A faulty occupant position sensor may cause the airbag warning light (SRS) to come on. For impacted vehicles, Honda is running a recall effort to replace faulty sensors.
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When the airbag light is on, can I still drive my car?
The airbag light may have illuminated for any number of reasons, just like other warning lights. Here are a few of the most frequent causes:
The airbag needs resetting
The airbag light will turn on if there has been a collision but it wasn’t serious enough for the airbags to deploy. At your neighborhood garage, the airbag needs to be reset.
Corroded sensors
The sensors in your automobile may have deteriorated if it has water damage. This would lead to a malfunction in the system and turn on the airbag light.
Dislodged wiring
If your car has side airbags, the passenger side airbag may occasionally malfunction. When the passenger seat is shifted back and forth, the wires for that airbag may become damaged or displaced. We caution against attempting to reconnect a detached plug because you risk setting off the airbag. Make an appointment for your car at a nearby garage and ask them to check it.
Faulty seat belt
Your seat belt sensor can be the cause of the problem. The sensor that determines whether or not you have buckled up can malfunction occasionally. When this occurs, the airbag light can start to illuminate.
Your airbag clock spring may need replacing
The spring is intended to preserve continuity between the wiring and the driver’s airbag and coils throughout your steering wheel. The spring may wear out and fail over time, turning on the airbag warning light. Older autos are more likely to have this flaw.
The important line is that you must stop driving as soon as your airbag light illuminates and have your automobile inspected by a repair as soon as possible. Your airbags won’t activate until the issue is identified and remedied. Never disregard your airbag light since your safety and the safety of your passengers are top priorities.
What does it cost to repair the airbag light?
The type of defect that needs to be fixed will determine how much it will cost. You might shell out between $1,100 and $1,500 to repair the airbag in the steering wheel, mostly for the labor. But if you can fix the clock spring yourself, it should only cost $250 to $350 to replace it.
Between $350 and $450 is the typical cost to repair an airbag sensor, with the parts typically costing approximately $300. If you don’t have a sophisticated code scanner, it’s advisable to have a mechanic handle the repair because the codes will need to be reset.
How can I turn off the airbag light?
The airbag light connects the seat belt system and the airbag system as part of the Supplement Restraint System (SRS) in automobiles (and vice-versa). When you turn on your automobile, the airbag light comes on for around seven seconds before going out, signifying that the internal system check was successful and finished. When the airbag light either never turns on or stays on while blinking, an issue exists. The airbag light needs to be reset at this stage.
Examining seat belt components, fixing bad clock springs, and replacing faulty sensors are a few techniques for turning off an airbag light. New bulbs or a fully charged battery are other options. While most repairs can be done without a professional, others may.
The following 10 steps will reset your airbag light:
- Turn on and off your ignition.
- Test drive your car when it has been restarted.
- Check the airbag switch for the passenger.
- Check to see if the seat belts are in place and functioning properly.
- Check to see if the passenger seat sensor is off.
- Use a scanner with the ability to reset the SRS or airbag light.
- Fix the broken airbag sensors.
- Replace or repair a broken clock spring.
- Check to see if the airbag is working properly.
- seek for a specialist’s help.
Although not exhaustive, the list above includes tried-and-true methods for tackling the problem. Some of them might not apply to your vehicle because compatibility is always based on the year, make, and model. It is recommended that you have your service manual on hand when carrying out any of these fixes. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, too. Let’s get started on resetting your airbag light right away.
What location do the airbag sensors have?
Two airbag sensors are often found at the front of your car, just behind the bumper. Inside of your car’s doors are frequently installed airbag sensors.
Since there are typically multiple distinct airbag sensors installed in a car, you must choose which one you are looking for in order to locate it precisely.
The service handbook supplied by your manufacturer is the best resource for locating the airbag sensor’s placement in your car.
Can the airbag light be reset without a tool?
Without a scanner, most automobile models make it difficult to reset the airbag light. This is a safety warning since, when the airbag light appeared, you should always fix the problem. Fortunately, if you fix the issue, the airbag light will typically also turn off by itself in many automobile models.
However, in some older vehicles, the airbag light can be reset without a scanner by disconnecting the battery wires.
Make that there are no loose wires or rust in the connector plugs in the wiring system under the driver’s or passenger’s seat. Restart your car after spraying an electronic cleaner on the connecting plugs.
If you can’t detect any issues there, you should really invest in an OBD2 scanner or have a shop interpret the codes because otherwise you’ll have to guess what the issue is.
How can I check the code on my airbag light?
Diagnostic Codes for Airbags The airbag codes consist of two digits. To read the codes, count the flashes the light makes, then count them again after the pause. For instance, two flashes, a pause, and four flashes indicate a code 24 issue with your airbag system.
Do airbags function when the airbag light is on?
This light indicates that your airbags are deactivated while it is on. It implies that if you have an accident, they won’t deploy properly. The backup battery that powers the airbags may have also run out if your car’s main battery recently discharged.
Does insurance provide replacement airbags?
Yes, the majority of policies will cover replacing your airbags if the other driver was at fault in the crash (in which case the at-fault driver’s liability insurance would cover it) or if you have collision insurance, which will cover damage to your car regardless of who was at blame.
However, certain vehicles with low cash values will be deemed a total loss by the driver’s insurance carrier if the airbags deploy due to the expensive cost of replacing airbags and installation charges (added to whatever other damage takes place). This implies that rather than paying for repairs, your insurance provider can decide to declare your car a total loss. Because of this, a driver may think of paying for airbag replacement and other repairs on their own, without contacting their auto insurer.