commitment to fight for this cause not only for Madhav but for each and every consumer for this car and the likes of such vehicles.

Arvind, I feel you need to create more noise about this incident.

M&M's response is shocking to say the least, and it looks like a long drawn battle for you.

You need to mount this wreck of an XUV on a flatbed truck, and have it driven all over Delhi with a HUGE placard proclaiming the airbag failure. You must put a large photo of your son in the hospital bed also.

I know it sounds extreme, but the only thing that will help you get over this, is public support, which you will only get if the public is aware about this. And this is the most direct, and in your face way of getting people to notice.

You can't possibly hope to stand indefinitely against the PR & Legal teams of M&M - Your son's recovery, and the financial and mental strain is eventually going to start taking it's toll, and I won't be surprised if that is also part and parcel of M&M's strategy in wearing you out.

The only thing you can do is rally the public for your cause - The XUV is a very popular car for families and you need to hit these schmucks where it hurts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ads1485 (Post 4438471)

You are absolutely right. I am not bowing down now or ever. I promised that to my son, looking at him when he came to the Emergency without a pulse.
I am committed. I shall reveal all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nd4$pd (Post 4438440)

The pictures of the car show enough damage to deploy airbags to any layperson. If they don't deploy with this much damage I would like to know how much damage it takes to deploy them.

May be it's time to replace my XUV with something safer.

The repeated quality and safety glitches on Tata and Mahindra cars makes me stay away from ever considering them. The horror stories of the owners of these vehicles are heart wrenching

Quote:

Originally Posted by ads1485 (Post 4438471)

You need to mount this wreck of an XUV on a flatbed truck, and have it driven all over Delhi with a HUGE placard proclaiming the airbag failure. You must put a large photo of your son in the hospital bed also.

I know it sounds extreme, but the only thing that will help you get over this, is public support, which you will only get if the public is aware about this. And this is the most direct, and in your face way of getting people to notice.

I am in favour of this. However arvindb4 should not bear the entire financial burden. We should all pool in money and make this happen. Imagine paying close to 2 million rupees to get a piece of unsafe junk like this!

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Originally Posted by roy_libran (Post 4438316)

It seems that M&M finally has it's act going. They realize that this incident and this thread is a PR disaster for them, and can lead to a lot of Reputational Loss and even invite Regulator action (India!).
So now that they have been able to draft a "proper" initial response to this incident, they have simultaneously commissioned their entire PR machinery, to deflect the opinion towards the kind of responsibility that M&M is displaying (sic) and towards suggesting that the airbag deployment thresholds weren't met by this accident.

Arvind Ji - You have the support of this forum and it's members. Reach out to us, whenever you want, either on the forum or individually, and we shall step up in whatever limited individual capacities we can. This (and such) manufacturer needs to be taken to task and made to bleed.

I am also witnessing it. It's not only sad but deplorable. They may be masters at the art of Deflecting. I am not giving up. Pls continue your support.

Quote:

Originally Posted by arvindb4 (Post 4438325)

I am really grateful to you and the entire community here for the overwhelming support I hadn't expected or imagined.

I do feel saddened and disappointed but makes my resolve stronger. In short they are trying to fight my son and prove that his suffering and a destroyed future is not because the car failed. They are not willing to share airbag certification data which would help me suggest the third party crash investigation Agency.
They don't know the determination of a Dad like me. I am not going to let my sons life go wasted.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhpfaninblr (Post 4438423)

Shameful response from Mahindra. Seeing the enormity of the crash and passenger harm caused, it is disgusting to see Mahindra not owning up.

arvindb4: My suggestion is not to talk to news reporters or type mails when you are in strife. When you put something in writing, you are taking a risk especially in legal cases. You must put your thoughts in writing but in public fora apply due thought and put across your thoughts in such a way that Mahindra is nailed

Shameful response from Mahindra. They are not only unsafe in the XUV but have cheated many middle class buyers with a joke of a petrol engine

Point noted friend. I plan to put up a website. That seems an option. Free to write and Free to express.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ads1485 (Post 4438471)

I have honestly considered that. Let me get Madhav home.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nd4$pd (Post 4438440)

One of the reasons I chose the XUV is the safety of 6 airbags.
The pictures of the car show enough damage to deploy airbags to any layperson. If they don't deploy with this much damage I would like to know how much damage it takes to deploy them.

In the meantime, if I find that I am about to have an accident, I shall endeavor to speed up rather than brake in hopes of getting my airbags to deploy.

May be it's time to replace my XUV with something safer.

True according to Mahindra, rather kill than get killed. And they should inform customers at the time of delivery, how, when and where sensors shall deploy the bags. Crazy at the least

Quote:

Originally Posted by srishiva (Post 4438588)

Mahindra says "Calibrations are done to make sure airbags deploy only if required". Looking at the vehicle which is a complete mess and write off, what are they trying to save the airbag costs for ? Airbags can be replaced easily. Lives are more important and even for a vehicle its just one of spare parts.

They should also tell us when are they required? I still haven't been able to fathom why sensors are selectively placed. I rather get burnt with an airbag instead of living like a cripple or loose my life and of my loved ones.
The whole problem is that they won't concede and block every attempt for an independent investigation. Sweet talk and take the vehicle over and then blame everything and everyone except themselves.
Can you cite an example where the Indian manufacturer conceded and accepted the failure?