What should I do if the airbag system light comes on? Common causes for the airbag light to come on.

You drive, it happens, and some kind of light bulb lights up on the tidy. “Who asked her?” You think. And you already calculate the cost of repairs in your head. But you should not immediately fall into despondency and panic. An illuminated light may simply indicate a minor error. Cars are not simple machines, but they are not that difficult to understand. Moreover, they talk to their owners, reporting malfunctions. unexpectedly appeared knock in the "hodovke". Then, of course, to the service and to the lift. Or, for example, the icon on the dashboard lights up. Some motorists are wondering why the airbag light came on? This usually happens without visible reasons. This is what confused drivers are talking about on the Internet in countless forums, trying to figure out what the catch is. What only on the pages of communities you will not meet. Someone's pillow icon is lit, others have a “red fastened man” or the Airbag inscription, others immediately give win-win advice, they say, it happened to them or their friends. But everything is not so simple here.

Safety first

The statistics of the State traffic inspectorate are getting sadder every year, accidents are recorded daily, and therefore motorists are more likely to think about safety. After all, as they say, not you, so into you. Especially in adverse road conditions, for example, in ice. You should not rely on road services here. Not cleaned, not sprinkled. And here's to you! Seat belts are undoubtedly a necessary thing, but without airbags in modern cars, nowhere. Interestingly, they first appeared on airplanes. It happened back in the forties of the last century. Cars began to be equipped with passive safety equipment in the seventies. Now in the configuration of all modern cars is listed Airbag. Such inscriptions can be found on the glove compartment, racks, curtains, steering wheel, rear seats. The security system includes the pillows themselves, belts, pretensioners, squibs, shock sensors and a control unit. The pillows themselves are a shell filled, for example, with air. It opens only when the sensor, having fixed the impact, transmits an emergency signal.

No panic!

The safety box indicator always comes on when the engine is started. This only happens for a few seconds. Along with it, the battery icons also light up, as well as a “check” that tells us about errors in the operation of engine systems. along with those already listed, the handbrake icon also blinks. When the ignition is switched on, the Airbag system is tested. But after a few seconds, all the lights go out. If one of them continues to burn, this may tell the owner about some kind of malfunction. The SRS / Airbag signal can tell you about the failure of the entire security system, and not just the operation of the airbags. If the system fails, the lamp will burn, because the self-diagnosis module records a fault code and turns on the control light. Most often, errors occur in the driver's airbag and the front passenger's location sensor.

When starting the engine, many lights come on

There may be several reasons

So what's the reason? The entire security system is interconnected by wiring. If you recently removed the trim to glue the car with soundproofing, repaired the power windows yourself, then you can easily be the cause of the warning light on. This can happen and not only during repairs. For example, a car is constantly operated by two people: a large man and his fragile wife. couple I have to move the driver's seat all the time. This can fray the wires. If the car was bought with hands, and you are not familiar with its history, the cause of the light bulb may be a violation of the integrity of the pillows. So, perhaps, the promised “not broken, not painted” is not such at all. The airbag light also comes on when the alarm is set incorrectly. In general, there can be many reasons:

1. Water ingress on the contacts or the seat belt buckle - be careful in the downpour and when washing the car;
2. Incorrect replacement of any parts under which the wires pass. Among them are the steering wheel, dashboard, seats and doors;
3. Malfunction of the control module;
4. Damage to shock sensors;
5. Pillows expired. It is 8–10 years;
6. Insufficient;
7. Poor connection of wiring connectors;
8. Terminals and fuses;
9. Pillow failure.

In any case, the signal cannot be ignored.

The pillow malfunction lamp may also light up after a “failed” tuning or. So lovers of transformations should be careful. It is best to familiarize yourself with the wiring diagram in advance so that some wire does not seem superfluous. After removing or replacing various parts - seats, doors, steering wheel, front panel and even bumpers, you can contact the service station. They can provide a service to reset the airbag control unit. It won't hurt your pocket. It will cost about 500-1000 rubles. This will help to get rid of errors formed during the movement of wires and contacts.

If the airbag light flashes from time to time, this most likely indicates wear on the wiring. There is a bad connection somewhere. For example, a frayed wire. It is best to detect it in advance, until it makes itself felt differently. After all, faulty wiring can cause a short circuit. And dealing with a fire in a car is not so easy. It can burn to the ground in seconds.

Faulty wiring should be repaired immediately.

The error is out!

