Do you have an airbag light lit up on your dashboard and you want to know how to reset it?
The airbag light is one of the dashboard lights you should look at closely like the engine light. It is by far the most important of the lights, as it has to do with safety.
Airbags are designed to inflate when, in an accident or crash, if the airbag light is on it won’t inflate. But how do you reset an airbag light and can you do it without a scanner?
Let’s find out! Before we look at how to reset the airbag light, you need to know how the whole system works.
How do airbags work?
Airbags can save your life if you are speeding and collide with another car head-on, or crash into a stationary object. Without an airbag, you could hit your head violently against the steering wheel or the dashboard.
When you hit an object at high speed, your car will decelerate, which will activate an accelerometer which will trigger the airbag circuit.
Once activated, a heating element in the airbag circuit is activated by an electric current, which ignites an explosion in the airbag that produces a gas very quickly, and harmlessly.
Sodium azide is usually the explosive element in most airbags, because when ignited it produces either argon or nitrogen gas. This gas fills the airbag and expands it.
Thus, protecting the driver from injury by filling, cushioning or absorbing the violent impact against the steering wheel and the side. In a sense, an airbag is just a very large putting.
How to reset the airbag light with a scanner?
Step 1: Check the passenger airbag switch.
Some cars will have a “passenger seat Airbag on/off button.” This is the very first thing you should check, when you want to get rid of the airbag light. Someone may have simply accidentally switched it “Off” and that will illuminate the airbags light in most cars on the dashboard.
Most of the time the button is located on the dashboard, on the passenger side, or behind the passengers door or glove box.
Step 2: Read the trouble codes with an OBD2 Scanner.
Working with your airbag system is very critical as always. So, you should also read the trouble codes with an OBD2 scanner to get a better understanding of where to start troubleshooting your airbag, if applicable.
NEVER clear the trouble codes first before fixing the problem that caused the airbag light. Read the trouble codes that the cars onboard computer will provide you and see what information it will provide a cause of the problem and continue with the diagnosis process.
Step 3: Fix the issue.
You should never just reset the airbag light without fixing the issue. This could cause the airbags to deploy or not deploy in the event of an accident. If you’re not comfortable replacing the parts in the airbag, have a professional do the repair for you.
Remember to always disconnect the battery when working with airbags. Sometimes the airbag light will automatically go away after a repair, but not all cars operate in this way.
Step 4: Clear the trouble codes.
After you install the new parts and are absolutely sure the parts were installed properly, it’s time to reset the engine light. You will need an OBD2 scanner. The only way to reset is with a scanner.
Go ahead and reset the airbag light and ensure it is gone from the dashboard. If it’s still there, reread the codes and have a look for any trouble codes.
Step 5: Restart your vehicle & take a test drive.
Once the airbag light is no longer on your dashboard, restart the ignition and go for a test drive.
If the airbag light is still gone after the test drive, there is a good chance the problem has been resolved. If the problem returns, reread the codes and restart the process.
How to reset the airbag light without a scanner
Most vehicle models will not let you reset the airbag light without using a scanner; this is a safety issue because you should always resolve a fault after the airbag light is displayed.
That said, in a number of vehicle models the airbag light will go off after you repair the issue. For certain older cars, it will be possible to reset the airbag light without a scanner by removing the car battery terminals.
If it is safe to do so, look under the driver or passenger seat at the wiring system for any loose wires or corrosion in the connector plug. Spray the connector plugs with an electronic cleaner and try restarting your car.
If you do not find any problems with the wiring, you should get an OBD2 scanner (as discussed previously) or have a workshop read the codes, because otherwise you will just be guessing at the problem.
FAQs.
What if I pull the fuse from the airbag?
If you pull the fuse from the airbag module fuse, it will deactivate the airbag function of your car after a minute or two.
Just keep in mind, that it did not take off the airbag light as expected. If the dash is not receiving any data from the airbag module, it will light the airbag light.
How do I bypass the airbag light?
The airbag light or airbag pieces can be bypassed by bridging them with resistors. However, we prefer you to fix the problems of repairing instead. If you ever had a serious accident, you would much rather the airbag functioned.
How much does it cost to reset an airbag light?
Resetting the airbag light could be $0-$1000. It depends on what is causing the airbag light. If it was temporary, then resetting it should be free. Or it could be costly for faulty piece such as the steering angle sensor, which costs over $1000.
Does disconnecting the battery disable airbags?
Yes and no. Airbag systems have large capacitors that will still store energy in the system for a length of time even when disconnecting the battery cable. Although this energy will typically drain within minutes.
To reset an airbag or SRS light, you must use a diagnostic scanner to clear the codes after you repair the problem. In today’s modern cars, there is no way to reset the airbag light without a scanner.
If you clear the codes and the airbag light comes back on, there is still something that needs to be repaired first. You should never reset an airbag light without fixing the problem first or you could deploy the airbag function.
Now you know how to reset the airbag light. You better understand the vehicles that are safety related only when working airbags or SRS systems on a car to take it to a mechanic or if your comfortable have them run their diagnostic tests.