Member Since: 10 Dec 2015
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 77
Fell into river fro icy road... airbags detonated, what now?
So, my Disco 3 transported me safely to France just after Christmas, and has been getting me and 6 people up to ski lifts most days, with kit on a towball rack. Love it, so pleased I bought it.
Today, driving down from the left in light snow, on the snow programme, all was going well. Came to a corner, gently braked, and started steering round fine. A gust blew a mass of leaves and snow on top of/in front of me, and the car slid diagonally sideways into a river, scraping along a snowy edge and telegraph pole. Photos to follow. I was doing <10mph, but had no time to react (yes, I should have been even slower).
So, the airbags detonated, and I don't remember too much as they dazed me a bit, but I put it into neutral on autopilot, and turned the engine off immediately. Took me a while to climb out of the uphill door (passenger side), and call a recovery service.
After the chap from Alpes Depannage had berated me for my poor french (it's mediocre rather than nonexistent, but he was very angry with me for coming to France and not being fluent), he hooked me up to his Nissan Navara on off road tires, and quite literally bounced/dragged me out of the ditch.
Only visible damage is a dislodged front wheel arch trim, and a blown front tyre with damaged alloy. And the airbags.
My recovery company advised they couldn't help any further (it's at a nearby garage) and that my insurance company would probably write it off. The insurance company (after an hour on hold) have said they'll have the car collected on Monday, and decide what to do with it then - indications at the moment are they'll repair it, but they've advised they may have to send it back to the UK for that.
So, my questions (while I'm sat feeling stupid and ignoring my friends in my own little bubble) are as follows:
1. What do people think it would cost to repack the airbags? It looks like the headlining needs replacing and the seats need re-trimming. It would be useful to know in case the insurers do write it off. The wheel is straightforward.
2. If the insurance company do repair it, is there anything I need to watch out for that might be non obvious to me or them? The tracking immediately springs to mind, but any other trouble spots?
In other news, I was going to post about my volume control no longer working, but the accident seems to have fixed that...
16th Jan 2016 9:20 pm
davidhem
Member Since: 21 Feb 2013
Location: Kenilworth
Posts: 710
Sorry to hear about the accident, I take it everyone is OK.
How many airbags have been actuated? if it is all of them, then it stands a good chance of being written off.
I have no idea how much it would cost to repair, but quite a lot if all new parts were involved.
16th Jan 2016 9:24 pm
sailingaway
Member Since: 10 Dec 2015
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 77
Thanks David, it was only me in the Vehicle, and I'm fine.
It appears to be all the airbags, on both sides. Neither the steering wheel nor the passenger airbag deployed.
I'd hate to have the car written off as it was a one owner from new, full land rover service history, main dealer trade in, in good nick . It does look like it needs substantial interior work when the bags deploy though.
16th Jan 2016 9:33 pm
D16PJM
Member Since: 08 Dec 2015
Location: Sidcup, Kent
Posts: 309
I would imagine that will be a write off, cant see the insurance paying for new seats, headlining etc, I know someone had a small bump a few months ago and was a write off although he bought it back and repaired it himself.
Pete
16th Jan 2016 9:35 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72790
From what happened to other peeps, prob a w/off as not only will the airbags need replaced so will their ECUs. For a 2005 car would be very surprised if it wasn't. But that's all IMHO and not from personal experience.
16th Jan 2016 9:37 pm
sailingaway
Member Since: 10 Dec 2015
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 77
Photos as promised.
16th Jan 2016 10:02 pm
waterbuoy
Member Since: 26 Oct 2013
Location: Argyll
Posts: 2862
Sorry to hear of your misfortune but also have to say that you were lucky it didn't happen in Austria else, looking at those tyres, you might have been in line for a large fine. Are they standard (ie summer) tyres?Currently 2009 Disco 3 SE, 2013 MY D4 HSE and 2016 D4 SE
Previously:
TD5 Defender 110 CSW (230k miles)
300TDi Disco 1 (289k)
4 RR Classics (300-350k each, 2 manual, 2 auto)
110 V8 CSW (220k)
S3 109 hi cap pickup (ex RN)
S2A 88 Safari SW with lpg conversion (bloody lethal)
16th Jan 2016 10:46 pm
Mogwyth
Member Since: 03 Oct 2014
Location: Pwllheli
Posts: 3976
Winter tires may not be required in France but are advised in areas of high snow and I believe snow chains are a requirement in mountain areas==================================
05 D3 HSE V8 4.4
04 MG TF 135
03 MG TF 115 Cool Blue Edition
02 MG TF 160
00 Hymer B564 Lionheart
1971 Series III 109
16th Jan 2016 11:03 pm
sailingaway
Member Since: 10 Dec 2015
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 77
I agree waterbuoy. I don't know how much difference better tyres would have made but that is a lesson learned. To my shame, I also have a really good set of snow socks that I hadn't fitted but were in the back of the car.
