Rick's Free Auto Repair Advice » Airbag systems

Clear an airbag code

Rick — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:40:35 +0000

Clear an airbag code? I get asked this all the time, “Can’t I just clear the airbag code before I take it in for inspection?” The answer is no. There is no way to clear the code. When you turn the key the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) computer does a check on the airbags. If it finds a problem, it lights the light. The system was designed so NOBODY can clear the code. Get it? The manufacturers set it up this way for liability reasons, yours AND theirs. Once the SRS light turns on, the computer keeps track of how many times you started the car with the light on. So, if you carry a passenger and that passenger gets injured because the airbag didn’t go off, you’re going to get sued for every penny you have. The injured party’s lawyer will have the computer read and they’ll present that evidence at trial that you knowingly transported a passenger with a faulty airbag system. See where this is going? And the car makers get off scot free too because they use the number of starts to proved that it was YOUR fault the airbags didn’t go off. You knew they weren’t working (can’t claim the light didn’t come on because it always comes on when you turn the key) and yet your drove with a disabled safety features. So bottom line, quit whining. Stop asking how you can “trick” the safety inspectors. Stop asking how you can bypass the system. You can’t. Just get it fixed. For more information on this repair or any others for your vehicle, buy an online subscription to either Alldatadiy.com or eautorepair.net. Click on this link to compare the two services: Compare Alldata and Eautorepair. If you just need information for a single repair and want to save money,eautorepair offers a lower price 1-week subscription for only $11.99. Or, if you’ll be working on this vehicle in the future, you can buy a 1-year subscription (Alldatadiy.com for $26.99, or eautorepair.net $29.99) © 2007 Rick Muscoplat

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Clear an airbag code?

Rick — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 20:33:31 +0000

I get asked this all the time, “Can’t I just clear the airbag code before I take it in for inspection?” The answer is no. There is no way to clear the code. When you turn the key the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) computer does a check on the airbags. If it finds a problem, it lights the light. The system was designed so NOBODY can clear the code. Get it? The manufacturers set it up this way for liability reasons, yours AND theirs.

Once the SRS light turns on, the computer keeps track of how many times you started the car with the light on. So, if you carry a passenger and that passenger gets injured because the airbag didn’t go off, you’re going to get sued for every penny you have. The injured party’s lawyer will have the computer read and they’ll present that evidence at trial that you knowingly transported a passenger with a faulty airbag system. See where this is going?

And the car makers get off scot free too because they use the number of starts to proved that it was YOUR fault the airbags didn’t go off. You knew they weren’t working (can’t claim the light didn’t come on because it always comes on when you turn the key) and yet your drove with a disabled safety features.

Bottom line, quit whining. I didn’t design the system. It’s just the way it is. So stop asking how you can “trick” the safety inspectors. You can’t . Stop asking how you can bypass the system. You can’t. Just get it fixed.

For more information on this repair or any others for your vehicle, buy an online subscription to either Alldatadiy.com or eautorepair.net. Click on this link to compare the two services: Compare Alldata and Eautorepair.

If you just need information for a single repair and want to save money,eautorepair offers a lower price 1-week subscription for only $11.99. Or, if you’ll be working on this vehicle in the future, you can buy a 1-year subscription (Alldatadiy.com for $26.99, or eautorepair.net $29.99)

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!

A/C doesn’t work and ABS light on

Rick — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:53:39 +0000

GM vehicles are known for faulty ignition switches. The problems are almost always intermittent. One common symptom is for the A/C to start blowing warm air or for the blower fan to stop (depending on which GM model we’re talking about), along with an ABS light. The problem is usually the ignition switch heating up and not providing power to the A/C clutch and the ABS computer. If you want to diagnose the problem, buy a wiring diagram for your vehicle form eautorepair.net or alldata.com (there are way to many GM models to list their wiring diagrams here) and test for power at the switched terminals when the problem happens. Or, just replace the ignition switch.

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Check Engine Light is On

Rick — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 21:18:36 +0000

I volunteer in many different automotive forums and I constantly see people ask what could be the cause of a Check Engine light. The current system that’s in place to monitor engine performance and emissions is called On-Board Diagnostics version II (OBDII). The system is capable of setting up to 1,800 different trouble codes. That doesn’t even include manufacturer-specific codes that can be used to tell if there’s a problem with a body control computer or chassis system. With 1,800 possibilities, there’s simply no way anybody can get any kind of answer when they ask, “Why did my Check Engine light come on?”

