EDR (black box) and airbag info, '96 sl2

[emncaity]

Anybody have solid info on the following re a '96 SL2?

-- whether the EDR in this model would have recorded hard braking in the 5 seconds preceding airbag deployment;

-- whether the seat belt had to be fastened for the airbag to fire; and

-- whether the EDR in this model would've recorded date and clock time of impact-and-airbag events.


Cited sources would be nice, if possible.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[toggenburg]

We're on the list of cars with EDR's, but I haven't yet found the depth of info you need. Surely someone here will chime in.

http://www.crashdataservices.net/fil...erage_List.pdf

[hholbein]

Interesting. I've read a lot of posts on this Forum, but nothing I recall about us having an Event Data Recorder, what data it stores from the last few minutes before the crash, and what its operational behavior is, etc.

Would love to hear more!

[bluesl2]

It's probably all in the SDM (Sensing and Diagnostic Module). Basically the airbag computer. The SDM does not care if the seat belt is fastened or not I don't believe. If certain criteria is met, the bags will deploy. Back in the day, a field service engineer said that if any party involved in an accident (owner/insurance company) wanted to know about data in the event of a collision that he would be the one in our "region" to come and look at the data. Even if the bags did not go off. So apparently there is data stored even if the bags do not deploy. I'm not sure if it stores the date or time but quite possibly.

[fdryer]

Your insurance company would know. If you drive a '96 Saturn and was involved in a head on crash with airbag deployment, your insurance company might try to retrieve any data recorded depending on airbag year and make, if data was recorded. This can interpreted in one of two ways; data used against you or in your defense of you to explain the reason for airbag deployment especially if people are injured or another vehicle was involved. Or if you were trying to move a tree.......Police might have access too for official police reporting purposes insurance companies use to determine the reason for a crash if evidence isn't clearly seen at an accident site. It's quite possible early airbags didn't record anything and as they evolved, sensor data and programming allowed recording only when the airbag deployed. Fast forward to the latest edr and they may be copy catting black boxes aboard commercial airlines. Each generation of airbags evolves to incorporate more features while improving on the amount of data recorded. A service manual may be one way to know.