16th Jan 2016 11:03 pm
waterbuoy
Member Since: 26 Oct 2013
Location: Argyll
Posts: 2862
I had always been sceptical about winter tyres (despite having a PhD in snowmelt hydrology ) until I bought a set this year - the difference in 'stickability' is very noticeable. SWMBO drove into Glasgow and back today (round trip of 220 miles) and I persuaded her to take the D3 instead of her CR-V. She can't stop talking about how much better it felt compared to her normal tyres (which are BFG ATs, not 'normal' road tyres)Currently 2009 Disco 3 SE, 2013 MY D4 HSE and 2016 D4 SE
Previously:
TD5 Defender 110 CSW (230k miles)
300TDi Disco 1 (289k)
4 RR Classics (300-350k each, 2 manual, 2 auto)
110 V8 CSW (220k)
S3 109 hi cap pickup (ex RN)
S2A 88 Safari SW with lpg conversion (bloody lethal)
16th Jan 2016 11:26 pm
Russell
Member Since: 24 Aug 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 10564
Sorry but write off for sure. Cost yo replace air bags with new and re trim plus ecus makes it uneconomical. Main thing is you are safe.MY17 D5 1st Edition Namib Orange
MY15 D4 HSE Kaikoura Stone
MY12 D4 HSE Nara Bronze Sold and gone
MY11 D4 HSE Stornaway Grey Sold and gone
D3 S spec Silver Sold and gone
Tow bar, full length roof bars, side steps, tow bar storage unit, surround camers.
D4 camera club
16th Jan 2016 11:42 pm
Farmer Chalk
Member Since: 07 Mar 2013
Location: Independent Republic of Kentishshire.
Posts: 4156
The reason the side airbags deployed was due to the angle that you managed to achieve sliding off the road down the slope. The car anticipated you were about to go into a roll over and thus did exactly what they were designed to do in order to protect your life....the front airbags will only deploy upon a signal from the sensors which detect impact.... Which in this case didn't occur which is why they stayed intact...
If you look at the accident posted earlier today with the Australian woman who drove up the side of the recovery truck you can see the side airbags deploying in exactly the same way as the car has anticipated it was rolling over!
Your best bet would be to buy the salvage of your car and speak to someone like metal monster junk to obtain what you need to repair....
Airbags cannot be repacked...they are actually an explosive device that are use once only...they are also very dangerous if not treated with respect!
17th Jan 2016 12:23 am
DiscoJake
Member Since: 23 Aug 2013
Location: Hereford
Posts: 1429
I'm sorry but you're driving round the French alps in snowy icey conditions on those tyres??? ?
Glad you're ok but that was an accident waiting to happen, lesson learnt i hope
Ps snow socks are , they may get you moving when stuck but won't get you round a bend! winter tyres required
17th Jan 2016 10:53 am
Alphamale
Member Since: 28 May 2014
Location: Belfast
Posts: 496
Sorry to hear of your mishap, but at least your OK.
If you can get the parts required i.e. the air bags that is, as the seat covers are easy to find, it will be expensive to repair. Seat covers alone for a front seats are around £240 each and rear seats £270 each then there are the air bags and having looked up a few part no's it appears some are no longer available and you will need to source 2nd hand or find new old stock. If you do get some new, they're around £240 each and there are some 8 different parts. That makes part alone around 2.5K+ to do the inside only and no labour so easy to see why insurance would write it off.
If you can do the work yourself you would be able to build things up easy enough, but will need all the new bags programmed into the cars systems. May be better to save the money and buy another one, though would be hard to see what is otherwise a good car go.
17th Jan 2016 12:55 pm
sailingaway
Member Since: 10 Dec 2015
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 77
Hi all, to be clear, I'm fully accepting of my stupidity on tyres; when you post such a mishap on a forum like this you're always going to get a bit of flack, and in my case it's deserved!
I reckon my car is worth between £8-£12k depending on who's doing the valuation. It sounds like the repair bill could easily hit choose to that, especially if they decide to take it back to the UK.
I hope they repair it, but if they write it of, after I've had a(nother) cry, I'll have to think seriously about what to do.
Thanks so much for all your PMs, especially the one offering all the parts I need at a good price. I'll see what the assessors say on Monday.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
. It does look like it needs substantial interior work when the bags deploy though.
) until I bought a set this year - the difference in 'stickability' is very noticeable. SWMBO drove into Glasgow and back today (round trip of 220 miles) and I persuaded her to take the D3 instead of her CR-V. She can't stop talking about how much better it felt compared to her normal tyres (which are BFG ATs, not 'normal' road tyres)
?
, they may get you moving when stuck but won't get you round a bend! winter tyres required