The ONLY way to start the diagnostics to find out why the check engine light came on is to plug in a code reading tool and poll the computer. Once a trouble code sets and lights the light, that code is stored in computer memory. The code reader or scan tool (there’s a difference between the two) polls the computer memory and pulls up the trouble code. Some units decipher the code and tell you what it means in plain English, while others just pop up the code.

Once you have the code, you can do two things: 1) Fix the problem, or 2) Clear the code. Now, I get asked a lot “How to I clear the code or turn off the light.” I’ve got news for you, you’re not fooling anybody if you think you can turn off the light and then take your car or truck in for an emissions inspection. Because the computer will tell the inspector that you’ve just cleared the codes. The inspector will tell you to come back and have the car checked again after the computer has reset its readiness monitors. (See drive cycles to understand what you have to do after clearing codes to be able to take and emissions test).

And, you CANNOT reset ABS or SRS (airbag) lights. You have to fix the problem.

Finally, be aware that the computer tracks how many times you’ve started the car with the Check Engine light on. So, if you’re under warranty or driving a leased vehicle and think that you can dodge the charges for engine damage by claiming that the “light just came on,” think again. They can tell when the light first came on.

How to check codes

1) Take it to an auto parts store that checks codes for free. Most major retail auto parts stores (like Autozone, Advance Auto, O’Reilly) will scan your computer for free. But beware, their parts guys are NOT technicians. So if the trouble code translates into “Oxygen sensor lean,” I guarantee you the parts guy will sell you a new oxygen sensor. Do you need one? Well, what if the exhaust stream really IS lean and the oxygen sensor is telling the truth? $80 down the drain. Remember, parts stores are in business to sell parts. Don’t rely on them to diagnose problems.

2) Buy your own code reader or scan tool
In the early days of OBDII, code readers and scan tools cost a fortune and only professional technicians could afford them. But today you can buy a code reader for $40. All right, I can hear you whining. But before you go into a full pity-party, remember that “in the old days” we had to buy special tools to work on cars. Remember tach/dwell meters for setting “points” in the distributor? Or that timing light you had to use to set timing? How about those distributor wrenches that you only used once every 3 years? So get over it—you’re going to have to spend money on a new tool.

What’s the difference between a code reader and a scan tool?

A code reader reads codes—period. It doesn’t tap into the vehicle’s computer to display “live data.” Knowing the code if helpful, but it’s just a start towards diagnosing the root cause. The majority of Do It Yourselfers who buy code readers end up guessing at the problem and replace a LOT of parts unnecessarily. So you saved yourself a bunch of money on the code reader only to throw far more money into parts you didn’t need.

A scan tool, on the other hand, displays the same data that the computer receives from it’s sensors. If we follow the oxygen sensor example from above, the first thing I’d check in live data is the value for “Short-term Fuel Trim.” When the computer sees a lean condition, it figures it calculated the wrong air/fuel mixture. To correct the problem, it adds more fuel. That additional fuel is referred to as Fuel Trim and the value runs from 0 to 25%. So, in this case, if I were to see a fuel trim of 25% along with an oxygen sensor “lean” code, I would know that I had a huge vacuum leak. In other words, too much air is getting into the engine, the computer is trying to compensate for it and it has max’ed out it’s ability to correct it, and the oxygen sensor is still seeing a lean condition. Remember I told you a parts guy would sell you an oxygen sensor? Well, in this case, I’d be looking for a broken vacuum hose or a bad intake manifold gasket. There, you just save almost enough money on this single repair to justify owning a scan tool.

What else can you read on a scan tool?

Engine RPM, engine coolant temperature, radiator fan operation, transmission operation, barometric pressure, MAF, MAP, VSS, TPS sensor values –getting the picture? You can literally “look” into the computer and get the data.

So buy a scan tool and read up on how to use it and interpret the values.

