2006 Civic Airbags

socraplat

Diagnostic code for my 2006 Honda Civic Lx indicates failure of a right side curtain airbag, If this is not fixed, does this mean that other airbags will also fail to deploy in case of an accident

PF_Flyer

It could be a problem with the airbag sensors that determine when the airbags fire. So even though the code is saying that it's the right side curtain airbag, it's possible that whatever is causing the fault might affect other airbags as well. Perhaps it turns out to be a problem within the right side curtain airbag, but I would definitely have things checked out to find out what the issue is. We're talking about safety here.

thecardoc3

socraplat said:

Diagnostic code for my 2006 Honda Civic Lx indicates failure of a right side curtain airbag, If this is not fixed, does this mean that other airbags will also fail to deploy in case of an accident

That's actually a really good question and one that is often difficult to answer because it can change depending on the circumstances. (severity of collision as well as the direction of the impact and with regards to the possibility of multiple impacts)

With the side curtain circuit in question the system will behave differently that much is certain. By design, normal operation requires both the frontal and side airbags to deploy simultaneously if needed, which occurs just after the seatbelt retractors deploy. The side curtain always inflates faster so even though they start at the same time, the side curtain inflates first, then the frontal bag deploys. The frontal airbag can deploy with three different speeds and pressures depending on the severity of an incident.

When a system failure is detected, the system will still attempt to deploy the failed component, but it will be assumed that it will not activate. That means instead of modulating the activation of the front airbag, it will default to maximum. In a normal frontal deployment the side curtain and side airbags usually do not need to deploy. But with the side curtain suspect, the side airbag will deploy with the frontal deployment.

The one thing you don't want to happen is to be in the "punch out" zone when the airbag deploys. That side curtain airbag inflates with so much energy that it can easily injure someone all by itself if they are in the way which makes mentioning this right now really important.

How often do you see someone sleeping in the passengers seat with their head against the window or the side pillar while a car is cruising down the highway? Or even worse have their feet up on the top of the dash? Any part of the body that is in the punch out zone when an airbag deploys will be impacted and shoved at the same speed that the bag deploys. That can result in severe injuries, even death in what would otherwise be a minor accident.


http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0389430400000898
http://www.stritch.luc.edu/depts/injprev/Transprt/tran1-09.htm
https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/seattle0307.pdf
https://www.tasanet.com/Knowledge-Center/Articles/ArtMID/477/ArticleID/338923/Airbag-Deployment-Issues-Role-of-Vehicle-Structure-and-Occupant-Safety

socraplat

The right side curtain airbag on my Honda Civic 2006 LX was replaced in Oct. 2014, and then again in July 2015. In April of 2017, shortly after replacement of a Takata passenger frontal airbag inflator, the side curtain airbag again failed. Two queries: 1) Could the replacement of the Takata inflator somehow compromised the side curtain airbag; and, 2) What is the likelihood of these side curtain airbags failing 4 times in 3 years?

PF_Flyer

With multiple replacements, it makes me think that the side curtain airbag failure is the symptom rather than the cause. I also think the side airbag failing after the passenger airbag replacement may just be a coincidence.

Something is causing these failure codes and I would want to find out what it is sooner rather than later.