car dashboard

My Airbag Light Is On: Common Reasons Why They Aren’t Working

Keeping your passengers safe and protected is of the utmost importance when driving. One of the ways to check if your vehicle is safe is to report and address any issues as soon as you notice them. 

Common—yet often unnoticed—problems with cars are the seat belts and airbags! Unfortunately, when you experience any problems with your airbag, you need to get it fixed as soon as possible. Usually, airbag problems may occur because you got into an accident. 

As a protective measure, the airbags will be deployed to lessen the impact. However, there are cases where you didn’t do anything, but there are still problems with your airbag. You may think that there may not be any airbag issues when you weren’t in an accident—but it is still possible for it to malfunction. 

Some might notice that the warning light for the airbags lights up for “no reason.” When this happens, it means the airbags won’t deploy properly in case of an accident because they are deactivated. You can fix it by resetting it—but there are other instances when it may still lead to the airbag failing to deploy. 

To get a better grasp of the situation, here are some reasons why your airbags aren’t working properly:

The Airbag Clock Spring Wore Out

The airbag clock spring is important because it ensures that there’s continuity between the driver-side airbag and the car’s electrical wiring. It moves and coils in and out with every move of the steering wheel. 

Due to the passage of time, it can get worn out and lead to airbag failure. 

The Back-Up Battery for the Airbag Might Be Depleted

The car battery isn’t just helpful in starting your car, but also for your airbags too. If your car’s battery drained recently, you might need to check the airbag backup battery because it may be depleted as well. 

Usually, it will self-correct as soon as the car’s battery is charged full again. If it doesn’t, you would need to recharge it along with a sensor reset. 

The Airbag Module Might Be Wet

It’s not just homes that are affected by water leaks. Water damage can also have a detrimental effect on the airbag module. This part is found under the driver and the passenger seat.

When water damages the module, it won’t work properly. The airbag warning light will also flash a warning sign to notify you of internal issues. As such, avoid causing any damages which can lead to corrosion of this component!

The Sensors Might Be Faulty

There are a lot of sensors connected to a variety of parts in your car. These are all directly linked to your vehicle’s computer system, so it knows if there are any issues in your car. Like any parts, sensors can also fail or get tripped accidentally, which could lead to the airbag warning light illuminating. 

Final Thoughts

A flashing airbag warning light may not pose a real threat to your safety, but it can if you don’t have it fixed. Airbags are created to protect you and passengers in case of accidents. There are a lot of drivers on the road, so you need to be prepared for any accident, regardless of how careful you drive! 

Safety Restore can help you when your airbag lights are flaring up with a warning! We are the world’s leader in post-accident restorations specializing in seat belt repairs and airbag modules. We also provide webbing replacements and instrument cluster repairs. Contact us today for more information about what we do!

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