Air Bag Light

[greyute]

Just got in my car to go and get some dinner and noticed that my air bag light was flashing. It flashes around 8 times and then stays on.
Dose any one know what goes on with this? What would cause it and how do i fix it?

[AUXRVIII]

Is the light flashing once then a short pause then flashes seven times?

[greyute]

I did'nt really take much notice of the sequence but it did flash around 8 times

[AUXRVIII]

Could be code 17, this is an issue with the drivers seatbelt pretensioner.

[greyute]

OK. Will check that out it has had a bit of a squeek of late.
Thanks for the quick info.

[greyute]

Got into the Ute this morning and pulled on the seat belt a couple of times .
HEY PRESTO no more air bag light.
Just wondering if there is anywhere on the forums where we can view all of the codes that are associated with the mighty AU?
If not would it be worth making a list up and making it sticky?

[Mechan1k]

Dodgy connection to the bottom of the seat belt ... it can't tell if the seat belt is engaged or not. I had that a few weeks ago ... it was flashing code 18 (5 times) and then stayed on.

Only did it on a rainy day.

Hasn't done it for a while ... also fiddled with the cabling under the seat too ... it seemed to fix it.

[blownba]

Originally Posted by greyute

Got into the Ute this morning and pulled on the seat belt a couple of times .
HEY PRESTO no more air bag light.
Just wondering if there is anywhere on the forums where we can view all of the codes that are associated with the mighty AU?
If not would it be worth making a list up and making it sticky?

Mate I have a Snap On scanner and I'm in Wantirna sth. I can diagnose any make, model Falcon. Engine, airbag, abs, bcm and trans ect. If you wan't us to do it give us a yell. But I think that the early au airbag is done as a flash code read anyway so you dont necessarily need the scanner.
Or I can get the code list and code retrieval proceedure from work tommorow and post it here. Let us know what ya wanna do.

[Mechan1k]

AFAIK the airbag code comes up as a "flashing" code. I just couldn't find the code list to find it out .... but useless and chief found a loose connection under the seat and fixed it ... code gone.

[OzJavelin]

Convenient info .. my ute did this just last night! I hopped in it later and it was find. Sounds like I might need to muck about with the wiring under the seat and whatnot?

Rod.

[Mechan1k]

I just hope it doesn't do it again .... when i first saw it when driving I was hoping that the bloody airbag didn't go off ... hee hee.

If you have things rolling around under your seats ... these can cause it as well (if it catches on any of the cabling).

Also check the passenger side one as well (if you have a passenger airbag that is).

If you get a code though I am sure Ford would be able to give you the code description (Both Autotech and Crescent workshops confirmed this ... as they have had to ask Ford the same questions).

[Whoosha]

The air bag light (according to Ford ) can also be activated by dirt in the ABS sensors at the wheels as they magnetise fill with particals of metal dirt ext. and clog up

[XR6-VCT-2000]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

Dodgy connection to the bottom of the seat belt ... it can't tell if the seat belt is engaged or not. I had that a few weeks ago ... it was flashing code 18 (5 times) and then stayed on.

Only did it on a rainy day.

Hasn't done it for a while ... also fiddled with the cabling under the seat too ... it seemed to fix it.

Yep , is usually the culprit , everytime i vacume my car i usually acidentlly knock the wires and plug under the front seats , usally setting off the airbag light , just a bit of a fiddle with the wires and plug and all is allways good again .

[blownba]

i HAD A PLAY WITH THE SCANNER TODAY AND FOUND THAT IT DOES HAVE TO BE PLUGGED IN TO SELF TEST AND DATA READOUT. iTS THE EARLY ABS THAT IS DONE BY BRIDGING PINS AND READING FLASH.

[OzJavelin]

Originally Posted by AUXRVIII

Is the light flashing once then a short pause then flashes seven times?

How does this normally go? My wife saw this again toight (she was the one who saw it last night). Does she need to count the number of flashes between pauses? It seems to come on after a short drive down a dirt road - same thing both nights. I've pulled all the cr@p out from under the seats and checked the wiring and whatnot. I suppose I really need those codes to do anything else? If it's something major I assume that it will stay on all the time?

[XR6-VCT-2000]

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

How does this normally go? My wife saw this again toight (she was the one who saw it last night). Does she need to count the number of flashes between pauses? It seems to come on after a short drive down a dirt road - same thing both nights. I've pulled all the cr@p out from under the seats and checked the wiring and whatnot. I suppose I really need those codes to do anything else? If it's something major I assume that it will stay on all the time?

