Well.. since I've had my '98 its had an airbag light flashing. The truck had been stoved in a ditch and deployed the airbags. We replaced the driver's side but not the passenger's side airbag.

I want to take care of the warning lights, one of which being the airbag light.

It flashes 3-3 so it should be a code 33.

Can anybody offer any help on how to troubleshoot this code?

 

hope this helps

A flashing airbag light can mean one of two things. The first possibility is that your battery is in death throes. Have it tested at your local auto parts store. The second possibility is that there is an actual problem with the airbag system. Below is a list of airbag codes, which will flash on the warning light. For example, the light will flash once, pause and then flash twice == 12.

12=Low Battery Voltage
13=Air Bag Circuit Shorted to Ground
14=Primary Crash Sensor Circuit Shorted to Ground
21=Safing Sensor Not Mounted to Vehicle Properly
22=Safing Sensor Output Shorted to Battery Voltage
23=Safing Sensor Circuit Input Feed/Return Circuit Open
24=Safing Sensor Output Feed/Return Circuit Open
32=Driver Side Air Bag Circuit High Resistance or Open
33=Passenger Side Air Bag Circuit High Resistance or Open
34=Driver Side Air Bag Circuit Low Resistance or Shorted
35=Passenger Side Air Bag Circuit Low Resistance or Shorted
41=RH Primary Crash Sensor Feed/Return Circuit Open
42=LH Primary Crash Sensor Feed/Return Circuit Open
44=RH Primary Crash Sensor Not Mounted to Vehicle Properly
45=LH Primary Crash Sensor Not Mounted to Vehicle Properly
51=Air Bag Diagnostic Monitor Internal Thermal FuseFuse Blown Due to Intermittent Short to Ground
52=Backup Power SupplyVoltage Boost Fault
53=Primary Crash Sensor Circuits Resistance to Ground or Air Bag Diagnostic Fault

Also check the light on the passanger air bag switch. mine went out and caused the air bag light to throw a code.

Let me know if this helps any

 

Marc, that TOTALLY helps! Thanks for that!

I'm guessing the light is something obvious... the fact that I never replaced the airbag and instead had patched the whole where it went. Time to buy one...

 

do you have a switch to turn off the passanger air bag on your truck? If so, when you put the key in the ignition and start the truck does the light go out or stay on when you turn off the air bag?

 

I will check it out and post back up. I want to say that the light is on even though the switch is turned to "OFF"..

 

I have a passenger side air bag but its black.

 

PM'd you Zach..

 

then the light is good and its something else. I would refer back to the chart that I posted and look at the code 33.

 

Yeah, I know the "airbag off" light is functional, I think the code is just for the simple fact that the airbag is not there.

33=Passenger Side Air Bag Circuit High Resistance or Open

 

I got an airbag code 34 after I installed the passenger side airbag.
I removed the driver's side airbag to make sure it was plugged in, and it was.

Any other thoughts as to what could cause a code 34?

 

this was in a wreck before? correct?

maybe the RCM is bad?

 

could be the clock spring too, if its bad. did you look into it that far?

 

Yes sir, the truck was in an accident before and had the airbags deployed.

RCM? What's that? Clock spring could be bad as well, i have no idea.

I'll do a search on this stuff..

 

I think RCM is release control mechanism, I can't remember for 100% though.

 

restraints control module, it usually needs replaced after the bags are deployed. Ace has mine, not sure if he is going to use it. ask him if you can have it.

 

Ah ok. Well if nothing else i'll see if I can pick one up.

Where is the RCM located?

 

under the cup holders on the tranny hump. almost under the dash...

see the module?

 

Ahhh ok thanks Zach! I'll check it out and make sure its there on my '98.

Thanks for the help so far, will update when I check it out

 

Ok..

So I didnt think to ask this question before, and I haven't touched the truck yet in the past few days.

But is there anyway to diagnose whether its the clock spring or RCM or anything else before I replace it? i just kind of hate to throw parts at it, thats all.

 

Once the bags are deployed the RCM MUST be reset or replaced with the exact same one in order for the air bag system to work again. Usually this can be done for like $50 by ford, they just plug it into their computer and tell it its all good and to work again.

 

Ok thanks for the info! Wasn't sure how to go about it. I'll look into having it reset.

Thanks