Hey all--I finally got to experience the ditch firsthand, after 20 years of midwestern winters. I and my 2003 XLT are just fine...I got pulled out and went on my way. However, my airbag light is on permanently. No blinking, no codes, it comes on at startup and stays on. The stop was sudden, but the airbags did not deploy. Is this something that could be rectified by simply pulling the negative cable off the battery for a bit? I've read this could happen when a crash sensor was triggered but not triggered enough to deploy the airbag. I just don't want to make the light go away if my airbag system is no longer working, or something. My heater blower motor no longer turns on, either, so I'll be reading up on that as well.

 

There are 2 "crash sensors" on the rad support lower down, one on each side of radiator usually, they are part of the SRS, supplemental restraint system, i.e. airbags, lol
One has most likely been damaged
Could be a fuse blew as well since blower motor stopped at "same time"?

SRS module power, cab fuses 2 and 26

Blower motor fuse 16 in Engine bay fuse box, also unplug and plug back in Blower motor relay, also in engine fuse box, going into ditch may have jarred it loose

 

Ok, I will check the fuses and the sensors out. The truck was completely high-centered on snow, so it seems likely something down low near the radiator could have been damaged.

 

Sensors look like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/185240727923

Round 4 wire plug in

 

I'm reading in other posts elsewhere that the 2003 doesn't have impact external impact sensors, that they're all in the Restraints Control Module under the cupholders, and that (if it's not just a fuse or something) I'll probably have to take it to a pro to reset it. Does this check out? I'll double check underneath though to see if I have those sensors.

 

I thought it was in 2004 they changed but maybe it was earlier

 

Just as a follow up--and yes, it did take me 3 months to get to testing fuses--but it was indeed fuse #2 in the cab, which was blown somehow by the impact. Replacing the fuse turned the blower back on AND turned the airbag light off. THANKS RonD!