The codes work as so .. example

1 flash , then a pause , then 7 flashes = code 17

2 flashes , then a pause , then 3 flashes = code 23

etc etc etc ..

Usually its 1 flash , then a pause , then a sequence of flashes giving you the last number value of the code / like as above for code 17 .

cheers .

And if your wires under your front seats are exposed ( i think they originally had a cover over them ) , then they are very prone to be toutchy and easily knocked or shifted / from my experience anyway ( mine are exposed / no covers ) . Usually pushing the wires into the yellow plug hard , then pushing the yellow plug together hard too usually fixes the problem when it occurs. Usually happens to me when someone moves the front seats / it knocks the wires ..I'll fix mine properlly 1 day ..lol .. cheers .

[OzJavelin]

Finally coming up continually as code "32" .. as far as I can tell it's "Airbag Circuit High Resistance, or Open Circuit"??

.. I've booked it into Ford :(

[StAndArdAU]

Can anyone tell me what code 33 is?

[sednwol]

A list of these codes would be great. How about it?

[StAndArdAU]

Does Russell have this list?

[beaky41]

Originally Posted by StAndArdAU

Can anyone tell me what code 33 is?

passenger airbag circuit open i think (source max ellery)

[OzJavelin]

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

Finally coming up continually as code "32" .. as far as I can tell it's "Airbag Circuit High Resistance, or Open Circuit"??

.. I've booked it into Ford :(

$271 .. replacement of clock spring :( Interesting how these things can be built to almost exacting standards to expire not long outside warranty ..
BTW: I concur that I *think* 33 is passenger airbag open circuit ..

[StAndArdAU]

if this is the case i should be able to wiggle some wires and make sure they are all plugged in yeah?

[Mechan1k]

Be careful which wires you giggle ... otherwise BOOM.
Under the seat ... yeah you can.
But for passenger airbag it needs to be able to check the seat belt connection and pretensioner as well ... so check the wires under the passenger seat ... Chief had a very similar issue in his wagon when he put the GHIA interior in.

Have heard about the clock spring issue as well ... it's just the main bolt and electrical connectors in the middle of the steering column up at the steering wheel ... bet you Ford will clean the contacts only.

[StAndArdAU]

champ mechan1k! i'll spend some time searching for those elusive wires today. cheers

[Lukeyson]

this problem just popped up in my ute today, 1 flash, then 8 flashes, it does that 3 or 4 times then the airbag light stays on.
going to try a few things recommended here

[chief]

As Simon has said i had a similar problem when I put a Fairmont Ghia interior in. Had to change the belt pre tensioner.

[Mechan1k]

Mine was a dodgy connection under the driver's seat ... and did it in wet weather only ... weird.

Mind you ... my Pioneer amp sits really close to the connection (from what I could see under there.

Mine hasn't done it for ages ... I just reseated the plug in the socket and it seemed to have gone away.

[Lukeyson]

Originally Posted by sednwol

A list of these codes would be great. How about it?

Originally Posted by BLOWNBA from another thread

Fault Code Table - Without Data Scanner (Lamp Fault Code)

Code # Circuit and Status
- Airbag Module Disconnected
Not Operative

12 Battery Voltage Low
Low Voltage

14 Unexpected Feature Present
See Note

15 Driver Airbag Circuit
Short to Battery, Ignition or Ground

16 Passenger Airbag Circuit
Short to Battery, Ignition or Ground

17 Unexpected Feature Present
See Note


18 Unexpected Feature Present
See Note

19 Crash Data Memory Full
Not Operative

21 Airbag Module Bracket High Resistance
Mounting Bracket Resistance Too High

24 Module Defective
Not Operative

25 Unexpected Feature Present
See Note

27 Unexpected Feature Present
See Note

29 Incorrect Vehicle Application

32 Driver Airbag Circuit
Open Circuit

33 Passenger Airbag Circuit
Open Circuit

34 Driver Airbag Circuit
Resistance Low

35 Passenger Airbag Circuit
Resistance Low

41 Unexpected Feature Present
See Note

46 Unexpected Feature Present
See Note

47 Unexpected Feature Present
See Note

i was talking to service dept today and he has a cross reference book for the codes, as the explaination isnt too detailed, he was saying that some wires that have stuff to do with the airbag system near the fuse box or something sometimes can short? or something to that effect, any idea where these wires are ? all the seatbelt pretentioner connections look new

[Lukeyson]

well, like a few others, i fiddled with the pretentioner wires again, and jumped in the next day, and no airbag light, so hopefully it just had a bad hair day or something