How to get my damn air bag light back off?!

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10-31-2009, 03:59 PM
icepenguin66

How to get my damn air bag light back off?!

My stupid air bag light on my 1990 came back on and I need to get it off! When I installed the new steering wheel 6 yrs ago, I put some resistors of sort to trick it into thinking the air bag was still there. That worked for about 4 years and the light came on. AJ said he didn't use resistors and just connected the wires, so that worked for the last 2 years. Now the light is back! What the heck should I do? I really don't want to have to take the cluster out to cover the light from inside the gauges.
10-31-2009, 04:07 PM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by icepenguin66

My stupid air bag light on my 1990 came back on and I need to get it off! When I installed the new steering wheel 6 yrs ago, I put some resistors of sort to trick it into thinking the air bag was still there. That worked for about 4 years and the light came on. AJ said he didn't use resistors and just connected the wires, so that worked for the last 2 years. Now the light is back! What the heck should I do? I really don't want to have to take the cluster out to cover the light from inside the gauges.

Have you checked what code it flashes when you start the car? It may have nothing to do with the removed bag and be a bad sensor or something.
10-31-2009, 05:26 PM
motorollow

I put a piece of black tape over my flashing airbag light. Works great!
11-04-2009, 05:49 PM
icepenguin66

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorollow

I put a piece of black tape over my flashing airbag light. Works great!

Yeah but that's a pita! and near impossible to remove the guage hood without breaking those damn'd clips!

Oh yeah, if flashes 10 times...the max number of flashes per cycle.
11-04-2009, 05:57 PM
gabkwong

Chris, you want to starting anti-seizures medicine before you have it fix. Looking at the blinking light can get you a seizure. :-) I know, it is very irritating to have little things that are hard to fix or stay fixed. I have been dealing with my CEL off and on for several months now. I am turning it over to AJ. I hope AJ will put an end to this.
11-04-2009, 06:16 PM
channelmaniac

I have a gauge hood that may be up for sale still...
11-05-2009, 09:21 AM
motorollow

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorollow

I put a piece of black tape over my flashing airbag light. Works great!

I did to clarify my fix. I just put the tape on the clear plastic OUTSIDE the instrument cluster. I can't see it blink so it doesn't bother me when I drive. I will pull the plugs on the air bag module later if I can get to them.
11-05-2009, 12:00 PM
Version3

I wouldn't be able to stand to have tape just floating on the plastic (only because I'D know it was there), but I have the blink issue too and it's making me foam at the mouth and see spots. I looked up the blink code (9) and looks like I'd be chasing connectors all over. Anyone successfully beat the blink down, and had it stay down?
11-05-2009, 12:11 PM
wrx74

My light also blinks 9 times - unless it has been raining or below 36 degrees or so.

Sounds like a grounding issue but I haven't been able to isolate it.
11-05-2009, 02:50 PM
Jiggerachi

Yall think you have it bad???? My door sensors are both broken so every time it's humid outside the door buzzer constantly goes off like the horn in Little Miss Sunshine.

I know I can just unplug the buzzer, but haven't any free time.

So the light blinks even after a resistor is soldered in? Does the resistor trick only work in some cars?? Reason I ask is I have a MOMO in my living room and an adapter hub in the mail. I'll be doing the swap in a week or so and I might pull the passenger side airbag while im at it (or just the control module) since i'll have a need to periodically install a baby seat in there pretty soon. The gauge hood is off as well right now if I need to get in there.
11-05-2009, 04:35 PM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiggerachi

Does the resistor trick only work in some cars??

The Resistor trick works by tricking the system into thinking that the airbag is still there. Those that have a blinking light with the resistor in place are experiencing a problem with another part of the air bag system, such as sensors, wiring, air bag computer, etc.
11-05-2009, 05:33 PM
2004Busa

Did I just read that someone is going to put a baby seat in a Miata...
11-05-2009, 05:35 PM
channelmaniac

Sometimes those blinking lights aren't a sensor or harness problem, but rather an airbag computer problem. I documented this a few years back on Miata.net.

There are 5 100uf electrolytic caps to replace in the NA modules. They tend to leak and cause problems.

RJ