Austin2.5i Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 I know this is an old and tired subject, but I'll be darned if I wasn't on the IIHS website today and I found out that the new 2006 Legacy now scores "Good" for side impact protection. Apparently, changes have been made to the "side structure, seats, and side torso airbag" that improve side impact protection. To all 2005 owners - Is anyone else out there slightly upset by this? It appeared that last year SOA was content with its line of "We offer good head protection in side impact crashes". I feel those jokers should replace our bogus seat/airbags/doors with the new ones. I realize that it will be a cold day in hell before that happens, but sucks to Subaru for really dropping the ball on the 2005 model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voyetra8 Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Whatever dude. Ever heard of design evolution? Subsequent models get better based on lessons learned from the ones before. I suggest you wait for the 2083 model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobY Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Source please... From what I knew they just changed the way they conducted the test not the actual car itself. I could be wrong though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin2.5i Posted November 3, 2005 Author Share Posted November 3, 2005 http://www.iihs.org/ratings/summary.aspx?class=30 - This is the page that shows the overall ratings http://www.iihs.org/ratings/datatables.aspx?class=30&type=s - This page shows the detailed breakdown of the test results. By the way, I don't consider fixing a bunk airbag over the course of one year to be "design evolution". Not when the 2005 Legacy was billed as a "brand new car" and the 2006 has been called a carryover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobY Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Well the airbag works. They tested the car in japan where the side impact "car" is lower. It passed with super high flying colors in Japan. In the US they test with the impact beam at SUV level. Theres nothing wrong with the airbag it works as its supposed to. The only thing that changed is they designed the car to do well on the US test. The truth is no matter what tests say you are never 100 percent safe. Manufacturers know the parameters of the tests and they design "stuff" so that it does well on the test. You could put a steel I-beam on a ford pinto at "impact" level and it will pass with the best rating ever... it dosent mean the car wont explode on you when rear ended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin2.5i Posted November 3, 2005 Author Share Posted November 3, 2005 Here's the main point I'm trying to make: Subaru has found a simple solution to make it so that the torso airbag now performs well in the IIHS test. Why don't they recall the 2005 models and give them the better airbag? If you remember, a similar thing happened with the curtain airbags in the 2005 models. They were folded improperly and had to be reinstalled so that they inflated in time. Subaru had no problem fixing those airbags, so why not the torso ones? I know what the answer is - It's money. If enough Legacy owners got pissed at them, though, they might think about fixing it. Just my $.02. I get a little tired of the old song and dance about "Oh, you'll never be safe in EVERY kind of accident". Yeah, I know. But who out there doesn't want your car to be as safe as it can be (and as safe as it was designed to be, in this case)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobY Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Duely noted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiggins Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 I agree with Voyetra8, things in a car model do evolve based on the simple fact the design engineers have time to sit back and go "whew, now let's wait to see what breaks or can be improved on our new car design over the following years. Not to mention, living where I live, I'm way more worried about the soccer mom on the phone in her 6000lb Tahoe running a light and broadsiding me way more than someone in a car......so if they simply did it to do better on the US test and worse on another type of lower beam test as Roby says, I'm still happy. The car was never some flawed death trap to begin with, so I can't see how Subaru would feel obligated to update all the '05's. With that said, I know exactly how I'll be feeling in '07 when they come out with some fix or improvement to something in my '06. It'll suck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfool Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 i don't want to get into the philosophical battle over- should cars get better and who get's "screwed" in the process. heck, i bought a 91 Integra in late may 91...4 months later they rolled out the same car with different lights and more 10 more horses. i shoulda waited or just bought the damn 06, god knows i paid enough. i'd love it if they would figure out a way to update the 05... heck, if subaru won't front it, i'd pay just for the peace of mind. someone knock me upside the head if they do...just not with a SUV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon in CT Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Subaru has found a simple solution to make it so that the torso airbag now performs well in the IIHS test. Why don't they recall the 2005 models and give them the better airbag? If you remember, a similar thing happened with the curtain airbags in the 2005 models. They were folded improperly and had to be reinstalled so that they inflated in time. Subaru had no problem fixing those airbags, so why not the torso ones? I know what the answer is - It's money. If enough Legacy owners got pissed at them, though, they might think about fixing it. Just my $.02.The original 2005 side curtain airbags were found to have a manufacturing defect that rendered them useless. The 2005 seat-mounted torso airbags function as intended. The solution Subaru developed to improve the 2006 Legacy's side-impact performance is not as simple as you suggest. In addition to changes to the seat-mounted torso airbags, Subaru also changed the side structure and the front seats. You could get part of the benefit of those changes by swapping some 2006 Legacy front seats into your 2005 Legacy, so why don't you? I know what the answer is - It's money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWP-LegacyGT Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 No link to source = no believing this