The most common reasons an airbag would not deploy in a Missouri car accident include a crash that did not meet the force threshold required to trigger deployment, damaged sensors or severed wiring, a faulty occupant classification system, power loss before the signal fired, a previously deployed airbag that was never replaced, or a defective component in the airbag system itself.
Not every non-deployment points to a defect, but some situations raise serious questions that deserve a closer look. If your crash caused significant front-end damage and your airbags still did not fire, you may have a claim against the vehicle manufacturer, a repair shop, a prior owner, or the driver who caused the collision.
Common Reasons an Airbag Failed to Deploy
Any of these reasons can change who is responsible for your injuries in Missouri. Here are the most common causes:
- Crash impact too low or at the wrong angle: Frontal airbags are only designed to fire in certain types of collisions
- Broken crash sensors or severed wiring: Damage to the electrical system can block the signal that triggers the airbag
- Disabled airbag due to seat weight sensors: A faulty occupant sensor may have incorrectly shut off the airbag
- Power loss before the deployment signal: A severe first impact can cut vehicle power before a secondary impact triggers the airbag
- Missing airbags from a previous unrepaired accident: Common in used, rebuilt, or salvage-title vehicles
- Defective or counterfeit airbag parts: Cheap replacement inflators may fail entirely or fire dangerous shrapnel
When Are Airbags Designed to Deploy?
Airbags are built to fire in moderate to severe frontal crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, that generally means a collision equivalent to hitting a fixed wall at 8 to 14 miles per hour or harder. This trigger point is called the deployment threshold.
Side and rollover airbags work differently. They rely on separate sensors that detect sideways movement or the vehicle beginning to tip.
Knowing the deployment threshold matters because insurance companies often argue the crash was not serious enough to require airbag deployment. If your crash clearly met or exceeded that threshold, the failure becomes much harder for them to explain away.
Does Airbag Non-Deployment Always Mean Something Went Wrong?
No, not always. Many non-deployments are intentional and technically correct based on the angle, speed, and direction of the crash.
That said, there are clear warning signs that suggest a defect or an improper repair:
- Heavy front-end damage with no airbag deployment
- A bent or deformed steering wheel
- Visible marks on the dashboard where your body made contact
- A vehicle with a rebuilt or salvage title history
If your crash involved any of these red flags and your airbags still did not deploy, that is something our Missouri car accident lawyers need to investigate right away.
Who Is Liable if an Airbag Fails to Deploy in Missouri?
Liability depends entirely on why the airbag failed. Under Missouri’s pure comparative fault system, more than one party can share responsibility for your injuries at the same time.
| Cause of Failure | Likely Liable Party |
| Design or manufacturing defect | Vehicle or airbag manufacturer |
| Improper repair or installation | Body shop, mechanic, or dealership |
| Hidden prior damage or disabled airbag | Prior owner or seller |
| Crash that caused your injuries | At-fault driver |
It is important to understand that a claim against a manufacturer or repair shop does not replace your claim against the driver who caused the crash. Both can be pursued at the same time.
Vehicle or Airbag Manufacturer
If a design flaw or factory defect caused the failure, you may have a product liability claim. Product liability is a legal rule that holds manufacturers responsible when a defective product causes harm to someone using it as intended.
Dealership or Body Shop That Repaired or Replaced the System
A mechanic who failed to reconnect the airbag wiring or reinstall the module after a previous repair may be responsible for the failure. This type of mistake is more common than most people realize.
Prior Owner or Seller Who Tampered With the System
In salvage and rebuilt-title vehicles, the airbag module is sometimes never restored after a prior deployment. Sellers do not always disclose this, which can leave the next owner completely unprotected.
At-Fault Driver
The driver who caused the crash is still responsible for your injuries regardless of whether the airbag worked. If the airbag failure made your injuries worse, that additional harm can be factored into your total compensation.
What Injuries Are Tied to Airbag Non-Deployment?
Without the cushion of a deployed airbag, your head, face, and chest absorb the full force of the impact. Injuries in these cases tend to be more severe because nothing slows your body before it hits the steering wheel or dashboard.
Common injuries we see in airbag non-deployment cases include:
- Traumatic brain injuries: Your head strikes the steering wheel, dashboard, or windshield without protection
- Facial and eye injuries: Lacerations, bone fractures, and permanent scarring from direct contact with hard surfaces
- Chest and rib injuries: Broken ribs, punctured lungs, and internal bleeding caused by the steering column
- Spinal and soft tissue damage: Herniated discs, severe whiplash, and in serious cases, spinal cord injuries
These injuries often result in higher case values because we can show that a working airbag would have reduced or prevented the harm you suffered.