I’ve listed some of the more popular models of code readers and scan tools below. But read the fine print on the model you want to buy. MAKE SURE IT WORKS ON YOUR VEHICLE. Also, these inexpensive scan tools only pull “P” codes. They will not read ABS, Airbag, or other manufacturer-specific codes. If you want to read all those codes, you’ll need to pony up about $4,000 for a professional model with all the software.

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Chrysler minivan recall on Dodge Caravan and Town and Country

Rick — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 16:44:11 +0000

Chrysler has issued a recall on 367,350 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan and Town and Country minivans due to accidental airbag deployment. The problem starts with water that seeps into the airbag control module. The leaks are caused by improperly assembled heating and cooling system drain tube grommets. Water then collects on the floor and damages the air bag deployment module. The module can illuminate the air bag (SRS) light or actually deploy the airbag.

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Jeep Grand Cherokee airbag light on

Rick — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 17:03:22 +0000

Shops are reporting a high failure rate on clocksprings on these vehicles. The trouble code shows that the Driver’s side squib has an open circuit. To determine whether the problem lies in the clockspring or the airbag itself, perform this test:

Disconnect the battery and wait for the airbag system to power down (2 minutes). Remove the driver’s side airbag and put it in a safe location. Unplug the 2-wire connector going into the clockspring from the airbag control module (you are bypassing the clockspring). Install a dummy “load resistor” of 2.5 ohms into the connector. Clear the airbag code. Then recheck the codes. If the code is gone, replace the clockspring

The Jeep clockspring is NOT covered by the Caravan clockspring recall. Follow all installation instructions when installing the new clockspring or you can damage it.
NEVER spray any lubricant into the clockspring. It can damage the mylar coating on the ribbon cable

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

B1000, Airbag light on GM vehicles

Rick — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:23:08 +0000

GM has issued a TSB #08-09-004 to correct the false illumination of the airbag light and a corresponding B1000 trouble code. The TSB applies to 2008 Buick Enclave, 2005-08 Cadillac SRX, 2005-08 Chevrolet Equinox, 2007-08 GMC Acadia, 2006-08 Pontiac Torrent,
2007-08 Saturn OUTLOOK, and 2007-08 Suzuki XL-7.

These vehicles come equipped with a Passenger Presence System (PPS) to detect if a passenger is in the vehicle. The system communicates with the ECU and turns the passenger side airbag(s) on or off depending on passenger presences. This TSB requires a software update to correct the false illumination of the SRS light.

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

Air Bag Occupant Position Detection System-Acura Extends Warranty

Rick — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:47:00 +0000

Honda and Acura issued a warranty extension TSB #06-008 to cover the costs to service trouble codes 15-1 (faulty OPDS unit or OPDS not initialized, 15-2 (Faulty side airbag indicator circuit), and15-3 (faulty OPDS sensor). The warranty for repairs related to these trouble codes is now 10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever occurs first.

This warranty extension covers these Acura models: 2001-03 CL with 3.2L engine and OPDS, 2001-02 MDX with OPDS, 1998-03 RL with 3.5L engine and OPDS, 2004 RL (only some VIN numbers—see TSB for full coverage), 2002-03 RSX with OPDS, 2004 RSX (only some VIN numbers—see TSB for full coverage), 2000-03 TL with 3.2L engine and OPDS.

If your vehicle is mentioned in this warranty extension but you are outside of the warranty mileage, obtain a copy of the TSB for complete instructions on how to diagnose the problem and gain access to service the parts.

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

Airbag light on—Grand Caravan

Rick — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 02:59:00 +0000

Here’s another great idea brought to you from the 1st year engineering students who now design the Chrysler minivans. The airbag light stays lit and won’t go out because the computer is looking for a specified weight in the seats. I guess that makes some sense since you don’t want an airbag blowing your kid through the rear window. I’m ok with their reasoning as far as that goes. But you’re not going to like the fix for this problem.

You have to take it to the dealer where they have a special set of weights that they place on the seats. Then they attach their scan tool and calibrate the computer to recognize the proper weight. Yup, can’t do it without the weights and the scan tool.

Chrysler calls this setup the occupant classification system. When it goes loopy, it sets a “Body Code” of B1BA6, B1BA7, B1BA8 or Occupant Classification Undetermined Status, System Verification Required.

Are we having fun yet?

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use