Is it on and off? As mentioned above, there are many reasons. Of course, you can throw off the error yourself. This is done elementarily. Many have resorted to the proven, albeit not the old-fashioned way, more than once. You can take the plugs off for a few minutes. After starting the engine, the light will no longer light up again. The second way is a little more complicated - turning off the airbags. But still they must perform their basic functions. Therefore, the cause must be established, and the malfunction eliminated. The faster the better. Here they can help in the service of an authorized dealer. No advice from “experienced” or mechanics will help in the situation. Only computer diagnostics can recognize the cause. After connecting the wires, they will tell you what error the light on the dashboard is reporting. If your car is still under warranty, you should contact the dealership where the car was purchased.

Be carefull!

The security system must always be in good working order, because no one knows when an accident might occur. Even if you are confident in your driving skills, it can happen when you don't expect an accident at all. Therefore, it is not worth postponing the elimination of errors reported by the airbag malfunction lamp. Be careful !

The safety of the driver and passengers in the car is a parameter that is given when developing the car. Special attention. In the event of a traffic accident, all vehicle systems must work perfectly, including airbags. Their effectiveness has been proven by hundreds of tests and they should function properly when installed in a car.

On the dashboard of cars equipped with airbags, a special indicator is displayed that signals the driver if there are problems with them. When the airbag light comes on, it is better to stop driving the car until the problem is fixed. This article discusses the main reasons why the airbag on the dashboard is on.

Normal operation of the airbag indicator

Many drivers do not pay due attention to the indicators displayed on the dashboard of the car. At the same time, each of them signals the presence or absence of problems in the car. At each start of the engine, you should pay attention to which indicators are on and which are not - this will avoid unwanted problems.

When the engine is started, the airbag light should come on to indicate to the driver that the airbag is working. After that, the system diagnoses all the elements that are responsible for the deployment of the airbag. The system signals the driver about the diagnostics by flashing the light bulb. According to European standards, it is accepted that after 6 flashes of the airbag indicator, it goes out, thereby showing the system is working properly.

Attention: If the airbag indicator does not show any signs of operation when the ignition is turned on, you should not go on a trip. With this option, both the car's security system and the indicator itself may be faulty (for example, a light bulb has burned out).

If the airbag indicator, on the contrary, is on and does not go out, there may be several reasons for this.

Why is the airbag light on?

The airbag is only an executive part of a number of systems that should ideally work out when the car collides with an obstacle. In particular, the following are responsible for the operation of the airbag: shock sensors, a squib and the "brains" of the car. In addition, when the airbags are triggered, the seat belts must be in good order, as well as the tensioners, the task of which is to keep the driver in place in the event of a collision.

Considering a large number of components that work interrelatedly with airbags, the indicator on the dashboard may light up if any of them malfunction. Do not forget about the need to transmit a signal from one device to another, and if the relationship between them is broken, the airbag light will also signal this.

Below we will look at the most common options for why the airbag light is on.

One of the most common reasons why the airbag light is on is an open circuit. The diagnostic scanner allows you to read the error code from the car, and then determine the specific place where the circuit broke. Most often, this problem occurs after:

Without a diagnostic scanner, it is almost impossible to determine the wiring problem that is causing the airbag light to come on. If any of the signals is missing, the light will turn on and will not go out until the information is transmitted between the elements of the system without errors.

Sensor malfunctions

One more common problem, due to which the airbag lamp lights up, is a malfunction of the sensors. The airbag deployment system depends on two types of sensors:

Such an error as the absence of a signal from the sensors can also be determined using a diagnostic scanner.

Other problems

There are many problems, both mechanical and electrical, that can cause the airbag light to come on. In addition to those listed above, some of the most common faults include:

• Low battery voltage. To fix the problem, you should check the voltage on the battery, and if it is low, charge the battery or replace it;
• "Clogged" memory of the control electronic unit. If the airbag has already deployed, and after installing a new one, the memory of the control unit has not been reset, this will cause the airbag indicator to light;
• The malfunction of the airbag itself is a violation of its tightness;
• Igniter malfunction, possibly due to exceeding the limit of its operation, which is most often 10 years;
• Damage to the control unit, both mechanical and software. Most often, a software problem occurs when updating the ECU firmware or performing chip tuning.

If the airbag light comes on, check the battery first. Next, you should remember the last work that was carried out with the car - it can be repair, washing, replacing elements. If it was not possible to detect the malfunction on your own, you must use a diagnostic scanner that will show the cause of the problem.

Any modern car is equipped with various means security.

