Y33 Crash Safety

[rover3l]

I am presently researching car choices for my teen and so have comparing the crash safety of different models. In doing so, my attention drifted to look at the crash worthiness of the Y33, given that this is my daily driver.

The only data I can find, is an offset crash of a 1997 model, where the performance is judged marginal. There is a video of the crash on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hIrIwHFpVM and the problem seems to be the partial collapse of the front passenger compartment. You can see the roof buckle and the windshield pillar deform. This seems to be fairly typical of almost any vehicle of this vintage.

During the lifespan of the Y33 there were various safety improvements, such as pretensioners, side airbags, active head restraints etc and I was interested to know if anyone has seen any additional data on crash tests for the 1999 - 2001 models. I doubt if Infiniti added any additional structural strengthening to the body shell in this time period but I don't know for sure?

However, everything I guess is relative and thought you might be interested in seeing the worst crash test performance I have ever seen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weFVM7K4Clo

Modified by rover3l at 12:50 PM 5/25/2008
Modified by rover3l at 12:53 PM 5/25/2008

[Victor]

Infiniti Q45s actually have a pretty bad crash safety rating considering its a full size luxury car. Especially the generation one Q45s rated pretty low. From personal accounts I read on the G20 board a lot of people walked away from some pretty bad accidents in a G20.

Here is the safety data for a 2000 Q45. I couldn't locate data for other years.http://www.cars.com/go/search/...ycler

[paranoidjack]

That's a sad video.

[Q45tech]

Having seen hundreds of Q wrecks at dealers and junkyards a Q is as good and better than most 4 door 4,000 pound sedans.............you can usually see the blood stains if any...........they usually remove body parts.

As with most cars injury occurs from failure to wear working seat belts and crash helmets.

I have seen very very very few Q fires.

When selecting a car always view hundreds of wrecks at junkyards around US to understand in advance what will happen in vasious circumstances!

Having been involved in a 4 door sedan head on at 70+ mph [2 survirors out of 6] I choose carefully now.

With kids always reprogram the ecu to limit top speed to 75-80 mph steady and 90 mph in 2nd gear pass.

[sijoko]

Infiniti Q45s actually have a pretty bad crash safety rating considering its a full size luxury car. Especially the generation one Q45s rated pretty low....

Where did you get that info from since the IIHS doesn't have any ratings for the first generation Q45?

[bullittandy]

Having seen hundreds of Q wrecks at dealers and junkyards a Q is as good and better than most 4 door 4,000 pound sedans.............you can usually see the blood stains if any...........they usually remove body parts.

As with most cars injury occurs from failure to wear working seat belts and crash helmets.

I have seen very very very few Q fires.

When selecting a car always view hundreds of wrecks at junkyards around US to understand in advance what will happen in vasious circumstances!

Having been involved in a 4 door sedan head on at 70+ mph [2 survirors out of 6] I choose carefully now.

With kids always reprogram the ecu to limit top speed to 75-80 mph steady and 90 mph in 2nd gear pass.

For an engineer your decision making seems awfully sketchy especially compared to the IHSB crash tests.

[rover3l]

I am still confused about the relative performance of say the 1997 Y33 versus a late model. The late model seems to have a side airbag that is described as a side / head airbag whereas the earlier Y33 is described as having a side airbag with no mention of head protection.

Does anyone know if there is a difference in the airbag configuration.

However, the structural weakness in the Y33 is probably the same throughout the model run

We do have weight on our side though as a heavier car for the same crash rating will perform better due to the effect of momentum

[carnal_c30]

my q got rear ended by a pickup truck going ~25mph and did surprisingly well, protected my ex pretty well (she was driving) and didnt sustain too much damage, the insurance company was surprised, so was the body shop

[BadQ45t]

Obviously a brand new car will have multiple air bags and the head pre-tension things. My X-Terra has those (it is an 05). But overall I think if you give your teen this Q that it could be alot worse if your not looking to go out and get a 04 higher end model/brand or 05-06 lower end model/brand. By 05 base model X-Terra's had 5 airbags, seat belt pre-tensioners and active head rests. But for an 07 you have the gas tank tucked in so that will really help in rear enders.

I have never heard of any easy way to re-program the car to only go 75mph. This car does have a hell of a lot of horsepower for a teen. Consider buying a 02-04 Nissan Sentra or Toyota Corrolla, lots of airbags, little horsepower, not much fun to drive but will probably result in fewer mistakes by a teen.