Each car owner, before leaving the garage, first checks the performance of all car systems. To do this, he looks at the indicators on the instrument panel. Among others, the Airbag indicator deserves special attention.
All indicators on the dashboard, especially the ominous red color, not only inform the driver of possible problems, but sometimes indicate serious vehicle malfunctions. But there are nuances with these indicators. For example, the check engine light may be yellow, but the Airbag icon is always red only. Therefore, it is really important.
What should the driver do if this indicator lights up and has been haunted by him for some time? Is everything okay with the pillows? Before drawing any conclusions, understand the very nature and purpose of this indicator.
Normal operation of the Airbag indicator
This indicator informs the driver about the health of the airbags, as well as their malfunction. In normal mode, the indicator behaves as follows:
- When the ignition is switched on, the SRS test begins. This testing takes about 6-7 seconds. During the entire time, the Airbag indicator can be either constantly lit or blinking.
- After completing the SRS test, the Airbag indicator should go out and remain off until the next engine start.
Freelance Airbag Indicator Operation
If the engine is running, everything runs like clockwork, and the Airbag indicator stays on, then some kind of failure has occurred in the SRS passive safety system. It should be borne in mind that this does not mean that the pillows are inoperative! They can still be triggered in the event of an accident. However, there is a risk of malfunctions in which your pillows really do not work, or will work, but not all. That is why the Airbag indicator is red, that is why, when it is freelance work, it is necessary to go to a specialized car service to diagnose the system.
A common reason for a permanently lit Airbag indicator is the simplest lack of contact in the steering column slip ring. If the car was bought not in the salon and this indicator was always on, it makes sense to think about whether the airbags are in their place in this car at all? No matter how it happened that they worked for the previous owner, he did not bother to install new ones. In this case, you can only sympathize, since the restoration of airbags in a modern car can result in a substantial amount.
The following fault scenarios are also common:
- lack of contact with the pillow and seat belt;
- lack of response from the shock sensor;
- false activation of the airbag control unit as a result of disconnecting the battery (for example, in an accident).
Regardless of the reason, we advise you not to postpone the problem of the burning airbag sensor in the far box, but to go to a specialized auto repair shop as early as possible.