How Do We Prove an Airbag Non-Deployment Case?
These cases are technical and time-sensitive. We act immediately to preserve the vehicle and gather evidence before anything is repaired, scrapped, or lost.
Preserve the Vehicle and Airbag Control Module
The airbag control module is the brain of the safety system. It stores data about what the system did or did not do during the crash, and it must be preserved before the car is repaired or totaled out. We send written preservation notices to the insurance company the same day you hire us.
Download the Event Data Recorder
The event data recorder, often called the vehicle’s black box, captures crash speed, braking input, and whether the airbag system issued a deployment command. This data is one of the most powerful pieces of evidence in a non-deployment case.
Bring in Independent Engineers
We work with accident reconstructionists and airbag engineers who physically inspect the sensors, wiring, and control module. Their findings can confirm whether the failure was caused by a defect, a bad repair, or something else entirely.
Pull Recall and Repair History
We run the vehicle identification number to check for open recalls and past repair records. If the airbag was part of a known recall that was never addressed, that becomes critical evidence in your case.
Connect the Failure to Your Injuries
Medical experts and biomechanical specialists help us show exactly how the missing airbag protection led to your specific injuries. This connection is what ties the technical failure directly to the compensation you are owed.
What Should You Do After an Airbag Doesn’t Deploy?
The actions you take in the first few days after the crash can protect both your health and your legal claim. Here is what we recommend:
- Do not repair or drive the vehicle: Repairs destroy evidence. The car needs to stay exactly as it was after the crash until our team can inspect it.
- Photograph everything: Take pictures of the steering wheel, dashboard, broken glass, and any warning lights showing on the instrument panel.
- Get medical care immediately: Gaps in treatment give insurance companies a reason to argue your injuries were not serious or were not caused by the crash.
- Mention the airbag failure in the police report: Make sure the responding officer notes that the airbag did not deploy.
- Call us before speaking to any insurer: Insurance adjusters are trained to gather information that limits what they have to pay you.
Missouri Deadlines and Insurance Tactics You Should Know
In Missouri, you generally have five years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury claim. Product liability claims against a manufacturer may carry different deadlines. Waiting too long puts your case at risk because vehicles get scrapped, data gets overwritten, and witnesses forget what they saw.
Insurance companies have a predictable playbook when airbags do not deploy. They will often argue the crash was too minor to require deployment, or they will try to shift blame onto you for not wearing a seatbelt. We have seen these tactics used over and over, and we know how to fight back against each one.
Injured in a Missouri Crash Where the Airbag Failed? We’re Ready to Help
At Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers, we focus exclusively on auto accident law in Missouri. We have experience fighting for people who were hurt because a vehicle did not perform as it should. We have obtained substantial recoveries for our clients.
We offer free consultations and you pay nothing unless we win your case. We move quickly to preserve evidence, investigate the failure, and build a case that reflects the full extent of your injuries. You focus on recovering. We will handle everything else.
Contact us online or call our office today to speak with a Missouri car accident lawyer about your airbag non-deployment claim.
FAQs
What If My Airbag Did Not Deploy in a Low-Speed Crash?
Low-speed crashes often do not meet the deployment threshold, so a non-deployment in a minor collision is usually not proof of a defect. If the crash was severe and caused significant injuries, the failure is worth investigating.
Can I Sue a Car Manufacturer or Repair Shop for an Airbag That Did Not Deploy?
Yes. If a design defect or negligent repair caused the airbag to fail and worsened your injuries, you can pursue a product liability or negligence claim under Missouri law.
Is There a Standard Settlement Amount for Airbag Non-Deployment Cases?
There is no fixed amount because compensation depends on injury severity, medical costs, lost wages, and proof of the defect. These cases often settle for more than a standard car accident claim because of the added complexity and harm involved.
Does an Airbag Not Deploying Mean the Car Is Automatically Totaled?
No. Whether a car is totaled depends on the cost of repairs compared to the vehicle’s value, not on whether the airbags fired.
How Soon Should You Contact a Lawyer After an Airbag Fails to Deploy?
You should contact us as soon as possible. The vehicle, airbag module, and event data recorder must be preserved before the car is repaired, sold, or destroyed.
