Air Bag Warning Light

[Raida]

This warning light comes on when I start the engine, flashes a few times and then stays on continually. The dealer says he's busy and can't check it out for a couple of days. We want to leave for Florida tomorrow. A friend tells me to disconnect, then reconnect the battery (something about doing this causes something to reset). I am quite reluctant to touch this car to do anything without official sanction -- warranty problem?? other problem?? screws up the radio presets?? Any suggestions?? Jim.

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[tbird]

Originally posted by Raida:
This warning light comes on when I start the engine, flashes a few times and then stays on continually. The dealer says he's busy and can't check it out for a couple of days. We want to leave for Florida tomorrow. A friend tells me to disconnect, then reconnect the battery (something about doing this causes something to reset). I am quite reluctant to touch this car to do anything without official sanction -- warranty problem?? other problem?? screws up the radio presets?? Any suggestions?? Jim.

You can disconnect the battery for five minutes, no problem. It will mess up your radio presets. It will reset the computer. You should take your car to the dealership IMMEDIATELY and DO NOT drive it if the airbag light stays on!

TBird

 

[ktEdsel]

Raida,

I think you might need to reset the power window feature that slightly lowers and raises the windows on entry/exit if you disconnect the battery. I recall seeing something in the owner's manual about that.

 

[HeelBird]

Wouldn't one think that Ford would have a problem with one of its dealers telling a customer of the Prize Auto that they were too busy to see them??!!!

A wire worked its way loose on mine about a month ago, and it caused the check engine light to come on....car shuddered like it couldn't get fuel. I told them about it as soon as I got home, and the dealer wanted me there as soon as the service department opened the next morning.

Advantage of living in a rural area, I guess...

 

[PA 02 Bird]

Be Carefull... The Trans will have to relearn the shift patterns.. This may take as many as (2) Weeks... The window drop feature will have to be reset.. Check the manual before disconnecting the battery...

 

[txktom]

I don't know what your air bag warning problem is, but I do have a good Ford dealer story re: air bag warnings. The light started coming on in my '94 Ford PU. I read the warranty, which promised extended coverage on the air bag system, for something like 75,000 or 100,000 miles. Mine had 45,000 miles. I asked the dealer to fix the light. He said no, that the light was not covered under the extended warranty because it was not part of the air bag system. Okay. So I asked him to disconnect the light--I told him I would pay him whatever he wanted (the light was driving me crazy). The dealer said he couldn't disconnect the light. Why? Because it was--you guessed it--part of the airbag system and disconnecting it would be illegal! A phone call to Ford resolved the issue, and the light was repaired. It was a relay or switch in the steering column that had gone bad.

I hope you get your air bag light problem solved. Ford,like other car dealers nowadays, is very sensitive to safety issues. Tell the Dealer its a safety issue and call Ford asap.

Meanwhile. I'll wait for my Blue tbird. I'm next on my dealer's list(yes, the same dealer that sold me the '94 F150--still a great truck.

 

[tbird]

Originally posted by txktom:
light was repaired. It was a relay or switch in the steering column that had gone bad.

It could be much more serious than a switch or bad light. The car tests the airbag system everytime the car is started.

Tbird

 

[whvt01]

On a former Mark 7 Air bag light came on
right after brought the car. Was told not
to drive since code said would deploy.

In trying to fix they dismantled the dash
broke some climate control module. Which
took a year of returns to finally fix.
In the steering column snapped a plastic
ring that controls all the wheel functions.
Cruise, horn. Tech cut leather seat with
a screwdriver in his pocket, which required
cover replacement. Way found about the seat
was through the owner while he was playing
golf with Dad one afternoon. Dad said he
had to leave right the game so could pick
up my car. Owner said OH it won't be ready
this afternoon, seat cover hasn't come in
yet !!!!!!

Hate to hear stuff like this on a new car,
when tear into parts seems to lead to
complications.

