You expect your airbags to deploy fully in a crash. When one inflates only partway, it can fail to cushion your body, leaving you exposed to injuries that a properly working airbag would have softened. An underinflated airbag is generally treated as a defective airbag, and in Illinois it can open the door to a product liability claim against the maker of the vehicle or the airbag.
What causes that failure, what it does to the people inside the car, and what you can actually recover in Illinois are three separate questions, and the answers matter most in the first few weeks after a crash while the vehicle still exists.
The Role of Airbag Inflation in Crash Protection
You assume that if you get into a car accident, your airbags deploy the way they should. Sadly, this is not always the case, and airbag injuries can come as a shock to drivers and passengers alike. To understand what goes wrong, it helps to look at how a vehicle airbag is supposed to work. Airbags soften the impact during a collision, and proper inflation is what makes that cushioning effective.
Understanding Airbag Deployment
Airbag deployment is a calculated process triggered by a crash sensor. The sensor detects the rapid deceleration of a collision, and a chemical reaction inflates the bag within milliseconds. Timing matters, because the airbag has to be full and firm at the exact moment your body moves toward it.
If the airbag is underinflated, it may not provide the cushioning you need. Your body is not slowed down enough, which can lead to more serious injuries. Deployment also has to work in concert with your seat belt, which is why both systems are engineered to manage crash forces together.
Why Inflation Level Matters
Inflation directly affects how well an airbag protects you. A correctly inflated airbag spreads the force of a crash evenly across your upper body and keeps you from striking the steering wheel, dashboard, or window. When an airbag is underinflated, it can fail to create that barrier, and the risk of injury climbs.
Identifying Causes of Underinflated Airbags
Underinflated airbags usually trace back to manufacturing defects or maintenance problems. Knowing the common causes helps explain why an airbag that looked fine failed when it mattered most.
Manufacturing Defects and Sensor Issues
Defects in the production process, such as poor quality control, substandard materials, or a faulty inflator module, can keep an airbag from deploying with full force. Sensor problems are another culprit. Airbag sensors detect the impact and trigger inflation, so a sensor that is faulty or poorly calibrated can cause an airbag to underinflate or misfire.
Vehicle Maintenance and Recalls
Components in an airbag system can wear out or degrade over time, especially after exposure to heat and moisture. Following the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule and watching for the airbag warning light on your dashboard can catch some issues early. Recalls matter just as much. The Takata airbag recall showed how a single manufacturing flaw can put millions of vehicles at risk, and acting on a recall notice promptly is one of the few defenses a driver has.
Risks and Injuries From Underinflated Airbags
Underinflated airbags can fail to absorb the impact effectively, and that shortcoming can lead to severe injuries. Without enough cushioning, the risk of chest injuries, fractured ribs, and broken bones rises. A traumatic brain injury becomes more likely when the airbag cannot keep the head from striking an interior surface, and eye injuries from inadequate protection can cause lasting vision problems.
Common Injuries From Airbag Failures
The injuries that follow a defective or underinflated airbag can include:
- Facial injuries such as cuts, bruises, or fractures from improper deployment
- Eye injuries including retinal detachment or corneal abrasions
- Hearing damage like tinnitus or hearing loss from the deployment noise
- Burns from the airbag propellant or friction from the fabric
- Chest injuries including rib fractures and injuries to the heart or lungs
- Neck and spine injuries such as whiplash or spinal fractures
- Arm and hand injuries from contact with the deploying bag
- Abdominal injuries to organs like the liver or spleen
- Brain injuries including concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Death in rare but severe cases of airbag failure
Legal Recourse for Victims of Airbag Failure in Illinois
If a defective airbag left you hurt, you may be able to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Illinois recognizes strict product liability, which means a manufacturer can be held responsible for an unreasonably dangerous product without proof that it was careless. Strict liability is not automatic liability, though. You still have to prove the airbag was in an unreasonably dangerous condition, that the condition existed when it left the defendant’s control, and that it caused your injuries, which is why an engineering inspection of the actual bag and inflator usually decides these cases.
Who May Be Liable
Pinpointing liability is central to an airbag case. Responsibility might fall on the vehicle manufacturer, the airbag or inflator supplier, or a repair shop that serviced the system. Illinois treats those defendants differently, though. Under the state’s seller’s exception, a defendant that did not manufacture the product, such as a dealership or a repair shop, can be dismissed from the case once it identifies the manufacturer and that manufacturer answers, unless you can show the seller controlled the design, knew about the defect, or created it (735 ILCS 5/2-621). Naming the right manufacturer early therefore matters as much as naming everyone.