When such an airbag light came on, it clearly indicates that in this moment pillows don't work. The icon can not only burn constantly, but also blink, like a check engine, thereby indicating a specific error code in the security system.

So, the presence of at least one Airbag pillow has become a mandatory attribute of the car. And in case of problems with this very system, the driver, on the dashboard, signals airbag lamp. In any car, you can find the “SRS” marking located somewhere in the front of the cabin, which is short for “Supplementary Restrain System” or, as it sounds in Russian, “Deployed Security System”. It consists of a certain number of pillows, as well as elements such as:

• seat belts;
• squibs;
• tensioning devices;
• shock sensors;
• the electronic control system for it all, which is the brains behind car safety.

The SRS system, like any other complex automotive assembly, can fail due to a breakdown of a certain part or loss of reliability of the relationship between the elements. This is exactly what happened to you if the airbag light on the dashboard came on, the indicator of which differs in different models cars.

One of the main passive safety systems of a modern car are airbags, which are called AirBag (literally translated as “air bag”) or colloquially as “airbag”. Their main purpose is to soften the impact in a collision. vehicle with another vehicle or a fixed obstacle. For the trouble-free operation of this elastic shell, which is filled with gas in case of danger, there is a specially designed airbag control unit.

General principle of operation

The airbag system consists of three main components:

• the pillow module itself;
• airbag sensors;
• airbag diagnostic unit.

When the airbag sensor detects an impact, it transmits an alarm, the system is triggered, and the airbag fully deploys in thirty to thirty-five milliseconds. Most modern systems equipped with devices that store enough electricity to activate the airbags, even if the main accumulator battery will be damaged by impact. Any malfunction of the airbag is monitored by a diagnostic unit, which is activated when the vehicle's ignition is turned on. If the scanner detects a malfunction, the airbag light on the instrument panel lights up.

Why is the airbag light on?

Many users are faced with the fact that the airbag light comes on for no apparent reason and does not go out, starting to glow again every time the ignition is turned on. What does this phenomenon indicate?

Normally, this should only happen after the airbags have been deployed, that is, after an emergency has occurred, since the memory of the electronic unit contains information about the collision. In this case, the airbag stays on until the airbags are replaced. If there was no accident, then one of three reasons takes place:

• malfunction of the pillow itself;
• problems with contacts (contacts have moved away or oxidized);
• various kinds of airbag errors.

There can be many errors and failures. For example, when a car is used in turn by two people of different heights and builds, say, a husband and wife, they constantly move it, reinstalling it according to their parameters. This leads to the fact that the contacts go away, and the system detects this violation.

Typical failures include driver airbag error and front passenger position sensor error. They often occur when reupholstering the interior, tuning and minor repairs, for example, when removing the steering wheel or reupholstering the seats. The reason that the airbag is constantly on in the car (its light on the instrument panel) may be a malfunction of the sensors, that is, the airbag sensors.

How to fix the airbag error?

At almost every auto forum you can find an actively discussed topic: “The airbag caught fire! What to do?". A lot of advice is given on how to get rid of this scourge, which boil down mainly to flipping the terminals or turning off the airbags. In no case should you do anything with airbags yourself. Firstly, it is not so easy for an ignorant person to get to them. Secondly, how can a driver fix a breakdown if he does not know exactly why the airbag is on fire? Continuing to drive with the warning light on is all the more dangerous. At a critical moment, the airbag will most likely not work, but it can hit the driver in the face at the most unexpected moment.

If the airbag caught fire, then you need to contact a specialized car service equipped with a scanner, with which you can erase errors in the electronic memory of the system, identify problems and malfunctions and fix them. Our experts will determine why the airbag caught fire in your car, perform necessary repairs, that is, recovery appearance and functional properties of the pad, replacement of sensor components or pads themselves. Your life depends on security systems, so they must always be in good condition, and their repair can only be trusted by professionals.

Modern cars are equipped with a number of passive safety systems, which are aimed at reducing injuries to the driver and passengers in an accident. These systems include airbags. Airbags improve vehicle safety. But this is provided that the airbags are in good condition.

How are airbags diagnosed?

The SRS airbag indicator may be on or flashing

Airbags include three components:

• shock sensors;
• Control block;
• and executive mechanisms.

These elements of the system are interconnected by an electrical circuit, which is the “weak link”.

