'91 GT Pass. Airbag sensor UPDATE
02-01-2006, 10:26 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
'91 GT Pass. Airbag sensor UPDATE
First, thanks to Ed Scherer & Doc Mirror for taking the time to assist me with my project - getting that blessed "Airbag Malfunction" warning to go off, and the two idiot lights that kept my gauge cluster lit up like a Christmas tree for the last few years. Your posts were very helpful, and right on target.
(previous thread:https://rennlist.com/forums/928-forum/249266-pass-airbag-sensor-removed-can-i-test-it.html).
After taking your advice of cleaning the contacts with spray specifically for cleaning electrical contacts (and a shot at the grounding point between the sensor base & the chassis for good measure), I put things together & hoped for the best.
Success!
Today I was at Curry's Auto Service in Sterling (the guys who hosted the last Frenzy in Northern VA). Excellent shop, BTW, who put a Porsche trained guy on my car.
Curry's Sterling doesn't have a Hammer, but they have a Baum. I'm guessing that's the spelling of the unit...I never looked at the name....it's pronounced "Bomb", so I'm guessing.
Anyway, it has a model specific cartridge, and sure enough, it cleared the airbag code, and NO WARNINGS, NO LIGHTS for the first time in a couple of years. I can't get over how subtle my gauge pod is now.
Anyway, at the last Frenzy, Dave Roberts was kind enough to hook up his Hammer & read the fault code for me (he predicted the code before it appeared...not many people know these cars like he does).
After clearing the code, the warning appeared within a minute or so after starting the car again....so obviously a problem & not just an old, stored code.
Apparently there was invisible corrosion at the sensor connection, and/or at the base where the sensor mounts to the frame using those friggin' tear-off nuts.
So, it looks like we can chalk up another faulty sensor connection as being the culprit to the airbag warning, and not a faulty sensor itself.
Aaaaah. That calls for a
(previous thread:https://rennlist.com/forums/928-forum/249266-pass-airbag-sensor-removed-can-i-test-it.html).
After taking your advice of cleaning the contacts with spray specifically for cleaning electrical contacts (and a shot at the grounding point between the sensor base & the chassis for good measure), I put things together & hoped for the best.
Success!
Today I was at Curry's Auto Service in Sterling (the guys who hosted the last Frenzy in Northern VA). Excellent shop, BTW, who put a Porsche trained guy on my car.
Curry's Sterling doesn't have a Hammer, but they have a Baum. I'm guessing that's the spelling of the unit...I never looked at the name....it's pronounced "Bomb", so I'm guessing.
Anyway, it has a model specific cartridge, and sure enough, it cleared the airbag code, and NO WARNINGS, NO LIGHTS for the first time in a couple of years. I can't get over how subtle my gauge pod is now.
Anyway, at the last Frenzy, Dave Roberts was kind enough to hook up his Hammer & read the fault code for me (he predicted the code before it appeared...not many people know these cars like he does).
After clearing the code, the warning appeared within a minute or so after starting the car again....so obviously a problem & not just an old, stored code.
Apparently there was invisible corrosion at the sensor connection, and/or at the base where the sensor mounts to the frame using those friggin' tear-off nuts.
So, it looks like we can chalk up another faulty sensor connection as being the culprit to the airbag warning, and not a faulty sensor itself.
Aaaaah. That calls for a
02-02-2006, 12:04 AM
#2
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Happy to hear it, J.P. I went at least a year with my air bag idiot light on; it was nice to finally get it turned off.
I think we're building a pretty good case that the sensor connectors are the first thing to suspect when you run into these problems. Like I said in previous postings, I have yet to hear of an actual sensor failure.
I'm guessing that the resistance range over which the sensor is seen by the controller as being OK is probably really small by design; it's simply not acceptable to have an airbag deploy by mistake.
I think we're building a pretty good case that the sensor connectors are the first thing to suspect when you run into these problems. Like I said in previous postings, I have yet to hear of an actual sensor failure.
I'm guessing that the resistance range over which the sensor is seen by the controller as being OK is probably really small by design; it's simply not acceptable to have an airbag deploy by mistake.
02-02-2006, 12:36 AM
#3
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
I think we're building a pretty good case that the sensor connectors are the first thing to suspect when you run into these problems.
I wish that I'd photo documented the steps to get to the sensor a bit more thoroughly. A good step-by-step writeup for the pass. side combined with (your?) writeup for the driver's side would be a nice contribution to Greg Nichols' site. That combined with a method/tool for effectively removing the tear-off nuts!
02-02-2006, 01:56 AM
#4
Shameful Thread Killer
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JP, that's a nice feeling when the airbag circuit cycles as it should. Ahhhhh. the age of these units is starting to worry some folks, but I say if you keep the sensor connections, and the airbag controller connector clean and tight, it'll go another 20 years.
There does seem to be a high number of resistance failures in those rubber sealed connectors. Hm. Glad you 're on the road, call if you need anything else.
Doc
There does seem to be a high number of resistance failures in those rubber sealed connectors. Hm. Glad you 're on the road, call if you need anything else.
Doc
