Edmunds Answers questions

What is the tool that breaks the glass of your car window?

jake50 — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:01:44 GMT

I am looking for the tool that helps you break the glass of your car.

What is energy absorbing hood design?

19023 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:11:57 GMT

How does the energy absorbing hood design work and what are the benefits of having this feature on the vehicle. Also name five vehicles foreign and domestic that have this feature.

What is an Energy-absorbing vehicle hood?

19023 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:35:35 GMT

What are the benefits of this feature. Are all vehicles equipped with this feature? Please name 5 vehicles that are equipped with an Energy-absorbing vehicle hood.

I have chemical sensitivity, any cars that are made with safer interior. I know a few are on the market. Thanks

safecar1 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:46:34 GMT

Looking for a small car that could be safer for people with chemical sensitivities. Also have you ever heard of any dealers letting people drive different cars to let them know how the chemical sensitive responds to different makes. Many with this illness don't know what cars to buy and there are millions of us with this illness. New car smell is difficult for some. Thanks

Where can I find the Edmunds article, Ten tips for preventing a car accident?

sjiusa — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:30:25 GMT

i read a article about your ten tips for preventing a car accident

Seat belt repairs.

trini58 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:31:17 GMT

I was under the impression that Dealers were supposed to repair seat belts whether the warranty of the car has expired or not. Isn't this a Safety thing????

How can I find out if a specific car has anti lock brakes and passive restraints?

mcbrown — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:15:50 GMT

I am trying to figure out if some cars I am looking at have anti lock brakes and passive restraints. It is supposed to get me a better discount on my insurance, but they want to verify it - does the VIN # have certain codes to address this? How do they know?

What is the tool that breaks your window in an emergency?

jake50 — Fri, 22 May 2009 10:16:25 GMT

Looking for the name of the tool that breaks the window in an emergency

Why did my ABS light come on?

jcallot — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:50:42 GMT

Why did my ABS light come on?

What is the name of the tool which breaks your car window in case of emergencies?

jake50 — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:27:02 GMT

I am looking for the name of the tool that will allow you to easily break the glass on your car windows in case of an emergency.

What year did cars get shoulder seat belts?

psycobeast — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 03:29:25 GMT

Seat belt law?

Can anyone tell me which vehicles have fabric wrapped pillars? I'm doing research on airbag deployment and shards

lrundell — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:36:44 GMT

I'm trying to determine which vehicles have fabric wrapped pillars (A,B,C) and what if any relationship there is to pillar airbag deployment, fabric wrap, and/or plastic shards at deployment. Can anyone give me a list of what vehicles have fabric wrapped pillars and/or also the correlating airbag content?

Will an airbag deploy if hit from behind and forced into another vehicle?

kharris103 — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 10:58:16 GMT

3 cars stopped quickly and the car in the back hit the car in the middle. The car in the middle had stopped in time, but was pushed into the car in front. The push was hard enough to break the bumper and buckle the hood, but the airbag did not deploy.

Is there any way for the airbags to deploy with the vehicle parked and the ignition in the off position and no key?

kmchugh2 — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:18:28 GMT

I am looking into a Nissan Accord which was allegedly parked with the ignition off and no keys in the ignition. The vehicle was allegedly hit by another vehicle and both frontal airbags deployed. I believed that the airbags would not deploy unless the ignition was on (power) and I am asking for comfirmation on that.

Why didn't my air bags work when I was hit on driver;s side when other vehicle ran through a red light?

vernamae62 — Tue, 05 May 2009 05:18:31 GMT

I was told that I wasn't going over 10 mph and they only work when your going faster, I just took off from my light being red, turned green and I pulled out and they hit me on driver's side from driver door to front of vehicle.

Was off roading, caught air, landed and air bags went off. Is that suppose to happen?

ubsille — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:00:14 GMT

Off roading, caught air, landed, airbags went off.

I have different warning light on always.

mohamedalani — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:33:18 GMT

May I ask you to send me user manuals of the car because I need to learn about this car.

What is the age and weight for moving my child from a regular car seat to a booster?

chilipepper7 — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:11:12 GMT

How can I tell when my child is old enough or big enough to move up to a booster seat?

What is the age and weight for moving my baby from a rear-facing car seat to a regular car seat?

Lizzie — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:56:23 GMT

My baby just keeps growing and growing! How can I know when it's time to move her from the rear-facing child seat to a regular seat?

What's the name of the tool that can break a windshield in an emergency?

guidare — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 07:13:03 GMT

It can also cut seatbelts that are stuck. I am concerned about what would happen if I ever find myself submerged in my car. Is there any way to get out of a car that has fallen into a river and possibly turned upside down?

