We took the Tahoe out hunting for the last month. She sure does look good in the mud. Anyways, we were heading back in from hunting, and my wife says, deer, deer, deer. This was after dark, and I didn't see the deer until about 2 seconds before I hit it. We were only going about 35, mangled the poor deers' legs. But that is what happens when they run out in front of a vehicle. But none of the airbags deployed. Is this usual or do I need to have the service department look into this?
This is 02 Tahoe LS. We have had her for less than a month. Thank goodness that the only damage to the Hoe was a crack in the grill. Guess I should have got the grill guard sooner.
Andy ideas or advice would be appreciated

 

I hit a deer once and no airbag deployment but it was a glancing blow off the right front corner. This was in a Chrysler minivan. [] Could be that your impact was hard enuf to trigger the bags.

 

This is normal, the airbag sensor/triggers are in the frame on your 2002 Tahoe, it reqiures that the front bumper brackets be pushed back into the frame rails to trigger an SIR deployment, most deer strikes do not create enough force to do this kind of damage.

You only want the airbags to deploy if they are needed.

 

Exactly right. They're too damn expensive to replace so be happy they didn't.

 

Also I have heard deploying air bags typically give you a bloody nose and/or plays havoc with your face in other ways, but of course that beats getting killed if the impact was severe enough.

 

Yeah..you don't want those airbags going off if the seatbelt restraint is enough...years ago a friend of a girlfriend was driving with her right hand at the 9 o clock position (don't know why)...got in an accident and the steering wheel bag deployed....completely tore arm out of socket and did all sorts of nasty nasty damage to her arm......it literally almost ripped it off her body. Bad news.

 

The new Next Generation (dual stage) SIR system in the 2007 Tahoe is designed so that it greatly reduces the chance of injury caused by a deployment.

 

Also after a airbag deploys you cant see S#it for a minute or so. Its almost like some one pulled the pin on a fire extinguisher inside the vehicle. needless to say you would not want it to go off from hitting a deer.

 

I always wondered what would happen when I see someone go by with one or both legs/feet up on the dash. Maybe break their legs?

 

or worse. its not pretty I can tell you that