Airbag light Flashes 4 times

[yabadaba]

My airbag light was on years ago and I put a new one in (driver side seat airbag) then the light was off up until a few months ago. Any ideas? Other threads were regarding different flashing patterns. Mine flashes 4 times for a series of 10 times then stays on.


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[FDR]

Can you post a video? Are you sure it's a 4? It's supposed to be a two digit code. Is the pause between some 4s longer than others? I'm going to guess it's actually 5 series of 44, but I don't remember how long it flashes the code.

Or you can have the code read by an expensive reader. If you happen to have an OBDII adapter for a smartphone or tablet, the app/windows program FORScan can read the code. It will be a B1234 or U1234 code, like how a CEL creates a P1234 code

 

[yabadaba]

I can post a video later, but if it's the code you suspect what does it mean? I have a scanner but it didn't give me an airbag code just p1204.


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[joegr]

Lamp fault code 44 is Restraint System — Impact Sensor Fault (Passenger Side Front Row Impact Sensor Circuit Fault)

 

[yabadaba]

Thanks Joe! How can this be fixed? Is it a fuse issue possibly? I just had my PCM rebuilt so i dont think its a circuit fault there.

 

[joegr]

Thanks Joe! How can this be fixed? Is it a fuse issue possibly? I just had my PCM rebuilt so i dont think its a circuit fault there.

It's not a fuse, and it's not remotely related to the PCM (how/why could it be?)

BTW, it seems to be a common hope of people that any electrical problem is a fuse. Fuses don't just fail. If a fuse is blown, then there is a reason that it blew that should be fixed. In any event, there's no fuse just for that one sensor.

If it is really code 44, then it is likely that exactly what it says it is, Passenger Side Front Row Impact Sensor or the wiring to it. Getting the five character OBDII code(s) would help confirm it. You'll need a Ford specific scan tool to get this. Most generic scan tools can't get the SRS (or body or AC or ABS or ...) codes.

 

[yabadaba]

thanks! I'm not too familiar with electrical problems. The PCM only controls engine/trans?

 

[joegr]

...The PCM only controls engine/trans?

Correct.

 

[yabadaba]

Does anyone know what the sensor looks like? I have access to under the dash from when I pulled the PCM out.

 

[joegr]

Does anyone know what the sensor looks like? I have access to under the dash from when I pulled the PCM out.

It's not under/behind the dash. It should be at the bottom of the B-pillar. It would be a fairly small box with an electrical connector.

You should disconnect the battery and leave it that way for an hour before getting close to this part. I'll admit that I mostly ignore those warnings when I am messing with any of the air bags, but I do pay attention to them when messing with any of the sensors that trigger the airbags.

 

[yabadaba]

Thanks Joe - You are like an encyclopedia! Last time i changed my driver side seat airbag, I disconnected the battery and pumped the brake a few times to get rid of any residual juice- whats your take on that technique.

 

[joegr]

...and pumped the brake a few times to get rid of any residual juice- whats your take on that technique.

This will have no effect on the backup power cap for the SRS module. Look at it this way. In a crash, you wouldn't want a short anywhere on the battery line to prevent the airbags from going off. The backup power in the module is designed not to feed back out to anything but the SRS. You have to give it time to discharge on its own.

The service manual says you only have to wait one minute after disconnecting the battery. Let's compromise and make it ten minutes. Pressing the brake or shorting the battery cables shouldn't make any difference.

 

[RigsLS]

Capacitors need to drain out by themselves.