I have a 2005 Prius with the side curtain airbags. We are looking to get a temporary rooftop carrier so we can bring more stuff on a camping trip (our original cargo requirement was two adults, two kids, two hockey bags - but unf. camping needs more stuff). We don't have a roof rack installed. Started looking at the Sherpak Go 15 carrier, but my husband brought up that since we don't have a roof rack, the straps would have to go through the interior of the car and that might interfere with the side curtain airbags. Any advice? Anyone tried this? I'm assuming the straps would make the airbags less effective, but I'm interested in knowing if the straps would make deployment of the side curtain airbags dangerous. The manual is mum on the subject but does warn against stuff like door cupholders and hangers on the door. Alternatively, does anyone have a solution for a temporary rooftop carrier and/or rack combo that doesn't go through the car interior? We only need it once or twice a year, but obviously want something that's safe and sturdy.
straps in the way of the airbag tend to make the airbags deploy weird which causes more injury.. (bag rolling out wrong or the plastic not moving and becoming a projectile)... or.. it could snap the straps which could rugburn anyone in the way... or.. it could be ok... i prefer a trailer because the mpg hit is less and the car can hit a higher top end... things up top make too much drag. i've carried things on top a few times... it's odd... works but is odd.. and i was worried about the ropes passing through the car as you are worried.
It would be far better if you could fit everything within the car, without either a trailer or a roofrack. Yes, I've done this - two adults and two teenagers with all our camping equipment, across Canada and back. We left out the camping chairs but brought pretty much everything else, including a plastic tub as the 'kitchen sink'. The sleeping pads and tents fit in the trunk, two big duffel bags and all the pillows fit in the middle of the rear seats, the electric cooler sat on top of the coleman stove, four milk crates stacked nicely in the back....it's cramped, but it can be done.
Which bags are you people using? I know that at least some of them that do not require a roof-rack can use clips that hook in under open door and then you close it around them, but the benefit is that the strap doesn't go all through the car. This way you'd not be interfering with the airbags--i think it's a valid concern. EDIT: I checked with roofbag.com, which seems to make a good product, and asked about side airbags and was told "If the air bags deploy from the headliner, then the Pass Through straps would interfere with the deployment of the air bags and we would not recommend using them."
