airbag indicator

[LI_BIMMER]

So if the air bag light is on and its a fault of the passenger seat mat/sensor, are all air bags disabled in an accident or just the passenger side only?

I will search for the threads on replacing the mat. Sometimes the light goes out when I hit the cushion of the passenger seat. Thanks.

[mobilejo]

Originally Posted by LI_BIMMER

So if the air bag light is on and its a fault of the passenger seat mat/sensor, are all air bags disabled in an accident or just the passenger side only?

I will search for the threads on replacing the mat. Sometimes the light goes out when I hit the cushion of the passenger seat. Thanks.

This is my understanding:

The seat sensor tells the car if someone is sitting in the passenger side so that it will only deploy passenger side airbags if someone is the passenger seat.

If the mat is faulty, and the airbag light is on because of that, then the car will deploy passenger airbags if there is an impact, even if there is no one in the passenger seat. This is because with a faulty mat, it cannot be sure if there is a passenger or not and so it is safer to deply all airbags 'just in case' than to deploy none.

If you put a resistor, the car thinks the mat works again and it thinks that there is a passenger in the passenger seat at all times. So again, it will deploy all passenger airbags thinking there is a passenger in there. The only problem with this, is that airbags cost alot, and some rip open trim when they go off. So it just means if you have an accident with no passenger in the car, you will be 'wasting' those airbags that go off when they didn't need to.

Not the biggest problem in the world though, its just a money thing and at least not a safety issue. And only worth worrying about if you crash and there isn't actually a passenger in the car. The alternative is to replace the seat occupancy mat but that costs $$$ too.

[fullmetaljacket]

Originally Posted by mobilejo

This is my understanding:

The seat sensor tells the car if someone is sitting in the passenger side so that it will only deploy passenger side airbags if someone is the passenger seat.

If the mat is faulty, and the airbag light is on because of that, then the car will deploy passenger airbags if there is an impact, even if there is no one in the passenger seat. This is because with a faulty mat, it cannot be sure if there is a passenger or not and so it is safer to deply all airbags 'just in case' than to deploy none.

If you put a resistor, the car thinks the mat works again and it thinks that there is a passenger in the passenger seat at all times. So again, it will deploy all passenger airbags thinking there is a passenger in there. The only problem with this, is that airbags cost alot, and some rip open trim when they go off. So it just means if you have an accident with no passenger in the car, you will be 'wasting' those airbags that go off when they didn't need to.

Not the biggest problem in the world though, its just a money thing and at least not a safety issue. And only worth worrying about if you crash and there isn't actually a passenger in the car. The alternative is to replace the seat occupancy mat but that costs $$$ too.

So, is this the right understanding for the airbag warning light on the dash? If this is the real reason why it's on, then it's ok right...???

Why am I concerned? well I had my airbag sensor light on when I changed my old seats to electric power sports seats. I altered and probably screwed up the wiring on the connector to power up the driver's side seat. I tried the resistor diode fix on this thread but unfortunately it did not work. Maybe because my whole mat sensor computer thing on my new seats do not work to begin with and that maybe the reason why the airbag warning light on the dash is lit up.

Hope you guys can help me figure this out...QUESTIONS:

1. Can the stealership or anyone with a scanner computer thingy do a reset for my dash airbag warning light? I don't want it on, it bothers me to see a red light on the dash

2. Is it ok not to have the passenger or seat sensor mats working? The airbags WILL STILL DEPLOY on impact right? (It's ok with me that all of them deploy even if there is no one seated at the passenger side - JUST AS LONG AS THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY AND WORK ON IMPACT)

3. If the answer to question number 2 is YES and the answer to number one is NO. How do I just disable the dam airbag light? Where and What wire do I cut?

Help TIA Guys!

[aimtimes100]

well if the is perfectly fine then, ill just consider it another addition to "lights on my car that actually mean nothing and my X can't see that"