Which SUVs have adjustable pedals?

tapgypsy — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 08:32:21 GMT

Which SUVs have adjustable pedals? I'm pretty short and this is an important feature to me.

How do tire pressure monitors work?

langstond — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 16:11:27 GMT

I see this feature on all the new cars. How do they work? Keeping track of a spinning tire sounds like a complicated system and one that could be expensive to fix when it breaks.

I still have a couple of problems with my GMC truck and disabling the traction control.

ravz71 — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 21:25:52 GMT

I have pressed this button for the 5 second rule but as soon as I get my truck steering wheel either way lock to lock and spin the tires really fast as to not get stuck the ST light flashes and the brakes pulsate a bit but the good thing is the engine does not idle down anymore.

Do you think there is a problem or is this the way it should work.

PS
I appreciate the quick response to my question!!!!

Rene

How do I know if my ESP on my Ford Mondeo ST220 is working or faulty? I've had 2 different explanations that oppose each other.

thesock — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:36:09 GMT

in the manual it says it comes on when the ignition is turned on but im confused about all the talk of lights staying on or flashing etc

What are the top ten safest crossover vehicles?

brandihofer — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:09:36 GMT

what are the top ten safest crossover vehicles?

What is the safest sedan?

rvalenti — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 17:09:43 GMT

I want to know which car is the safest to have children in?

Double Clutching

sbeener8126 — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:12:38 GMT

What exactly is double clutching?

My Chrysler 300c has had two complete instrument panel failures. Last time at night and all lights were off?

hmitchell — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 18:50:46 GMT

Would like to know if anyone else with same problem. There is a complete panel failure. When it happened last time at night headlights also went out. When car was stopped and restarted everything came back on. Dealer says it never happened before and not able to say what is wrong.

I want the safest vehicle I can buy after being hit twice - any suggestions?

safetynut1 — Sat, 09 May 2009 14:52:31 GMT

I was in my 2nd maor accident earlier this week and am terrified of the "other guy". I want THE safest car I can get...is it a Hummer? Any ideas?

Can anyone tell me a convertible that would seat three in the back seat?

jberrey — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:58:59 GMT

I have three kids and need three seat belts. It doesn't have to be a brand new model. Thanks for the help.

I need a SUV w/2nd row capt chairs & walkthru to 3rd row-preferrably a luxury model or upperend model

dbaslee — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 10:30:48 GMT

I have a 4 year old and am adopting twin 2 year old boys. My Acura MDX's second row is too full with 3 carseats and there no easy access to the 3rd row. I like the safety ratings, resale value and dependability of the luxury models and am trying to avoid the gus-guzzling large SUVs if possible but am looking for any suggestion

What is the name of the thing that you can break your glass with?

patrick51 — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 03:56:00 GMT

I am looking for the name of that tool that you can break through your windshield with, or a passenger window or something in case of an emergency.

What is the safest car for a 16 year old under $15,000?

john262 — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 22:06:59 GMT

This will be the first car for our daughter and we want a safe car with a good price.

Swore off buying GM cars in the early 80's, but am interested in On-Star. Is it worth looking at them again?

vegasdad — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 12:53:44 GMT

I was working for a courier operation in California when we bought 200 GMC S-10's and 200 S-15's in 1982. In three years over half of them had to be junked, beginning with transmissions falling apart within the first 6 months. We then bought 350 '85 Ford Escorts, which ran for over 5+ years each. I swore off buying GM because of the poor quality at the time. Now I have a teenage daughter and am interested in the safety features On-Star offers, but to have On-Star, I apparently need to buy GM. Has the quality come up to some decent standard over the last 25 years? By a decent standard, I now own two Toyota's and would be comparing to them.

Help! I totalled my 1993 Infiniti J30 on a Texas monsoon-rainy night. Please help with ideas for great car.

balaskan — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 21:48:17 GMT

Someone wrote that mr shiftright is good at recommending cars and I am hoping you have some suggestions for me.

My 1993 Infiniti J30 was 7 years old with low mileage when I bought it, and I put 110K miles on it. I loved my J30 and had planned to to add at least another 80K miles. I would buy another one in a minute, except that my recent experience showed me the value of electronic stability control and side curtain airbags. I would be happy with an older car as long as I can get these safety features. What car would you suggest that has the same class, handling, and great ride as the J30? Or is even close to a J30? Another Infiniti? Or is even a good older car? Thank you for any ideas. I also need one that is reliable and with low cost maintenance and repairs.

I am asking for the moon, but any suggestions will help. Thank you.

If I go to Lake Tahoe do I need tire chains on the front and back tires ?

Sekou37 — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 15:16:15 GMT

do i need chains for the front and back ?

