Question:
"airbag" light on gauge panel coming on-- whats wrong?
Goat G
2009-09-12 15:35:30 UTC
i have a 2001 ford ranger and the airbag symbol has been coming off and on on the gauge panel for a couple of days. today, it started staying on continuously, but i have not messed with the airbag settings or anything. what is going on? i am afraid the airbag is gonna pop out...please help. thanks a lot.
Three answers:
Josh S
2009-09-13 11:08:46 UTC
You have a fault, the air bag is in a fail safe mode, which means it is disabled, It won't go off. Could be a fuse shot, a bad clock spring behind the steering wheel, or a bad seat belt buckle if it has pretension buckles. Could be a short or bad module, Get the codes scanned at the dealer. Don't trust this repair with a shade tree or independent garage. Trust me on this.
D G
2009-09-14 02:09:55 UTC
On most vehicles, the airbag light should come on for @6 seconds, and then go off if the system is working properly. If there is a fault or a problem in the system, the light will remain illuminated, or flash continuously. If the airbag light does not work properly, some vehicles have an audible tone that sounds indicating a problem with the airbag light system. When the light is on (or the tone is sounding), the airbag will NOT deploy, even in an accident. This website gives you the procedure for diagnosing and resetting airbag lights on the ...scanlist.aspx page listed below.



The flashing light on your car is telling there is a problem. On some vehicles, the light is flashing a two digit code. Your vehicle will require a scan tool for the proper diagnosis, (and not the scanner at Auto Zone…airbag systems cannot be ready by that scanner) but here's a site that will explain everything you need to know about airbag lights and resetting the system. Once you know the code, you can most likely repair it yourself. There are fairly easy procedures that most people are capable of repairing.

Airbagsolutions.com has the fault code charts to tell you what is wrong! Although it’s a pay site ($14.95/day), it’s a lot cheaper than going to the dealer.



Some vehicle manufacturers accommodate systems without a scanner (like Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Infinity, Honda, Acura, Ford, Lincoln, Mazda & Mercury) . Most all other vehicles require a scan tool for the diagnosis. Here is a link to the list of vehicle and scanner requirements.

Check out these websites also for more info on airbag systems and the light.

Lastly, check your vehicle for recalls through this link.
LeAnne
2009-09-12 23:25:04 UTC
Put your mind at ease, when the air bag fault light comes on, the system is disabled.

The good news - it won't "pop out."

The bad news - it won't "pop out" in an accident either.

Odds are, you have a bad clock spring under the steering wheel - this is the electrical connection between the bag and the module.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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