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-   -   Audi A6 Crashes | ABS Fails, so do the Airbags (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street-experiences/72471-audi-a6-crashes-abs-fails-so-do-airbags.html)

This incident happened with my cousin, who was tailed by two persons in a stolen Linea who refused to let him overtake and were appalled when he was successful in doing so. When he got about a kilometer's lead, he slowed down but the next moment these guys came, blocked his way and abused. He reversed and started in the opposite direction fearing for his life. Side by side, he was trying to contact the Police but to no avail as no one answered.

The car was somewhere near 140km/h when it reached an Under-construction Metro site having a sharp cut. Brakes applied, in such a situation one expects the ABS of a car costing over half a crore to come into operation and prevent the car from skidding. But ABS failed, the car went on to hit a Divider on the right and collided with a Metro barricade on the left. Further, Airbags didn't work but fortunately, seatbelt saved my cousin.

The facts:
Audi A6
Seatbelt worn.
Not under influence of Alcohol.
Car collides at about 140 km/h.
ABS Fails, so do the Airbags.

On complaining about this to Audi, they say that the Beam was successful in absorbing the impact of the accident and this is why Airbags didn't work. But I think the Beam (if the justification has any matter to it) was successful in preventing damage to the car, but one cannot say it can protect the Passengers as they will anyhow feel the jerk when the car collides at 140 km/hr and immediately hits a steel barricade.

The car is with Audi for repairs at the moment. We plan to take action on failure of ABS and Airbags as this incident could've costed my cousin his life. I've seen fellow BHPians providing valuable inputs in cases where there is a defect in the product and seek help from them. Dear BHPians, please help us as to how should we proceed as we know the attitude is that customer is ALWAYS at fault. I'm attaching pics for reference.

Regards
Tanveer Singh

MODS: Please change 'does' to 'do' in title, I forgot to edit that.

if he was tailed by a linea then how would they prevent him from overtaking ? :S You mean he was tailing a linea, anyway thats besides the point. The airbags deploy the moment there is any impact. Infact a friend of mine crashed into a divider at napeansea road in his civic, a very similar accident as your cousins. He was pleased if i may say with the way the airbags deployed preventing any harm to his body. It is indeed shocking that the airbags did not open in a car of this stature.
Could you provide us with some details as to where this accident occurred ?

sorry to hear about the accident and glad that your cousin is safe. but i must say he is lucky, that damage isnt much for a 140kmpm crash and the car seems to have absorbed it very well.

no offence but are you sure he was at 140?
the damage doesnot look as if car was doing such speeds

Thanks Akshay, the car was effective in absorbing the impact but we plan to take up the case in the Consumer Court. Spending about 50 Lacs for this is totally a waste. If the ABS would've worked that very moment, the damage could've been prevented to a larger extent.

Akshay, he told me he was at about 140km/h.

An accident involving A6 and an i10 was reported today in the newspapers where the Audi driver was overspeeding and hit an i10, Airbags saved Audi driver's and passengers life but unfortunately i10's family did not survive.

Airbags don't always get deployed in a sideway collision - which seem to be the case here.

A very unfortunate accident and my heart goes to all those involved.


On a different note, ABS only constrains skidding in a vehicle to an extent and would not restrain it completely. So, I guess you would be hard pressed taking Audi to court over this point.

Secondly, regardless of situation a vehicle doing 140 in city area would not get much sympathy in court more so since you wouldn't be able to prove anything.

As far as Airbags are concerned, they have been iffy at the very best and a similar incident happened to me in Skoda but nothing. I have started to consider Airbags as just marketing strategy which is no use in event of accident.

This is appalling to say the least:Shockked:

My question exactly. BTW, there is nothing that can be done, unless he has noted the number of the car or has a pic of the guys who were inside the car. And as for Audi's justification of the airbags not deploying, its just unbelievable that they are refusing to accept their fault. Crash at 140kmph and the airbag not deploying is a malfunction for sure and any brainless git will also accept it. Sue Audi, that will teach them a lesson.

My friends Octavia L&K crashed in a similar manner with similar damages.
Air bags didnt deploy in octavio too

hmm.. this is a controversial thread!

I really really doubt Linea can give a hard time to A6 that warrants such a dramatic reaction - unless of course the Turbo was also not working at the same time :-).

Airbags are known to be fuzzy. But ABS is a simple tech and hard to believe that it failed. ABS will kick in if the wheels are about to get locked up. Maybe you can show the tyre-drag marks on the road to prove that ABS did not work.

How do you know that it was a stolen Linea?

I read that the driver, a Merchant Navy executive only died. He celebrated his Birthday on 24th December.

The car's number wastaken down and on investigation it was told to be stolen.

Androdev, I mentioned my cousin slowed down as a precautionary measure thinking it's all over. He slowed down as he approached a major intersection where the road is narrow on account of BRT and people were sleeping by the roadside. This is when Linea was able to make up for the lead. Moreover, we are not even sure of it being a Diesel one taking into account the Turbo point.

Akhilesh, if ABS would've worked even slightly he could've maneuvered across easily without collision. If you see the diagramatic representations of ABS's capabilty, it is promoted as very effective in such cases. I know certain diagrams are too decorated but even if ABS would've continued the rolling motion he could've prevented the damage.

Regarding the speed of 140km/h, when someone tails you, blocks your way and it's a case of one's life and safety anyone, no matter how rule obeying he may be, will drive fast. Moreover, it was later known that the Linea was stolen and those guys certainly were bad elements.

The Law Enforcement agencies, whose services are absent when best needed.

Tanveer, K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Dont get unduly involved with the Linea, what speed your cousin was doing ,etc...

It's difficult to prove that ABS didnt work. It's very difficult to even realise when it works.

Where you have an open and shut case is this: Airbags didnt deploy.

Now, some cars have a threshold speed below which the airbags will not deploy. That is somewhere around 50kmph. Now, had your cousin been told about anything like this in the audi A6?

If the A6 has this feature, then you will have to prove that your cousin was going above that threshold speed.

Frankly, my opinion is this: No freaking way your cousin was doing 140kmph. If he was, he must have slowed down a LOT and I mean a LOT LOT before hitting that barricade.

So, if he was below 50kmph when he hit that barricade, then maybe the airbags werent supposed to deploy.

I agree with nikhil here,

Now that you've mentioned facts about the linea, the point here is only about the speed you're cousin was doing, which according to the pictures of the damage is absolutely not possible at 140. Also looking at the pictures, Im not able to find any skid marks which makes me wanna ask, did you find any skid marks on the road or is there any proof that the wheels locked up? or did the brakes just fail altogether. (something which I highly doubt)

A friend of mine in the states once totalled his S4. He told me that in the event of a crash, if requested by the cops people from the dealership hook up some part of the car to a computer thereby telling them the way in which the car was driven during its last moments before an accident. It helps them prove a case.

This method would give you all the information such as speed, braking pressure used before impact, if airbag deployment actually failed or not etc. etc.

I dunno if its possible here, but if it is considering how prestigious a brand like Audi is it would definitely help in giving you a stronger case.