To eliminate the possibility of incorrect deployment of airbags, the design provides a self-diagnostic function that checks the condition of the elements each time and notifies the driver if problems are detected. To do this, an airbag warning light is installed on the dashboard, which is indicated by the inscriptions "Airbag", "SRS" or a special icon.

After the ignition is turned on, the control unit (ECU) activates the self-diagnosis function and for a system check of about 7 seconds, the Airbag warning light should be on or flashing. If the test does not reveal any faults, the light goes out, indicating that the airbag system is in working order and will work in the event of an accident. If problems are detected during self-diagnosis, the control unit disables the airbags so that they do not work erroneously.

Some reasons affect the results of the primary self-diagnosis (for example, a strong voltage drop in the on-board circuit when starting the engine). The control unit in this case will perceive the drawdown as a malfunction of the electrical circuit of the airbags and deactivate the system. Then the Airbag signal lamp lights up and an error code is entered into the memory by which it is possible to identify in which branch of the electrical circuit the violation is.

To avoid a shutdown due to a "false" problem, the control unit after the initial diagnosis through certain time conducts another - secondary. If no fault is detected during the retest (after starting the engine, the voltage has returned to normal), the control unit erases the error stored in the memory and extinguishes the signal lamp. But when the secondary check also found the same fault, the airbag warning light will be on constantly. In this case, the airbags will be deactivated and will not work in an accident.

Why does the airbag system light come on

Basically, the problem with pillows occurs due to the wiring connecting constituent components. But there are other reasons due to which the system will not pass the diagnostics normally. The airbag light comes on due to:

1. Broken and damaged wires.
2. Contact oxidation.
3. Fuses blown.
4. Exhaustion of the resource of actuators (the service life of squibs is 8-10 years, after which they are replaced).
5. Damaged or wet shock sensors.
6. Disconnecting connectors when the on-board circuit is powered.
7. Control unit malfunctions.
8. Recovery after operation (replacement of used airbags) without clearing the memory of the control unit.

Since problems almost always arise with wiring, to eliminate it, it is enough to restore the integrity of the circuit, followed by resetting the error from the unit's memory.

Identification of a problematic section of the chain

Diagnostics showed a malfunction of the airbag sensor

The electrical circuit of the airbags is branched and it is difficult to find damage, because you need to inspect all the wires. To simplify troubleshooting, the electronic unit records an error code by which the branch in which there is a violation is determined. But in order to read this code, you need to connect a scanner to the on-board network. It will also be required to clear the ECU memory after the problem is fixed.

On cars of some manufacturers, the airbag system itself can "suggest" where the malfunction occurred. Moreover, on some models, the control unit immediately signals a problem, while on others, you first need to put the system into diagnostic mode.

The signal by which it is determined where the malfunction is is the flashing of the lamp with a certain frequency. Counting the number of flashes technical documentation you can decode the signal to the car and find out where the problem is.

On a number of machines, the diagnostic mode is first activated by performing certain manipulations (turning the ignition switch on / off, clamping the door sensors for closing the door, etc.). How to transfer the car to this mode can also be learned from those. documentation. The diagnostic mode is convenient in that it resets the error code after repair, so you can do without a scanner.
Some cars have alternative method clearing the memory of the airbag SRS control unit - turning off the on-board network (disconnecting the terminals from the battery).

But these error reset methods will help if the problem is fixed. Otherwise, the first self-test will again detect the problem and the airbag warning light will come on. The car can be operated in normal mode, but it is no longer worth counting on airbags in case of an accident, as they will be disabled.

Video: The airbag light came on. DIY repair Nissan Almera

Troubleshooting the Airbag System

It is easy to fix wiring faults - all connections are checked, breaks are eliminated, contact points are cleaned. Worse, if the sensors, actuators or control unit are damaged. To eliminate such malfunctions, the elements change, but they are not cheap.

In case of problems with the actuators (they are faulty, the resource has been exhausted) or the sensors for determining the presence of a passenger, the system can be deceived so that it passes the self-diagnosis normally and the lamp does not burn.

During diagnostics, the unit determines the integrity of the circuit by the resistance created by the sensor or squib. This feature is used by some motorists. It is enough to disconnect the wire from the faulty element and solder a resistor with the desired resistance to its end. As a result, the resistor mimics a sensor or actuator. Then the control unit, during self-diagnosis, “thinks” that the circuit and its constituent elements are serviceable and ready for operation.

But it should be understood that in the event of an accident, the disabled airbag SRS system will not work. Therefore, it is better not to use tricks or use them for a short time.

Video: Airbag indicator. How to remove the error.