Alright, I've tried searching over and over but I just can't find a thread close enough to my same problem.

I removed the steering wheel airbag because my horn doesn't work (relay didn't click when pushing on airbag). So anyways I got that off and saw that the horn lead came out. To add onto that, the clip broke so I couldn't keep the lead in contact. So after a bit of masking tape, that problem was solved. So I start to reassemble and tighten the two torx screws back, reconnected the battery, started the car, and now the relay clicks when i push the horn button (horn sitll doesn't work) but now I notice that the airbag light is on.

I made sure I didn't disconnect the airbag plug when I removed the airbag from the steering wheel. So what could I have messed up during this little repair process?

Or if someone can link me to another thread I'd appreciate it.

(On a side note, I also replaced the blower motor resistor, but I don't think that has anything to do with the problem)

are you sure u didnt pinch the airbag wires when re installing steering wheel

I'm almost certain that I didn't pinch the airbag wires. Thanks for the suggestion though, I'll try pulling the airbag out again and make sure. Any other suggestions?

check airbag fuse and if that doesnt work maybe check the plug under the dash not likly u pulled it apart but just a thought

Checked the fuse, it was ok. But you know what, now that I think about it, the wire for the airbag is awfully close to where the Torx screw tightens against the airbag. You might be correct in your inital reply. One of the wires may be pinched/cut. I'll pull it off again today and take a look. If that is the case, can I safely splice it together or does the airbag need replacing?

if cut wire is the case it should be fine to splice but before u do that i would remove airbag fuse maybe eveven disconect youre batt to kill all power just to be safe wait a little while reconnect damaged wire make sure its tapped or heat shrink what ever you decide to use so it cant accidently touch any thing and you should be good bolt everything back up replace fuse connect battery airbag light should go out

Any luck on getting your horn to work? I just got my cavalier and the air bag light is on and the horn relay just clicks, just seeing if you figured the horn out? I have not taken the steering wheel apart but who knows with the previous owner?

No work getting the horn to work yet.

On the airbag issue, I pulled the airbag back out and sure enough, the wire was pinched when I re-connected the first time. So I cut the wire where the pinch was, re-attached the wires via a wire nut, and put it back together.......the airbag light still stays on. I'm so frustrated. Anything else I can try?

personally i wouldnt use a wire nut i would use a butt connector or solder to make sure you have a good connection other than that and the fuse dont know what else to look for make sure the connection is good cause when i removed mine the connection was a little off and every couple days it would come back on so i had to reconnect it now ive been fine for about 6 months no issues

Unfortunately I don't have a soldering gun. I thought about butt connectors but figured a wire nut would be sufficient. I will try the butt connectors. My local dealership wants $85.00 just to scan for the code, and that seems like highway robbery to me. So I'm willing to try most anything (up to replacing the entire coil assembly).

For a little more than $85.00 you could buy the scan and erase tool from Wal Mart. I'm not sure if that tool would work, but it would be worth looking into, or asking around on here. Did you try disconnecting the battery and reconnecting. Maybe the computer needs to reset. I'm not a mechanic, just offering some suggestions to try.




Gotta keep on livin', L-I-V-I-N

that scan tool from parts stores will not work to scan it. Its an airbag light not a check engine. Even the service light cannot be checked with those cause its a non-mechanical problem.
You might need to get the system reset, should cost right around 100 at the local dealership. Tell them they need to reset the system. They should know how to do it. If they don't go to another dealership. My locall chevy didn't know how but the pontiac dealership did.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Wednesday, April 04, 2007 10:55 AM

Correct about the scan tool. It appears that only GM shops have the tool to scan for the code (which is why they probably charge such an outrageous amount, they figure if you don't want to pay, then you aren't going to get it scanned!). I called a few local shops, and then some big chains like Pep Boys, and no one had the right scan tool. The system reset sounds like a good idea, but I'm leary to try that method if it does not resolve the issue. I wouldn't want to pay $100 for the reset and find out that wasn't the problem. I priced the entire coil assembly from gmpartsdirect and it came to $115 including shipping. That is the worst case scenario though, because then I'd have to pull the steering wheel off and it just doesn't look fun at all.

I'm gonna try the butt connectors when I get home today.

On a side note, I've disconnected the battery each time i pull the inflator module off, and it hasn't reset the light. Thanks guys for keeping the topic alive and the ideas coming. I'll update later tonight regarding if butt connectors worked.

Well, the light is still on after using the butt connectors.

However, I spent some time reading through the service manual, and I discovered that the Airbag light will sometimes stay on until it is cleared by the Tech2 (i assume depending upon the reason it malfunctioned in the first place). So I think you're right titus, that I need to get it reset. Well, $100, here I come.....

Yeah, go get it reset. Since the system was tampered with and it saw there was a problem the light will stay on until it is reset.

an 194 side marker bulb has the same resistance as a air bag, i would disconnect the connector at the base of the column, wire the bulb (on some vehicles you can actually just push the bulb right into the connector) in and see if the light goes off.

ALSO IF THE SIR MODULE HAS STORED A "HARD CODE" THOSE CAN NOT BE CLEARED WITH A TECH 2. ( I OWN A TECH 2)

A HARD CODE IS SET WHEN THE BAGS ARE DEPLOYED OR A SHORT IS DETECTED IN THE SYSTEM, ETC.......

turbo _ecotec wrote:an 194 side marker bulb has the same resistance as a air bag, i would disconnect the connector at the base of the column, wire the bulb (on some vehicles you can actually just push the bulb right into the connector) in and see if the light goes off.

I'm sorry, I don't quite understand what you are saying. Are you saying take the 194 bulb and push it into the connector for the Airbag? Which connector are you referring to?

Also, how can a "hard code" be removed if the Tech 2 cannot clear it? Would a cut wire trigger a "hard code"? If so, would re-connecting the wire remove the code?

I had a "hard code" set in my airbag system. Apparently a short in the passenger airbag. Only way to clear it in my case is to replace the airbag (not gonna happen), which fixes the short. I read in my GM service manual a while back that hard codes clear themselves after something like 100 engine start/stop cycles, as long as the system passes its checks each cycle.