So, you are driving home from work, and on your way, you notice that the airbag light is still on. As a responsible driver, you should be worried about every single thing that is not supposed to be happening with your car.
For instance, the airbag warning light only stays on when there’s an issue with the car’s airbag system. Whenever you turn on your vehicle, its computer automatically checks the system. That’s when the airbag light comes on. However, if the system is properly working, the light should go off in just a few seconds. The fact that yours remains on means that there’s a problem with the airbag system. Now, what does that mean for you? It means that if you get into an accident, your airbag might not deploy, and you and your passenger will be at a higher risk of getting hurt.
In this post, Safety Restore talks about troubleshooting an airbag warning light. As a driver and car owner, these are some of the things that you need to do:
What Could Be the Problem?
What causes the airbag light to come on? It could actually be an indication of different things. For one, if your airbag has already been deployed in a previous accident and it hasn’t been correctly reset, that could be causing the problem. If you haven’t been in an accident and the airbag hasn’t been deployed before, the reason for the airbag light coming on might be that the system senses that it won’t be able to activate the airbag due to some problem. In such cases, a reset is necessary.
Troubleshooting
Unless you are a trained mechanic, it won’t be easy to troubleshoot the problem. Just like with the Check Engine light, though, you shouldn’t ignore an airbag warning light staying on, and it should immediately be taken to a pro. The mechanic will be able to run a diagnostic on the electronic control unit or ECU of the car. It’s highly possible that there’s a computer problem that caused the airbag system to be deactivated or faulty.
ECU Needs to Be Cleared
To be sure that the airbag warning light will not turn on longer than it’s supposed to and that the airbag will deploy properly when needed, the airbag ECU needs to be cleared. If you are sure that the problem is not with the system, remove your airbag ECU and send it to a reputable company like Safety Restore so it can be cleared for you.
The better option, of course, is to take the vehicle itself to your trusted mechanic so they can examine the system thoroughly and then make the necessary adjustments to the airbag sensor. They could also check for any other potential problems.
Conclusion
Now that you know what can cause the airbag light to come on and what you should do if you experience it, the only thing you need to know is how crucial it is for you to address such car issues immediately. It should not be taken lightly because it is your safety that is at risk. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you’ll regret not having your car checked by a mechanic when the airbag light warns you to do so. You should avoid driving that vehicle until a mechanic fixes it.
Safety Restore is a trusted expert in airbag module reset and other post-accident restorations. Contact our team if you are experiencing problems with your airbag light, your seatbelt, and others!