Which new vehicles have a driver's headrest that tilts back and forth?

petunia_in_pa — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:12:28 GMT

The new style headrests awkwardly push my chin toward my chest, which hurts my neck. I test drove some Hondas, but their headrests are only adjustable up and down. I would consider cars or SUV's (no trucks or vans, please) and need to stay under $35,000.

Found a used car, but worried air bags may have been removed, or another non-apparent problem exists. How to tell?

sai1138 — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:40:03 GMT

There's a car being sold near me, drives great, not too many miles on it, and is only a year old. Seller says he wants something bigger for his family, and I've been looking for something small, so it fits my budget and needs. The problem is, it's a newer car, with six airbags, and I've heard horror stories of people removing them for resale to chop shops, and then reselling the cars as nearly-new, getting near full value.

I want to get a good deal, and figure if I can determine there's nothing wrong, I'll buy the car. How can I find out?

Why would the airbag light come on if the airbags did not deploy during a rear end accident?

robvas — Sat, 30 May 2009 02:07:13 GMT

I was slowing down to and was about 20 mph when the vehicle behind me rear ended me going about 45+. The only damage externally I can see if separation of the bumper from the fenders on both sides by about an inch. I have not taken the bumper cover off to see internal damage however.

My '07 Hummer was damaged by fire caused by another car. Is a fire damaged car truly safe?

citylovin55 — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:23:42 GMT

My Hummer caught fire from a vehicle parked next to me that failed to respond to his recall. both cars had extensive damage. My insurance co. wants to repair my leased '07 Hummer (over $13,000 damages) but I do not want to drive a car that has fire damage for safety reasons and the leather interior has toxic fumes. Please hlep. Thanks!

Need car recommendations for daughter who is 4'10" and 75 lbs. Fear is she must sit too close to steering wheel to be safe.

rascalsmom — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:42:20 GMT

My daughter is 4'10" and weighs 75 lbs. She will get her learner's permit in approx 16 months. I'm afraid she'll have to sit so close to the steering wheel to reach the pedals that she'll be in danger of dying if the air bags deploy. I have a 2006 Honda Odyssey. If she sits in the passenger seat, she's so light-weigh the passenger-side airbag is automatically turned off. I welcome recommendations for a safe car for her. Thanks!

Is there a quick way to determine which cars have rear view cameras? My wife wants one in a new car.

tonkin72 — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:37:04 GMT

I'm looking for a new car for my wife, and a rear view camera is important to her. But that isn't listed as one of the features that can be searched on. Without going through each model that may be a candidate, is there a quick way of searching for this feature?

What are the best cars or SUVs that can hold 3 carseats?

cbb05 — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:07:58 GMT

In need of a car or SUV that will hold 3 carseats at one time! Hope to find one that they can all fit on one seat instead of sending one of the kids to a third row.

What is the legal requirements for selling a used vehicle where the airbags have been deployed?

nik4 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:51:52 GMT

Used 1996 Lincoln Continental.

What's the best place to find car crash test videos?

kyle11 — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:19:29 GMT

PLease help me

IIHS safety results for 2010 eliminated many highly recommended cars!

susan_spencer — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:18:09 GMT

IIHS Safety results for 2010 eliminated majority of recommended cars. This makes looking for new car difficult if taken seriously. Please advise how best to use stats and find safe vehicle. Replacing older Camry and need midsize sedan or wagon with good mpg and reliability. Help appreciated.

Is it better to 4WD or 2WD in a few inches of snow on my Toyota FJ Cruiser when 4WD disables ABS/VSC and TC?

mch52 — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:21:25 GMT

I have a 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser. It has an the 5 speed auto transmission. It has vehicle stability control, traction control and ABS but only in 2WD.

In the old days when we didn't have the "safety" features as they are called it was a no brainer and we used 4WD when in the snow and ice to at least help maintain control of the vehicle (while driving at a safe speed for the condition of course.) Now with the safety features only enabled in 2WD is it better to keep the truck in 2WD where IF you start to slide VSC takes over or is it better to use 4WD (and caution) so you may not need the feature which wouldn't be there in 4WD if needed? Thanks

Acura MDX safety

mcy — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:12:43 GMT

Does the Acura MDX have steel cross members in the doors? None of their literature (print and web) show them??

How do you know if a Scion tC has side curtain airbags?

autoboy16 — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:42:58 GMT

Looking into an 06 tC. I know they have Side Curtains as options. Does anyone know how to tell if the car has them or not just in case the dealer(s) starts BSing?

What are the Crash test ratings(please specify if NHSTA or IIHS) w/ and w/o them please.

Also, on the 06, the Aux Jack is standard right?
-Cj

In which model year did Honda CR-Vs get the option of electronic stability control?

kpny — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:42:51 GMT

I am looking to buy a used honda crv and want to find one with electronic stability control.