Air Bag Recall Effectiveness Questioned - Post Accident

[Sykotyk]

I'm just piling on for the airbags. Not sure how the Maverick does it, but most airbags are controlled via sensors that get crushed on impact along the frame or outer body of the vehicle. They need to be hit with high enough force for the sensor to activate. Generally 25-35mph. They're not just computer controlled or gyroscopic controlled actuators. They don't just sense sudden movement and deploy the airbags, or track the tire speeds, etc. The vehicle actually has to be impacted. And they tend to err on the side of not activating than to activate when not needed. Which can be deadlier. A 5mph accident with an airbag going off can be deadly compared to one at 25mph.

As for the seat belts, there should be a mechanism either tied to the brakes OR some type of inertia device that locks the seat belt from pulling out when you stop suddenly. Most seat belts operate like a ratchet, you pull it out as far as you want, and it ratchets down until snug and then is locked in place. OR, it's free moving and there's a 'pendulum-like anchor' that sits next to the ratchet wheel in the belt that, when momentum pulls it forward, the teeth lock against the ratchet preventing the belt from moving forward (out) to loosen it.

That's why once you let off the brakes and pull on the belt, it's still tight, but then as you relax the belt it suddenly can now pull freely. All mechanically controlled so you're not relying on sensors, motors, brakes, etc to do it. Also, pulling the seat belt too fast/hard can activate that mechanism, even though there's no inertia, the speed of the belt's gear spinning fast catches the mechanism and stops it.

As for your damages, given the cost of a Maverick, I can't imagine that's a total. New hood, fender, front clip, and maybe some wheel end replacement parts/adjustments. That's not going to total $25k or more.

Sponsored

 

[LM42]

That is until the dealership sells the truck with all these wonderful add-ons.

This isn't necessarily true (not to hijack the thread). Most dealers don't want to sell cars with many aftermarket parts because they don't want to deal with it if any of that stuff fails. Carvana, CarMax etc are the same. They prefer to take vehicles that are bone stock

 

[TomD]

Those of you suggesting that the damage does not appear worthy of a total declaration, I hope you are right. Im having no luck finding a replacement within 100mi. As I expected, those showing an inventory are displaying special orders awaiting pickup. I expect I'll hear from the collision center this PM with their estimate of repair costs. Then on to my insurance company(USAA).

I was told by the dealer I bought mine from that my Maverick was ordered for a customer. I told them that when the person refuses delivery give me a call it worked. I believe that if can be more aggressive than the dealer you can get a truck. Just be assertive and willing to pay sticker price. Oh yes remind them that car buyers have log memories. The dealers are going to pay for their price gouging. It will come back to haunt them in the future when leases are expiring or when people start hitting their next car buying cycle.
The customers who they took advantage of won’t be back

 

[Ozarkbeard]

...your add-ons are for your own enjoyment, they add zero to trade in value.

This is usually the case, for insurance purposes. Manufacturer trim levels increase replacement cost - aftermarket doodads do not.

 

[ejspur]

After speaking to my insurance company about this. I was told that Mavericks being totaled out with sometimes little damage was due to the availability of replacement parts for them being as I was told 2+ years out. So it’s easier and cost effective to just total them.

 

[Flyangler]

Definitely a shortage of replacement parts. As a person who waited 42 days for fuel line repair, and had two reschedulings of airbag work, I can attest to that.

For future reference: Get replacement value insured. My husband is the more diplomatic of the two of us, so he listed all the extras on my previous vehicle, showed listings for similar vehicles for sale, and cajoled the insurance company into a higher pay-out. If they hadn’t covered the towing package and floor mats in their payoff, we would have had the right to remove those from the vehicle before the insurer took it to the salvage auction. Beware if you paid over MSRP.

Second FFR: Be prepared to pay for any rental car you use between wreck and replacement yourself. If you rent anything other than a miniature car, be prepared to pay the difference. It took almost a year from my wreck to be reimbursed for the rental car I needed for the month it took to replace my wreck with a Mav.

I rented a small SUV because that’s what I felt safe in, but the insurer only reimbursed 3/4 of that. After subrogation, 6 months post accident, there was one release left unsigned between the felon who caused my accident, his insurance company, the county, the state, the city, me and my insurance company. Want to guess who was the holdout? My own stinking insurance company sat on that form for another 6 months.

Anyway, venting done. I hope your wife feels better soon. I hope your replacement process goes smoothly.

 

[AbnRgr]

I heard from my insurance company this afternoon. My Maverick has been declared a total loss. The last time I talked to the collision center, they were estimating repair costs at 18k. I haven’t been able to talk to the adjuster to determine how he arrived at his decision or the value he is placing on the truck. More to follow.

 

[TRUCKHEF]

Dashcam dashcam dashcam

 

[AbnRgr]

Final Update - The repair estimate submitted to my insurance company exceeded 25k with a caveat that it could incur another 5k as they undergo the repair. Its totaled. My insurance company is now reviewing receipts for the 1k of items I added to the truck, tint, bed cover, etc. Added to their. Initial offer I’ll be pleased with the compensation. It looks like I’ll have to order a ‘24. The dealer where I bought my first is suggesting I will have the highest priority from the start as a return customer. I’m hoping that is not just sales hype. Until then, I’ll keep looking.

 

[shadow76]

Yeah....I was going to delete my comment after realizing that myself a few minutes later. Object at rest will want to stay at rest (in this case driver slammed into drivers door). But I suppose my comment is still sort of true for what happens a few seconds after the impact. Object in motion will want to keep moving in the same direction, in this case tossing the driver against the passenger (which is what they said happened here). I would have hoped the airbags would deploy for both driver and passenger. Driver for the initial impact, passenger for the second "impact" afterwards.

Did you get another Maverick?

Had a truck hit hard enough to total it. When the insurance company told me the camper shell, new tires, rims and stereo were not covered, I went to the storage yard and removed these items. I replaced the tires and rims with four rusty donuts spares from a salvage yard.

 

[Executech]

Did you get another Maverick?

Had a truck hit hard enough to total it. When the insurance company told me the camper shell, new tires, rims and stereo were not covered, I went to the storage yard and removed these items. I replaced the tires and rims with four rusty donuts spares from a salvage yard.

yes he did. He got a 2023 in iconic silver and ordered a 2024. Looks like he got a 2024 atlas blue hybrid xlt. Picture took from other forum posts he has made.

Sponsored