Troubleshooting Guide: Why Is Your Airbag Light Flashing?
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Users often have different preferences and may need alternative solutions when the first doesn’t work. Providing multiple options helps to address these needs and improve the success rate of your troubleshooting guides.
Battery Depletion
The airbag light is one of the most essential lights in your car. When your airbag light was flashing, it warns you that a problem with your car’s Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) may prevent your airbags from deploying in an accident. When you see this airbag warning light, you must take your car to a repairer to fix the issue and protect yourself from a collision.
Many problems can cause your airbag light to come on and flash. Some of them are easily fixable, while others require professional repair. The most common reason for your airbag light to come on is that your car’s battery has drained and depleted the backup battery that powers it. It is often a simple solution that can be handled by simply charging the battery.
Another possible cause of a flashing airbag light is that the wiring or electrical connectors under the front seats have moved, leading to a poor connection between the crash sensors and the electronic control unit (ECU). It is usually a quick and inexpensive fix, as you can remove the plugs and spray them with an electrical cleaner before re-connecting them.
Water Damage
If your airbag light is on and you haven’t been in an accident, it means there is some issue with the seatbelts or sensors in the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS). The most common problem that causes this to happen is water damage to the airbag module. It is because the module, located underneath the driver’s seat, can easily short out or corrode if it gets wet. It can cause the ECU to signal that the crash sensors aren’t working, which triggers the airbag light to start flashing.
Water damage can also affect the sensor wires that connect the airbag module to the ECU. These can also short out or corrode, which may cause the airbag light to start flashing.
Another common reason your airbag light starts flashing is that the sensor has triggered because you are not wearing your seat belt. These sensors detect whether or not you have a seatbelt fastened, and they can be triggered by debris getting stuck in the buckle and wear and tear on the sensor wires themselves.
In some cases, the airbag light can be turned off by disconnecting the battery and allowing it to recharge. However, this is not a fix for the underlying problem, and it will likely come back on at some point. The best way to get the airbag light off is to take your vehicle in for a complete diagnostic and repair by a professional.
Malfunctioning Safety Sensors
The airbag system is a great safety feature that can help reduce the risk of severe injuries and even death in an accident. However, when it malfunctions and your airbag light starts flashing, it sends an apparent message that something is wrong with the vehicle. You can ignore it, but if your car gets into an accident while driving, the consequences could be highly severe for you and those around you.
One of the most common reasons for your airbag light to start flashing is that the backup battery that supports electronic functions like the airbags has been depleted. This issue often corrects itself once the battery is recharged, but it may require a scan tool to remove a soft-code error from the airbag control module.
Another common cause is a faulty passenger seat sensor that detects whether a person is sitting in the front seat and how much they weigh. If a coin or another object has entered the seat belt buckle mechanism, it will trigger this sensor and turn on the warning light.
You can check for these objects and remove them before taking your car to a professional mechanic, but it is best to take the car in right away. If you do, your mechanic can resolve the issue and reset your airbag light before it causes any real damage or injury.
Malfunctioning Control Module
It is a widespread cause of flashing airbag lights and can be frustrating. It is because if your airbag light is flashing, the SRS system is inactive, leaving you unprotected in the event of an accident.
To fix this, restart your car by turning the ignition system off as soon as it is on and then withdrawing the key before the airbag lights flash again. Repeat this process until the airbag light has stopped flashing.
However, more is needed to solve the issue, which could worsen it. Instead, you should take your vehicle to a professional to get the airbag light reset correctly.
The airbag module is a computer that controls all of the functions of your supplemental restraint system. It communicates with crash sensors and then relays the information to the clock springs or hard wires in your steering wheel to activate the airbags when the sensors are triggered. It is why the airbag module is a crucial part of your safety system, and it can be one of the most expensive components to replace when it stops working.
The airbag module can stop working for many reasons, including water damage, short circuits, and corrosion. You can fix this problem by spraying the module with an electrical cleaner and removing and reinserting the plugs, but a replacement is usually the best option.