Airbag Light

Issue:    My airbag light is on.

The airbag light is an indicator lamp on the dashboard to alert the driver (or passengers) to any problem that may occur in the airbag system, often referred to as the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS).  The normal operating procedure for this lamp may vary slightly for each manufacturer, but most vehicles are similar.

When the key is turned to the on or start position, the system will engage in a self-test, illuminating the lamp for approximately six (6) seconds.  After this test, if there are no faults, the lamp will turn “off”.  It will remain “off” unless a problem occurs in the system.

The diagnostic computer, or “airbag control unit”, is constantly monitoring the system as long as the vehicle key is “on”.  The system retains power even after the car is turned off by means of a capacitor.  The airbag system will remain ‘live’ for approximately 2-10 minute after turning the vehicle off, depending on the manufacturer.  This is designed so that if the vehicle loses power during a crash, the protection of the airbag system is still there.

Issue: Why does my airbag light come on when I drive?

On occasion, the airbag light will come on while driving. This indicates that a fault in the system is occuring. As long as the light remains "on", the system is inactive and will not deploy any devices during a collision. It will remain that way until the fault is corrected. There are multiple components in the system. Many vehicles now include the following:

front airbag modules
clockspring
seat airbags
curtain airbags
control units
sensors
seat belt pretensioners
occupant classification systems

If a fault occurs in any of these components, the wiring between any of them, or if the power circuit (or ground circuit) is interrupted, a fault code will be set and the airbag light will illuminate. If the airbag light circuit itself is damaged or becomes inoperative, some vehicles implement a tone warning system to indicate such a fault. The manufacturers take airbag fault codes and the SRS system itself very seriously. When the light or tone indicates a problem, it should be diagnosed and corrected to insure safe operation of the vehicle.

Issue: How do I reset my airbag light?

Resetting the airbag light

Many people ask, “How do I reset my airbag light?”. Some vehicles require a special "scanner" or airbag scan tool to reset the light. Some do not. On many vehicles, the airbag indicator lamp will turn itself “off” if the problem that caused it to illuminate has been corrected. Many others will not.

There are a number of scanners that can reset the system, however each one requires the proper software to read and reset the system.  On occasion, the door jamb switch, cycles of the ignition key or a jumper wire can be used to accomplish this as well.
Airbagsolutions.com is a database that provides the information you need to understand which vehicles use which scanner, and how to reset the light on thousands of vehicles.











Refer to your manufacturer’s service manual to help you determine the proper procedure and equipment required.