Oh deer! How a car airbag disaster cost me a fortune
Online reviews editor Max Adams has been forced to reconcile with safety kit that means well, but has also left him with a hefty bill
It was a Friday evening, and I was driving to my local Screwfix to pick up a click-and-collect order. I know, I live an exciting life. At that moment I had the misfortune to stumble into an episode of Springwatch; a fawn being pursued by a fox ran out in front of me in its haste to escape, and although I braked as hard as I could, I hit it.
Fortunately, it was a low-speed impact, and apart from being a little dazed, the fawn appeared okay; it wandered off without limping. My car’s bumper was unmarked, and there was no mechanical damage. But sadly, the pedestrian-protection system had triggered, and the aftermath looked much less pretty.
I own a Volvo V40, and I chose it partly because it is packed with safety kit, including a pedestrian airbag beneath the bonnet. However, I hadn’t counted on this giant air cushion being triggered in a minor bump with some juvenile wildlife. The result was scattered bits of windscreen wiper, destroyed hinges, and a bent bonnet.
Online searches show I’m not the only V40 driver to experience this. Some forum members have reported repair costs of almost £6,000 in 2023. Claiming on my insurance would most certainly write it off, and that seems like a waste, especially when everything else is undamaged.
But that’s probably the only choice some people have. I could try repairing the car myself, which is possible, because V40 parts are readily available. The snag is that specialists often don’t have the computer software to reset the logged crash data in the Pedestrian Protection module, and an official dealer won’t help (I know, I’ve asked) because, understandably, they wouldn’t be covered if used parts are involved in a repair, particularly safety-critical ones such as airbags. Some people provide a service that will erase the codes for you, but you have to send off the module to them and hope it doesn’t get lost or damaged in transit.
The V40 is by no means the only car with such a pedestrian-protection system, and some alternative set-ups may not be quite as destructive when they deploy. I also don’t disagree with the technology if it helps to save someone from life-threatening or life-altering injuries. But when choosing your next used car, it’s worth bearing in mind what the consequences are if the pedestrian safety systems do deploy at the wrong time.
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