I know this has been discussed before and I searched the archives, but found no satisfactory answer to my query.

I just purchased a 1996 993 C2 Coupe about a month ago. The car runs flawlessly except for one warning light. Every time I start the car the airbag warning light remains lit for 2 minutes causing the exclamation point warning light to be lit as well.

I usually clear the "!" warning light manually, but if I don't it always goes out when the air bag light goes out after 2 minutes. I know that there is no danger of an air bag malfunction since the light always goes out.

My question is: if I have the dealer clear the fault code, will this cause the light to stay off? If this doesn't fix the problem, what are the other choices?

As always, thanks for your help!

 

Dan mine does the same thing...

I have an apointment to have it "reset" at the dealer on friday the 23rd.

I'll let you know what happpens. When I made the apointment they said it would take about an hour??? Not sure why, but he said something about a safety inspection...I think that means more $$ for them.

 

My problem is similar, except the light stays on. Had it reset and checked by an independent Porsche specialist - they reckoned that the wiring loom needed replacing.

Rather than go for that I have taken the approach of trying to find and reconnect all the orange connectors. And have also taken a look inside the clock unit to check for dry solder joints. I then intend to take to the official Porcshe dealer and have them reset and check - ie get a second opinion. My hope is that all the jiggery pockery will have cured the fault.

Only problem is that I have so far only found two of those orange connectors - the ones attached to the crash detectors under the dash (I have a 1995 C4 Cab). Can anyone point me at the others ?

 

What fault code shows on the PST ?

 

When I bought my car ~2 years ago the air bag light was on and stayed on. Had it reset by the dealer, but it immediately came back on again.

The problem was a faulty air bag mounting bracket. The bracket is metal with rubber bushings to isolate it from the steering column. One of the bushings had deteriorated and the airbag circuit was shorting to ground. From what I've been told apparently this problem is not unheard of and can also affect the horn circuit -- one sign of this issue is the horn blowing whenever you mash on the brakes and throw the car's weight forward. Thankfully mine didn't exhibit those issues.

The replacement part was about $160. Part number the dealer installed was 996-652-211-00 (so apparently it had been revised over the original 993 part).

If your airbag is only staying on for a couple of minutes, I would guess the problem is probably elsewhere. Still, the bracket might be something to have checked (especially for mortod).

-Chris

 

This could indicate that someone has removed gauges or other electrical parts, (including airbag), without disconnecting the battery and letting the car set for a while, (20 minutes, I've heard).

This happened to me when I had someone put on silver backs to my gauges, dealer reset, and never a problem again. Hope this is the case.

 

More stuff to check out. The dealer didn't tell me the PST code, hence my scepticism as to his diagnosis, and why I want a 2nd opinion. The light did stay out for a couple of days.

Will check out the mounting bracket mounts, assuming I can get to it easily. Found two more of the orange connectors last night - one behind the steering wheel and one behind the glove box. However the one behind the glove box (an orange barrel shaped connector) had a sticker next to it suggesting that it should not be disconnected (either that or that the wire should not be strained) - is it safe to disconnect/reconnect that connector ?

Are there any others to check ? Is there a control unit ? Surprised at how different the passenger side connector was to the driver side. So far I have found just 4. I'm keen to check everything before I go for another PST reset.

 

mortod:

There are four connections all told. One at the steering wheel, behind airbag unit, one under dash above the heating duct for drivers feet, one behind the glove box for the passenger side airbag and the main which is located on the top left of the passenger footwell. They are in the manual as well.

Cheers,
Andy

 

<The problem was a faulty air bag mounting bracket. The bracket is metal with rubber bushings to isolate it from the steering column. One of the bushings had deteriorated and the airbag circuit was shorting to ground.>

Tried checking for this last night - are you referring to the horn contact plate (held in place with 4 large flat brass screws) ? The rubbers on mine look fine, but even then I couldn't see how it could interfere with the aribag.

 

I believe that's the same part. The dealer replaced mine, so I never actually saw it, but that sounds like what they described.

-Chris

 

Had the the dealer reset the warning light this weekend - Oh for one of those PST thingies ! All I can remember of the wording of the fault is that it ended in 'driver'.

He reckoned that the fault lay within the contact circuit board on the steering wheel - the bit that maintains the contacts as you turn the wheel. That would seem quite logical as one would expect moving parts to be prone to failure. And that was the one bit of the system I didn't check out last week, so I suspect that the light may well come on again, given time.

But it dawned on me that perhaps that is the 'clock spring' I have seen referred to in other threads (I had assumed that to be the horn contact plate)? If so, wouldn't a quick clean of the contacts fix the problem, rather than replacing the part ?

 

Seems reasonable, or at least worth an inspection of them prior to scheduling the repair with the dealer.

Best of luck,

-Chris

 

Next question - anyone know how to get the steering wheel contact unit apart ? Can't even get the connector out. The unit looks like it splits into two, but don't want to force it.

Of course if this isn't the so called 'clock spring' then please let me know if I'm wasting my time.

 

Unfortunately I can't help you there -- the dealer handled the repair on mine.

-Chris