Strong claims are built on detailed accident reports, vehicle inspection results, the airbag’s recall history, and often testimony from an accident reconstruction expert or engineer who can explain how the airbag failed. A product liability lawyer can identify every responsible party and preserve the vehicle as evidence before it is repaired or scrapped.
Illinois Deadlines You Cannot Miss
Illinois gives you two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury claim, including one based on a defective airbag (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Product liability claims carry a second clock as well. Under the state’s statute of repose, a product liability action generally must be brought within 12 years of the first sale, lease, or delivery of possession by a seller, or 10 years from the first sale, lease, or delivery of possession to the product’s initial user or consumer, whichever period expires earlier (735 ILCS 5/13-213).
The repose statute has its own relief valve, and it is narrow. If the injury happens inside those periods, you may sue within two years of learning of the injury and its wrongful cause, but never more than eight years after the injury occurred. For someone hurt before turning 18, the clock does not start until their eighteenth birthday. Because a repose period can expire before you ever knew the airbag was defective, it is worth talking with an Illinois car accident lawyer early.
Immediate Steps After an Underinflated Airbag Incident
What you do right after the crash can protect both your health and any future claim. The priority is to collect evidence and get medical and legal help without delay.
Document the Scene and Get Medical Care
Take clear photos of the vehicle inside and out, paying special attention to the airbag itself. Note the time, date, and location, and gather witness names and contact information. Then see a doctor even if you feel fine, because injuries like whiplash and internal trauma are not always obvious at first. Those medical records tie your injuries to the crash and become important evidence later.
Preserve the Vehicle
The defective airbag is the single most important piece of evidence in your case, so do not let the vehicle be repaired, sold, or scrapped before it has been inspected. Keep repair estimates, the crash report, and any recall correspondence together in one place.
How to Reduce the Risk of Airbag Problems
You cannot control a manufacturing defect, but a few habits lower the odds of an airbag problem catching you off guard.
Stay on Top of Maintenance
Follow the manufacturer’s recommended service schedule, and never ignore the airbag warning light. A trained technician can read diagnostic codes, reset or replace faulty components, and update the airbag control software when needed. That routine attention is often what catches a hidden sensor or wiring fault before a crash exposes it.
Stay Informed About Recalls
Manufacturers issue recalls when a defect could affect airbag performance, and following through on them is one of the most effective ways to stay safe. Check for open recalls on your vehicle at NHTSA’s recall lookup using your VIN. If a recall applies, schedule the repair with a certified dealer promptly, since recall work is typically done at no cost to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would an airbag be underinflated?
An airbag usually underinflates because of a manufacturing defect, a faulty or poorly calibrated sensor, a problem with the inflator module, or degraded components after years of heat and moisture exposure. Improper prior repairs and counterfeit replacement parts can also be to blame. In many of these situations the defect points back to the manufacturer or a service provider.
What happens if an airbag is over-inflated?
An airbag that deploys with too much force or is oversized can be just as dangerous as one that underinflates. Excessive force can cause facial, head, chest, and neck injuries because the bag strikes the occupant harder than intended. Both underinflation and over-inflation are signs that the airbag did not perform as designed.
Do airbags inflate in every crash?
No. Airbags are designed to deploy only in moderate to severe collisions that meet a certain crash threshold, and many are calibrated to hold back in low-speed impacts. A bag that fails to deploy in a serious crash, or one that deploys but does not inflate fully, may signal a defect worth investigating.
Can I sue if a defective airbag caused my injuries in Illinois?
You may be able to. Illinois recognizes strict product liability, so you can pursue a claim against the manufacturer or seller if a defective airbag caused your injuries, generally within two years of the injury (735 ILCS 5/13-202). A separate statute of repose can also cut off older products, so an attorney should review the crash, the vehicle, and any recalls early.
Talk to 844-SEE-MIKE About a Defective Airbag Injury
An underinflated airbag can turn a survivable crash into a serious injury, and proving that the airbag was defective takes fast action and the right evidence. The team at 844-SEE-MIKE can review what happened, preserve your vehicle, and deal with the manufacturer and insurers for you. Because the firm works on a contingency fee, you pay nothing unless money is recovered for you, and drivers in the city can reach a Chicago car accident lawyer on the same terms. Contact 844-SEE-MIKE anytime for a free, no-pressure consultation. This information is general and not legal advice for your specific situation.