news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melayout Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 I don't know whether you bought the Legacy before or after the IIHS report came out, but you should have waited for or read the IIHS July 2004 report before buying your Legacy cause nobody forced you to buy it. Please drop this now. I keed I keeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elGT Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 The thing about the air bags not working is correct. It was on TV last year. When the IIHS crash tested the new 05 Legacy, the side airbags did not function. It was determined that they had been installed backwards. Subaru fixed the problem, and IIHS retested the car. I am not sure if even any Legacys had been sold at that point, but the problem has been fixed. It did happen though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melayout Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 No link to source = no believing this news. From http://www.iihs.org/ratings/ratingsbyseries.aspx?id=358 and http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=602 : The Subaru Legacy was redesigned for the 2005 model year. Beginning with 2006 models, changes were made to the side structure, front seats, and front seat-mounted torso airbags to improve occupant protection in side impact crashes. I keed I keeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melayout Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 The thing about the air bags not working is correct. It was on TV last year. When the IIHS crash tested the new 05 Legacy, the side airbags did not function. It was determined that they had been installed backwards. Subaru fixed the problem, and IIHS retested the car. I am not sure if even any Legacys had been sold at that point, but the problem has been fixed. It did happen though. Yup, yup, there is a Safety Campaign Recall on the techinfo.subaru.com about this issue and only about 500 or so cars were affected and most if not all were still either in transport or on the dealer lots. Edit: How this incident can be used to justify doing a recall on all the 2005 to be fitted with the new 2006 parts is beyond me. Maybe you should walk for the rest of your life, because a car's safety will always be improved upon and 100% safety will never be achieved. I keed I keeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melayout Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Not sure if this statement was in response to my comment, but I didnt mean a recall of the car, just the airbags which would hopefully be replaced. I assume after reading people's subsequent comments, this problem was addressed before customers received cars and isnt an issue. I think you could understand people being concerned about this issue if they hadnt heard anything about it before and believed that their airbags might be faulty!! Sorry I should be more clear I'm taking to Austin and I'm referring to a recall all the 2005 Legacies to fit them with the 2006 parts. I keed I keeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voyetra8 Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 EVERYBODY PANIC!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icehousewvu Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 So I wonder if this improved rating translates into any cost savings on an 06 vs and 05's insurance premiums? I'm acutally about to switch over to an 06 from an 05. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhiTauFord Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 after they replace our doors and seats they should put the doors back on with vertical hinges both front and back. Oh wait, that wouldn't be reality. No i'm not pissed that SOA has made improvements on the car. That's what happens in this business. We still have a very safe car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYNY Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 uh, i guess i won't drive sideways into any cars... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drakuun Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 I bought my Leggy without Side Curtains, they had them as optional on the GT's at the time..so Austin, should I demand Subaru install them on my car at no cost? I understand you're saftey minded and thats cool, but I think you're simply being a little to over zealous about this topic. I mean, If saftey is your only priority (you like to make it sound like it is) then you shoulda gotten a Hummer H2 or a Tank. Further, making it sound like Subaru screwed you is just infantile. Meh.. waste of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StringFellow Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Question.... Structure Report Subaru Legacy with side airbags model tested: 2006 -14.0 model tested: 2005 -13.5 model tested: 2005 -9.0 What are the 2 ratings for the 2005 model? One value is close to the 2006 model (-14 vs -13.5) and one isn't. Is one the LGT and one the OB (due to height differences)? And if so, which number is for which model? -S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon in CT Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Question.... Subaru Legacy with side airbagsmodel tested: 2006-14.0model tested: 2005-13.5 -9.0 What are the 2 ratings for the 2005 model? One value is close to the 2006 model (-14 vs -13.5) and one isn't. Is one the LGT and one the OB (due to height differences)? And if so, which number is for which model? -SIIHS ended up doing the side-impact test on the 2005 Legacy twice and those are the two scores. After the first test, it was discovered that the side-curtain airbags were defective. Subaru did a recall. IIHS then re-tested with good side-curtain airbags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StringFellow Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 ']IIHS ended up doing the side-impact test on the 2005 Legacy twice and those are the two scores. After the first test' date=' it was discovered that the side-curtain airbags were defective. Subaru did a recall. IIHS then re-tested with good side-curtain airbags.[/quote'] I updated my post...those numbers were for the Structure Report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon in CT Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 I bought my Leggy without Side Curtains, they had them as optional on the GT's at the time.I'm certain that side curtain air bags have never been an option on any Legacy in North America. They were either standard equipment (beginning with 2005 model year) or not available at all (all model years prior to 2005). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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