Removed air bag control module - car won't start
01-30-2013, 08:29 PM
#61
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Location: Huntington Beach, CA
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Cloud - wow, what an ordeal! So glad to hear your new engine is making pleasant noises now!
My car is still down, but we're narrowing in on the problem, which involves the passenger side airbag control module. It looks like at some point in the distant past, my car had a coolant leak from the hoses leading from the firewall to the heater core (they disabled the heater at that time and I haven't gotten to it yet), wetting the alarm module and the wiring leading to the PABCM (there's dried white coolant residue visible in these areas).
So, who knows how many years later (two months ago) I go to start the car one night and instead get a huge cloud of smoke billowing out from under the dash. The wiring from the alarm and PABCM has melted down, and most likely the module as well. We're hoping the damage hasn't gone further into the wiring harness - still working on it.
Anyway, lots of great info in this thread that I may be needing!
My car is still down, but we're narrowing in on the problem, which involves the passenger side airbag control module. It looks like at some point in the distant past, my car had a coolant leak from the hoses leading from the firewall to the heater core (they disabled the heater at that time and I haven't gotten to it yet), wetting the alarm module and the wiring leading to the PABCM (there's dried white coolant residue visible in these areas).
So, who knows how many years later (two months ago) I go to start the car one night and instead get a huge cloud of smoke billowing out from under the dash. The wiring from the alarm and PABCM has melted down, and most likely the module as well. We're hoping the damage hasn't gone further into the wiring harness - still working on it.
Anyway, lots of great info in this thread that I may be needing!
01-31-2013, 02:46 PM
#62
Burning Brakes
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Wow, so sorry about your problem. Sounds like something of a "doomsday scenario". What's your plan of attack? Replacing the damaged wires for starters, I assume. Have you identified the root cause of the smoke?
02-11-2013, 07:47 PM
#63
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Cloud - yes, it looks like the damage is limited to the passenger airbag control module, its wiring harness and the alarm module. Replacements have been ordered and hopefully by the end of the week I'll be back on the road.
By contacting a previous owner of the car I found out that many years ago the right front drain plug, in front of the windshield on the passenger side, got clogged and a bunch of water got into the passenger side interior. It was literally 'sloshing around under the seat' he said. So, many years later, the creeping corrosion finally got bad enough to cause a meltdown with white smoke billowing from under the dash.
At least the airbags did not deploy, as both my girlfriend and I were in the car at the time (it could have been ugly, as my face was right near the steering wheel as I was leaning forward trying to start the car). Now she's positive my car is trying to kill her...
By contacting a previous owner of the car I found out that many years ago the right front drain plug, in front of the windshield on the passenger side, got clogged and a bunch of water got into the passenger side interior. It was literally 'sloshing around under the seat' he said. So, many years later, the creeping corrosion finally got bad enough to cause a meltdown with white smoke billowing from under the dash.
At least the airbags did not deploy, as both my girlfriend and I were in the car at the time (it could have been ugly, as my face was right near the steering wheel as I was leaning forward trying to start the car). Now she's positive my car is trying to kill her...
