Airbag light on - Again!! is this a problem with XJ 2004
 

In 2010 I paid for an airbag module replacement ($1326 parts and labor) at a dealership because my airbag light on the drivers side kept coming on. Dealer "found open circuit in left side air bag." So it's only 2 years post-repair and the little airbag light is coming on again (turns off occasionally, but mostly stays on). Is this a common problem with the XJ. i hate to pay another $1300 to repair.

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Hey there, I hesitate to say, as I could be wrong, but.......

There was, on some other models similar issues relating to the wiring connections under the seat......nothing wrong with the airbag per se, just a loose connection.

I'm not 100% sure if this applies to your model or not, so please just keep it at the back of your mind for now.

Someone with more knowledge and experience will be along shortly, no doubt with a better and more qualified answer.

Good luck

Sadly, as the airbag system gets more complex, the more opportunity there is for malfunctions.

I can understand your reluctance to pay another $1300. I'd have been far from happy at the first instance!

Although the behaviour of the Airbag warning light may seem random, it will be flashing out a sequence known as a 'Blink Code'

When you start the engine, the airbag warning light is probably flashing several times before becoming a constant display? This flash sequence is what you need to count to find the Blink Code and determine what is causing the warning light to be illuminated.

The code is in the format of one or more flashes followed by a pause followed by another group of flashes. For example 1 flash + pause + 7 flashes = 17. This is the code for an Occupancy Sensor malfunction. As you can imagine, there are many more codes.

Check the flash sequence and post the results. Let's see if we can narrow this down.

Graham

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Lol, see I told you that someone who knows more than me would be along shortly :icon_lol:

Hope to hear newbiegurl

Newbie, GGG is correct. I went through this recently with my '05 Vanden Plas. I've been meaning to post my experience, but wanted to wait awhile to make sure it was fixed. but do as GGG suggests: look at the blink code (a 2-digit number) when it first comes on. Mine was 19: one blink, pause, nine blinks, long pause, then repeat, then the light stayed on. Something to do with a clock spring, or "spiral cassette" I think. Put simply, I THINK (knock on wood) that it was simply 2 dusty electrical contacts behind the steering wheel. I believe donch61 and HBZ posted excellent write-ups on how to remove the steering wheel. You'll need a couple of standared tools like screwdrivers and 4mm allen wrench and the biggie: a 21mm socket (I had to buy one at sears, about $7) to remove the wheel, as well as a small packet of electrically conductive grease. Try to search for those 2 posts - but in summary, I took the wheel off (about 20 minutes) & saw 2 very small brass contacts at roughly the 5 o'clock position. They had a lot of dust on them. I cleaned with with a paper towel, also cleaned the brass "track" on the backside of the steering wheel & put new electrical contact grease in those areas. Now listen, the other fellows posted about removing the spiral cassette & cleaning it, but I did not. It was getting dark & I really thought this would work. I reinstalled the wheel & light hasn't come in again so far in 2 weeks, which is better than before. It seems complicated, but it's very simple. I HAD to use a small mirror so I could see the Allen screws on the backside of the wheel. I highly suggest that. Please note there are several screws back there; you only need to remove the allens.

Dear GGG: I just got back from a trip and my baby's been parked at the airport for a couple of weeks. I will check the sequence of blinks at lunchtime today. Thank you!

Dear Anxious Jim: You've got more guts than I do! I'm an engineer, but geezz that sounded complicated. Also, I just wrote GGG and will get my counts down and go from there. Thanks for your insight.

Dear JimC64: Don't sell yourself short. You guys know a heck of a lot more than I do...so my reason for tapping into this forum....