2000 A6 2.7t
I was T-boned today straight drivers side door. Pushed the whole door and bent the center pillar in also. Along with the drivers side door being completely destroyed the front fender and rear door were also hit enough to warrant needing new ones.
And guess what neither of my side airbags went off (side curtains or the ones in the seats).
The door literally pushed my seat off its base. Do you have to be hit by a tank to set these things off??????????
Luckily these things are made out of 10,000 pounds of raw steel cause their safety features aren't for ****. I wonder if their seatbelts even lock??????????
I'll post pictures once I get off my lazy *** and get them off my camera.

 

You should let the NHTSC know. It only takes a couple of complaints like yours to start an investigation.

Bob

 

Side air bags were standard on the 4.2 and were only available as part of the sport package on the 2.7T. Are you sure you have the sport package?

 

Glad to know you weren't hurt (you sound more mad than hurt, which is good). Also GTK the car is solid and protected you. Lots of replacement cars out there....

 

Too bad the airbags did not deploy. But look on the bright side. You are well enough to biatch about it afterwards. This is one of the reasons that I drive a German car. A lady ran a red light and ran into my BMW a few of years ago. Needless to say the front end was gone and the car was considered total. But you know what, I came out of there without a scratch, and the lady in her PT cruiser was driven off in an ambulence.

 

Side torso airbags were standard on all C5 A6's. Side curtain airbags were optional until 01(02?), then became standard equipment. 98-01(02?) curtain airbags were standard on the nicer models.

It can take a big impact to set off a side airbag, and it should, there is more risk in having them go off because they closer to you than a frontal impact bag.

Have any pics? I think everyone likes seeing carnage.

 

There are three side airbags on the 2000 2.7t with some being optional.
1. The side curtains by the center pillar.
2. The ones in the seat.
3. And according to the manual there are supplemental ones in the door.

I have the first two in my car. How do I know? Because it says airbag on the side of my seat and on the roof line of my car!

And yes I am biatching. I know these cars are not made of cheap plastic and fiberglass. However, among other things I bought this car for its safety features. So yes I expect them to work and am displeased with the fact that they do not.

 

I still haven't got my camera back from my friends house.

Just for a reference so everyone can make their own judgements.
The distance between the upright portion of the seat and the center pillar is approximately 1cm. While on the passenger side it is at least a few inches.

 

I had my 2000 Audi A6 T-Boned by a guy at a greater than 50 mph speed. The driver side curtain blew, the seats front and rear driver side blew, and from the sounds of it, it may take quite a force to get them to deploy. My driver side center post and the floor buckling took my seat, smashed my console and put my front passenger seat into the front passenger side door. The car is a complete waste now, but it did what it was supposed to do~ protect me. I only got to see the car once before they towed her to salvage, but I bought another just for the simple fact that if it wasnt for that cars structure and safety equipment it would have ended much worse. If your cars structure was extremely torn up and you do have side impact bags I would be for finding out what happened. At the very least have the sensors checked and call and report this.