 

[LON O'CONNELL]

Disconnecting the battery for a couple minutes and reconnecting will indeed reset the computer. If it is a minor glitch the light will stay off, but if it is a hard fault the light will come back on almost immediately. If you want to try this I would suggest going to the local auto parts store and buying a memory saver. Its a simple device with flashlight batteries in it. You plug it into the cigarette lighter and then disconnect the battery. After the battery is reconnected the memory saver is unplugged. Most of your better mechanics keep one of these in there tool box as it is easier to use that to write down all your radio presets any time they run across the occasion to have to disconnect the battery. They also save the time of reprogramming the door locks, the drop windows, etc.

I just realized I said flashlight batteries. They are actually the 9 volt batteries like used to be in transistor radios.

------------------
Yellow/Yellow Prem. 02 Bird w/full accent
1999 F150 Super Cab 4x4 Off Road
1998 Taurus SE Sport 24V

 

[RACERROGER]

Lon tell me more........ I didn't know one of these memory savers existed. Birdman93 do you have one of these? E-mail me about how to get one. Thanks.

 

[jawill2000]

Re: Memory saver, me too !

------------------
Jim Williams
'98 Lincoln Continental & waiting for red/red/blk #2 of 2 premium Bird (also Vin-less)

 

[RedBirdDlx]

The purpose of the memory saver is to permit the technician to disconnect the battery and not lose the settings or computer memory.

If you want to reset the computer you must not back up the battery with a secondary power source or your computer will not be reset when you disconnect the battery.

I hope Raida tok the car back to the dealer and asked them to pull codes and reset the computer so they would know whether it is an aberation or a component problem. They may not be able to "Fix the problem" immediately, but they can sure get an electrical systems tech to check it out darn fast. No service department would want them driving on a long trip not knowing what the problem was. Anything less than checking it out is unacceptable.

 

[Raida]

Thanks to everyone for your replys. Here is an update: The dealer left a message on our telephone (about three hours after we left the car with him) to say that it is a "defective module", that he does not have the part, that it has been ordered and that it should be here tomorrow. When we responded to his message, he asked (in a very friendly way, I am quick to add): "Do you want us to reassemble it so you can have the car, or could he keep it overnight in order to save time disassembling, reassembling, etc." We said, "Please, keep it, don't reassemble, disassemble, replace and reassemble; we can get along just fine, if it gets repaired properly." I didn't have the temerity to ask him to use his "memory saver" so the car won't have to relearn shift patterns, reset window drop, etc. and to please not break the climate control module, the plastic ring that controls the wheel, cruise and horn functions; not cut the leather with a pocket screwdriver, etc. etc. I know this is long, and I am letting my sarcasm hang out, but I hope my tomorrow's update to you will be real short and smiley.

RedBirdDlx: The dealer did all of this (tore it apart, etc.) before I got your note, so at this point all I can do is wait and see.

Jim

 

[jodrod]

Raida,

I know it is off topic but please see my thread "VINs/Dates/Destinations", I don't think I have you listed or at least not under Raida.

Thanks

 

[Raida]

Originally posted by jodrod:
Raida,

I know it is off topic but please see my thread "VINs/Dates/Destinations", I don't think I have you listed or at least not under Raida.

Thanks

 

[Raida]

Update: All went well. Real well. The dealer kept us informed by telephone, the information was accurate and his promises were kept -- we had the repaired car back within approximately 24 hours after we started the process. Remember, he had to have the part (some kind of a module) shipped to him overnight. This Ford dealer who has been around here for a long, long time but who doesn't enjoy a particularly good current reputation in this community, came to the house to transport my wife back to the dealership in his vehicle so she could drive the repaired Bird home. I am not sure exactly what was wrong or what had to be done to correct it but I intend to have the dealer give me a print-out memoralizing the transaction and also have him fill in the owner's manual for certification. All-in-all, not a bad experience. Nothing broken; no pre-sets interrupted (radio, seats, keys, windows, etc., everything works just fine). No dirt, no smudges, nothing Whew!! Anyway........What A Beautiful Car!! By the way, I also bought a locking gas cap from him ($25.61 plus tax).