When Airbags Fail: Hidden Defects That Cause Injury

Did your airbag fail to deploy in a crash, or did it explode unexpectedly while driving at low speed?

Airbags are supposed to be the last line of defense in a serious accident. But for too many drivers, they become the cause of the injury itself. At Nigh Goldenberg, we are investigating specific manufacturing defects that cause airbags to fail completely, deploy too late, or explode aggressively in minor parking lot bumps.

In many of these cases, the failure isn’t just “bad luck”—it is a known engineering defect that manufacturers have ignored.

3 Critical Airbag Defects We Are Investigating

Our legal partners have identified three specific defect patterns that are currently causing catastrophic injuries. If your accident fits one of these descriptions, you may have a claim.

1. The “GM Sensor Defect” (2004–2015 Vehicles)

For over a decade, certain General Motors vehicles were manufactured with a critical blind spot in their safety systems.

• The Defect: In many GM models made between 2004 and 2015, the side-impact airbag sensors are located solely in the front driver and passenger doors. There are often no sensors in the rear doors or rear quarter panels.
• The Consequence: If you are T-boned or hit on the side towards the rear of the car, the front sensors may never “see” the crash. The airbags may fail to deploy entirely, leaving occupants unprotected in a severe side-impact collision.

2. Late Deployment: The “Milliseconds” That Matter

Timing is everything. In a crash, an airbag must fully inflate before your body moves forward into it.

• The Defect: Some airbag systems suffer from “late deployment,” firing just a few milliseconds too slow.
• The Consequence: By the time the airbag finally explodes, you are already “out of position”—moving forward toward the steering wheel or dashboard. Instead of cushioning you, the airbag explodes into you while you are too close, acting like a weapon rather than a shield.
• Hidden Evidence: You will never know this happened just by looking. It requires a specialized “black box” download to prove the timing was off by milliseconds.

3. Parking Lot & Low-Speed Explosions

Airbags are designed to deploy in moderate-to-severe crashes. They should never deploy in a minor fender bender or when hitting a curb.

• The Defect: We are seeing cases where airbags deploy inadvertently in parking lots, low-speed bumps, or even while the car is stopped.
• The Consequence: An airbag exploding at 200 mph in a minor parking lot bump can cause blindness, facial fractures, or hearing loss in an accident that otherwise would have caused zero injuries.

The “No Seatbelt” Myth

Insurance adjusters may try to tell you that if you weren’t wearing a seatbelt, you can’t claim an airbag defect. This is false.

Auto safety systems are designed to protect occupants regardless of belt usage. In fact, airbags are often arguably more critical for an unbelted occupant. If an airbag fails to deploy—or deploys late—the manufacturer can still be held liable for the resulting injuries, whether you were buckled up or not.

Why You Must Call Us Immediately

Proving an airbag defect is technically complex. It requires downloading the vehicle’s Event Data Recorder (EDR) to see exactly when—or if—the computer sent the signal to fire.

The clock is ticking on this evidence.

• Cars Disappear Fast: Insurance companies often sell totaled cars to scrap yards within weeks or even days.
• Data is Lost: Once the car is gone or the computer is reset, proving a “late deployment” becomes nearly impossible.

Don’t Wait. Secure Your Vehicle Today.

If you or a loved one were injured because an airbag failed to deploy, deployed late, or exploded aggressively in a minor accident, contact Nigh Goldenberg immediately. We will work to stop the insurance company from selling your vehicle and get the data needed to prove the defect.