2003 4.6is airbag SRS light just came on

[Maruzo]

It's been on a few days now. I think it happened right after I activated the cruise control on freeway this past weekend.

I did replace the steering wheel a week ago. The replacement wheel has the same exact connectors as my oem wheel, so I don't think that is the source of the problem.

But i won't know for sure unless I put back the original and test it out.

Any ideas?

[white46]

Before you do anything else, please read the SRS code first.

[Maruzo]

Originally Posted by white46

Before you do anything else, please read the SRS code first.

Hi White, thanks for the tip. I'll have to get a code scanner first.

Will post the codes here once it's read!

[andrewwynn]

Is it cold where you are? My wife's car gives me airbag light from the passenger butt sensor when ambient is close to freezing or lower


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[Maruzo]

Actually no. It's been 55 to 80 degrees of sunny days for a while now.

I'll get the codes read and see what it says!

Meanwhile try to avoid any head-on unpleasantness if I can.

[andrewwynn]

The airbag is designed failsafe in other words when the airbag light is on its just saying there's a problem not that the system won't engage

A perfect example is when the butt sensor is not working the airbag will go off just in case somebody is sitting there. If the sensor is active but doesn't detect a butt then that passenger airbag will not go off in the event of a crash

That is my understanding of how it works. I wouldn't be doing experiments.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

The airbag is designed failsafe in other words when the airbag light is on its just saying there's a problem not that the system won't engage

That is my understanding of how it works. I wouldn't be doing experiments.

In chart below...see highlighted text that explains how the MRS/SRS system will deploy as if seat is occupied and seat belted is unbuckled when the system has faults registered.

In other words (or words similar to what you wrote)...the system defaults to the side of caution.

[jdstrickland]

It is important to note that simply curing the error is not enough to make the SRS light go out.

SRS is a Safety of Flight item, it does not poll for system integrity and then shut the light off if the polling goes properly. It polls for the system components to 1.) be in place, and 2.) be operational. If either of these conditions fails, the SRS light comes on. The light will not go off until it is expressly reset by way of the diagnostic tools that are available. The light will never clear itself.

By way of comparison, you can have the Check Engine (SERVICE ENGINE SOON) Light come on, then replace the component that cause the event to be recorded, and the light will eventually turn itself off if the ECU is convinced that the issue is resolved. The ECU polls the vehicle systems it is interested in, and if a fault goes away then the light will clear itself -- turn off. The code that made the light turn on will revert from active to pending, and the light will go off. The SRS does not have the ability to do this, the SRS light must be expressly turned off through the diagnostic packages available for such things.

[jdstrickland]

The SRS light means that the airbags may not deploy as expected when the events occur that would otherwise cause deployment. The system is, by definition, unreliable when the SRS light is on. The light does not mean it will not work at all, it means that the expected coverage might not be provided.

[Maruzo]

Does anyone know if CA checks status of srs as part of the registration renewal requirement? I know smog check is the big check item.