Uplander seat breaks

[regfootball]

IIHS, then scroll down

"In both tests there were problems with the seats in the middle row. With the optional side airbags, all four attachment points for the seat occupied by the rear passenger dummy completely dislodged. The seat broke free. In the second test without side airbags, one attachment point released and a second one broke, allowing partial separation of the seat from the floor."

[pow]

Too bad GM couldn't band-aid the side as they did with the CSV's front.

The rest of the side crash results...

Kia Sedona - Good

Subaru Impreza (Saab 9-2X) - Good

Toyota Prius w/ side airbags - Good

MINI Cooper - Acceptable

Dodge Grand Caravan w/ side airbags (and other DCX vans)- acceptable

Chevrolet Uplander w/ side airbags (and other CSVs)- marginal

Chevrolet Uplander w/o side airbags - poor

Dodge Grand Caravan w/o side airbags (and other CSVs) - poor

Toyota Prius w/o side airbags - poor

[enzl]

OH...the IIHS is biased!!!!!!!!...oops, wrong topic....

[sciguy_0504]

I would think seat separation from the floor would happen quite regularly in this type of accident. Still, that photo is pretty bad.

[daves87rs]

Does this mean GM will finally end production early of these POS vans?

They didn't sell them before, and after that-I see very large rebates coming...

[daves87rs]

I would think seat separation from the floor would happen quite regularly in this type of accident.  Still, that photo is pretty bad.

Nope-unless yuo get hit with a large truck...

[Angry Dad]

In my local paper the same article also includes the Toyota Sienna as failing the side impact test, here's what CNN reported:

Insurance Institute: Safest small cars and minivans

Kia Sedona is safest minivan, Subaru Impreza does best in Insurance Institute crash tests of small cars.

April 17, 2006; Posted: 9:29 a.m. EDT (1329 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - The safest minivan isn't made by Honda, Toyota or Chrysler, according to recently completed tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Korean-made Kia Sedona earned the Institute's "Gold Top Safety Pick" award, getting top marks for front crash, side crash and whiplash protection.

The Institute recently completed its tests of 2006 model year minivans and small cars. The final results were announced Sunday.

Among small cars the Subaru Impreza, the closely-related Saab 9-2X and the Honda Civic were the best-performing small cars. Those cars also earned "Gold Top Safety Pick" awards.

The Toyota Prius gas/electric hybrid vehicle was also tested and, when equipped with optional side airbags, got top marks for front and side impact protection. Without side airbags, however, its side impact protection was "Poor," the Institute said.

In its side impact test, the Insurance Institute hits the vehicle with a barrier that resembles the front of a sport utility vehicle or pick-up truck. That type of impact represents a much graver risk of head injury, and therefore a greater risk of death, than an impact from a car. Vehicles without head-protecting side airbags generally perform poorly in the Institute's side impact test.

The poorest-performing small cars were the Suzuki Forenza and Reno, Saturn Ion and Kia Spectra.

Those cars received the second-highest rating of "Acceptable" for front impact protection and ratings of "Poor" for side impact protection.

Minivans

The best-performing minivan was the Kia Sedona which also earned an overall "Gold Top Safety Pick" rating.

The Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Nissan Quest minivans all earned "Good" ratings for front and side impact protection. The Odyssey earned a "Marginal" rating for whiplash protection in rear impacts while the Sienna and Quest were given "Poor" ratings.

The worst-performing minivans in these safety tests were the Dodge Caravan. the closely related Chrysler Town & Country and the Mazda MPV. Those minivans received "Acceptable" ratings for front impact protection and "Poor" ratings for side impact when tested without head-protecting side airbags. When tested with head protecting side impact airbags, the Caravan and Town & Country received "Acceptable" ratings for side impact protection. The Mazda MPV was not tested with side airbags.

When side airbags are optional on a vehicle, the Institute tests the vehicle without the airbags installed and will test it again with the airbags if the manufacturer requests the test and pays for the additional vehicle.

Safest small cars

These cars received top ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for front and side impact protection.

Honda Civic (Gold Top Safety Pick)

Subaru Impreza/Saab 9-2X (Gold Top Safety Pick, excludes WRX and Aero versions.)

Toyota Prius ("Marginal" for whiplash protection)

Safest minivans

These cars received top ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for front and side impact protection.

Kia Sedona (Gold Top Safety Pick)

Honda Odyssey ("Marginal" for whiplash protection)

Toyota Sienna ("Poor" for whiplash protection)

Nissan Quest ("Poor" for whiplash protection)

[pow]

In my local paper the same article also includes the Toyota Sienna as failing the side impact test, here's what CNN reported:

Actually, the Sienna is the ONLY vehicle tested by the IIHS to earn an "acceptable" side rating WITHOUT side airbags, due to its beefy structure. It earns a "good" with optional airbags, of course.

Edit: It turns out that all '06 Siennas get side airbags as standard equipment.

Edited April 17, 2006 by empowah

[pow]

[sciguy_0504]

Oh...

[Petra]

Paging Dr. Ocnblu?

[evok]

In my local paper the same article also includes the Toyota Sienna as failing the side impact test, here's what CNN reported:

It did not fail the side impact test. The vehicle without side curtain bags still received an acceptable.

From the IIHS:

Side impact test results

Overall ratings shown; follow links for test details and component scores

Good: 2005-06 models mfg. after Feb. 2005 with optional head curtain airbags for all three rows of seats and optional front seat-mounted torso airbags

Acceptable: 2005 models mfg. after Feb. 2005 without optional side airbags

Technical measurements (structure, driver injury, and passenger injury) for minivans

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/ratingsbyseries.aspx?id=422

And I just looked at the technical measurements for the Sienna with and without bags for the second row passenger seating position in the side impact test. Head injury criteria was very low for both. In the critical injury measurements there were no statistical differneces in the Sienna's test. Not even in chest deflections which should be lower with the thorax bag. Still from the data, it did not FAIL as you say.

But even looking at the dummy measurements, there is nothing apparent that would even indicate why there is a difference in the ratings for the side impact test when comparing the two vehicles. Unless there is something subjective that is being factored in. Both Sienna's should have received a good because the dummy injury values were very low and very little difference.

Yes I did go on to read that it appears the Sienna without bags was ranked lower because the dummy's head, almost hit the barrier even though all the measurements were about equal.

So get your facts straight.

Edited April 18, 2006 by evok

[Intrepidation]

Ouch, well kudos to Kia for doing a good job making that van safe.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Nice to see the worthless Prius picked as a "Top Pick" despite it performing poorly.

I'm pretty sure the GM vehicles with OPTIONAL safety equipment don't get awarded when their results are split.... Of course, when you're dealing with the god of conservation, I guess you make exceptions.

[evok]

I'm pretty sure the GM vehicles with OPTIONAL safety equipment don't get awarded when their results are split.... Of course, when you're dealing with the god of conservation, I guess you make exceptions.

As usual you talk out of the lower half of your body.

Why don't you do some research before pulling down your pants to talk.

Your wrong.

Look it up!