2013 Honda Accord Airbags Deployed No Events or Faults Recorded

[PRondello]

I am looking at a 2013 Honda Accord that struck a 2021 Cadillac XT6. Front Right Corner (Honda) to Right Rear Corner (Cadi). Airbags deployed on the Honda. Ran EDR download device, no events recorded. Hired an expert, also no events recorded. Can an airbag be deployed manually and bypass the ACM so that no events are recorded? I've seen a Youtube video where a guy used a 9v battery to a wire he ran into the vehicle to set off the airbags, but they did not explain HOW. I don't suspect that the airbags were cut out by hand because the windshield is broken where the passenger side airbag pushed the dash open into it. I looked at the ACM under the dash and it is so well buried it would be difficult to change out. It did not appear to be tampered with. Any suggestions?

[Bob Anderson]

Each airbag stage has a squib with two wires to ignite propellant. Apply enough voltage across those wires and (BAM) deployment. So, it is possible to deploy airbags using a battery or another voltage source.

The event is written after everything is said and down, so if there was a power loss , that could provide an explanation for no recording.

The last thing that I can think of is that 2013 was the first year Honda had accessible EDR data, so it is also possible that by pure luck you have a vehicle that does not have recording capability.

[PRondello]

Thanks Bob. Any knowledge of how someone would set off both steering wheel and passenger dash airbags at one time, and leave no trace that they tampered with it? Where would the wiring connect? directly to the wire leading to the squib?

[Bob Anderson]

It is not something that I have done.

Provided that someone had knowledge of where the pairs of wires run, they could use a wire piercing device, such as a T-pin to apply a voltage to those circuits.

Lastly, they would need to be able to disassemble and reassemble to gain access to the wire harness without leaving obvious evidence behind. However, it is not unusual for consoles and interior panels to be removed for service, stereo work, etc., so even if they left tool marks, it would be difficult to say that is what happened.