tnuvo

I recently had my airbag warning light come on and stay on, then a few days later I started hearing something loose in the passenger door when I put the window up or down. It sounds like a wire with some type of metal end connection rattling around in there. I found an excellent video of removing the door panel and before I dive in, I was just curious if anyone else has experienced this and is it possible that a connection has simply come loose from the side airbag an is easily reconnected? I unfortunately do not have a code reader, which I assume would indicate which airbag is in question. Thanks in advance for any insight!

frisbee91

Hmm. It's possible I suppose. The air bag warning light is extremely common, frequently associated with seat belt buckle issues. Even if the passenger wire is the issue, you'll still have to reset the airbag light at the dealer, or with a durametric (or durametric knock-off).

Perhaps its best to get the fault code from the airbag unit first before delving into the airbag wiring?

If you do take off the door side panel, disconnect the battery first to avoid an airbag in the face.

Divot

DO NOT remove the battery connection first. Set up a camera and post for us to watch! lol.

Srsly, wait a minute or two after battery disconnect before you start to work on the airbag.

The door side panel is pretty easy to remove. There is a wire to the side airbag that may have come loose. I'm also pretty sure you need a durametric or PIWIS to reset an airbag warning light.

tnuvo

I previously felt like I got punched in the face by my 996 when I got the bill for the IMS/RMS/clutch bill, but I think this one would take it to a far more literal level !

It may or may not be a wire to the airbag, because I've also noticed that the window goes up/down a lot faster than it used to, almost like something isn't holding the window back as much as per usual.(?) I wouldn't think that would have anything to do with an airbag wire, but just strange that the warning light coincided with this issue. I'll try and search for a diagram of the inner workings of the door, and try and get an idea of what could be loose in there before I go in for the "punch"! Thanks for the insight guys!

tnuvo

The bill for the bill sounds a bit redundant don't you think?...seriously, don't you think?!

tnuvo

Damn! I just thought of something else. The light came on when I was transporting a friends 30lb dog in the passenger seat for a brief trip. I know it wouldn't have anything to do with the internal door noise when the window is in operation and therfore may be a seperate issue, but would the car sense that I may have had an unrestrained child in the seat with the airbag armed and warned me as such?

Tom Witte

I recently experienced the exact same noise, but no air bag warning light. I almost got the panel off yesterday by likely referencing the same video you found. The head of the dang screw in the storage compartment stripped. Looks like someone before me was in there as the stripped phillips head has some corrosion on it and I hadn't worked on it that long.

I predict that after a few more up and downs of the window, it will no longer come up again. I suspect the window system cable snapped. As soon as I get a longer drill bit or an extension and drill out the screw head, I will know for sure.

I recommend leaving the window alone until you uncover the problem if you are driving it or you know it will snap as soon as it starts raining and you are far from home.

Shark Attack

blame the dog and make the dog owner pay for the fix