Daughter was driving alone in a 2014 Civic LX when the front passenger tire blew out. The blowout triggered a passenger side airbag deployment. Not the front passenger bag, but the 2 on the side, above both the front and rear passenger doors. Daughter states she did not hit anything and there's no indication of impact on the passenger side; just a very jacket up front passenger wheel and tire shreds.

This brings up 2 questions:

1. Is it unusual for a tire failure to trigger airbag deployment?
2. Since she was driving alone, there was nothing in the passenger seat. Wouldn't the passenger side airbags have been disarmed?

Thx in advance.

 

What does the rim look like? She didn't hit a curb or anything?

 

She said she didn't hit anything, but this rim is pretty jacked up.

 

She hit something HARD

 

I had the same suspicion, but she swears up and down that she didn't. I don't dare question her honesty (she's actually my step-daughter). That would open a firestorm on the home front. I know the area where this happened. Road is well maintained, unlike a lot of the other roads in this town, but it's the main interstate that cuts through town. High probability of foreign objects scattered around.

 

I would be shocked icf there is not other damage to that front end. Bent knuckle is likely, strut damage. That thing hit something very hard.
I had step children and know what you mean. Best to let it go but be prepared for more damage than just that wheel.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvX9gaFzV-k




Tutuapp 9Apps

 

In this case they went off as they should have. She smashed into something hard.