air bag light is on

[Sullie250]

my air bag light was randomly coming on, and now it is on constantly. why is it doing this and what is the way to fix it?

[dazdillenger]

That's like asking why your check engine light is on. No way to tell until after you have the codes read. (does your horn still work)?

[Sullie250]

i am not sure if my horn works or not. i didnt know i could pull a code for my air bag

[dazdillenger]

You need a good scanner-auto enginuity, ford IDS-something that will see, and connect to the SRS system. If the horn and cruise control don't work, it could be the clockspring, but that is about the only common issue (occasionally the switch to turn the pass. bag off goes bad-try turning it OFF, then ON to see if there is a change)

[dezl]

what is the clockspring? My airbag light is on and my horn and cruise control dont work. Sorry, didnt mean to hijack.

[sluhbmet]

If I remember correctly on my e99 super duty, I was able to count the number of flashes and pauses of my airbag light which translated into a specific two digit code. I think my code was a 27 which means the light flashed 2 times then a short pause and then flashed 7 more times. I think it ended up repeating the flash sequence a few times before staying on solid. My problem ended up being a blown indicator bulb in the selector switch on the dash that turns on/off the passenger airbag. Converting your flashing light into a two digit code should be done first, as there are several codes for the airbag light. If you would happen to get a code 27, you can put your key in the ignition and turn it to the on position and see if the "Off" indicator ever lights up next to the passenger airbag selector switch on the dash. If it never lights up you probably need to replace the switch assembly or do like I did and remove the old bulb from the switch assembly and replace it with a 12V similar one from Radio Shack for cheap. Good luck.

[MarshallGirvin]

Originally Posted by sluhbmet

If I remember correctly on my e99 super duty, I was able to count the number of flashes and pauses of my airbag light which translated into a specific two digit code. I think my code was a 27 which means the light flashed 2 times then a short pause and then flashed 7 more times. I think it ended up repeating the flash sequence a few times before staying on solid. My problem ended up being a blown indicator bulb in the selector switch on the dash that turns on/off the passenger airbag. Converting your flashing light into a two digit code should be done first, as there are several codes for the airbag light. If you would happen to get a code 27, you can put your key in the ignition and turn it to the on position and see if the "Off" indicator ever lights up next to the passenger airbag selector switch on the dash. If it never lights up you probably need to replace the switch assembly or do like I did and remove the old bulb from the switch assembly and replace it with a 12V similar one from Radio Shack for cheap. Good luck.

My truck is giving me the same code. So do I need to pull the dash and replace the bulb?

[dazdillenger]

the clockspring is a thin ribbon of wire that is wound inside your steering column. It allows the wheel to spin while still maintaining an electrical connection. If none of the controls on your wheel work, you definately need a clockspring. It is underneath the steering wheel, requires airbag and steering wheel removal.

[sluhbmet]

@MarshallGirvin

If your airbag light is for sure flashing a code 27 and the "Off" indicator near the passenger airbag selector switch doesn't light up, at least momentarily when you turn your ignition to the "on" position, then you most likely have a blown bulb inside the selector switch. Replacing the bulb requires removing the switch assembly from the dash. I didn't want to spend $150-$200 to have the dealership install a new assembly, when all I needed was a 12V miniature bulb replaced. I desoldered the blown bulb from the circuit board inside the switch assembly and replaced it with a similar sized 12V bulb that I got from radioshack. I doubt I spent much over $2-$3 for the bulb. Some people are soldering an LED in place of the bulb because they will basically last forever, but some people say that there needs to be an additional resistor installed to make it work properly. It was gonna be more of a headache so I just put a cheap bulb in and make sure the pass. airbag is turned on always, unless a kid is in the front seat with me (which is never).
I've attached a writeup created by a member of the FTE forums. This is not my work, but hats off to the person who created it. Hope it helps you out.

sluhbmet

[Sullie250]

my horn works just fine right now. i will check and watch to see if it flashes and go from there. thanks