Airbag light

[MatthewH12]

Al has 2 nice pictures of this part in post # 174:

Thats not what I have though, mine has wires on both ends, connected by a yellow clip connector, not a cap:

The red line shows the wire coming out the other side of the yellow clip connector.

So I'm thinking maybe this '00 Limited has the side airbags installed?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Open the connector, and clean it with electrical contact cleaner spray. Use a little antioxidant cream after.

 

[MatthewH12]

Open the connector, and clean it with electrical contact cleaner spray. Use a little antioxidant cream after.

I know this sounds stupid but how do i open it? I tried tugging on it and it wouldn't disconnect.

--Matt

 

[CDW6212R]

The connectors all have a little tab/finger that has to be pressed down/in to let the two separate. If you do have a resistance error in the circuit, checking the resistances may be the answer. Do not test the pins for the connector leading to the air bag, that can deploy the bag. Test the side leading away from the seat. You should disconnect the battery first before any testing, waiting ten minutes first. You should find almost no resistance going to the air bag module from any of the air bag connectors(not air bag).

I don't know what the common causes of the errors are, they seem to point to the wrong resistance. I know that almost each year uses different connectors, so swapping air bags and resistors is not possible. The resistors are not stocked at Ford, and cost about $10. That could be a good test to compare your air bag to the resistor. I have a 2000 sensor that should have fit my supposedly 2000 model harness. It didn't fit, so my body harness is likely another model year.

 

[MatthewH12]

The connectors all have a little tab/finger that has to be pressed down/in to let the two separate. If you do have a resistance error in the circuit, checking the resistances may be the answer. Do not test the pins for the connector leading to the air bag, that can deploy the bag. Test the side leading away from the seat. You should disconnect the battery first before any testing, waiting ten minutes first. You should find almost no resistance going to the air bag module from any of the air bag connectors(not air bag).

I don't know what the common causes of the errors are, they seem to point to the wrong resistance. I know that almost each year uses different connectors, so swapping air bags and resistors is not possible. The resistors are not stocked at Ford, and cost about $10. That could be a good test to compare your air bag to the resistor. I have a 2000 sensor that should have fit my supposedly 2000 model harness. It didn't fit, so my body harness is likely another model year.

I can do the blow trick, but i don't have the knowledge or the equipment to do any sort of work like that. Thanks Tho!

 

[CDW6212R]

Well then just disconnecting the battery and plugging in a resistor from a non side air bag truck may be a good test then. I'd like to sell you the new 2000 resistor that I just bought, but it's slightly possible that id doesn't fit yours either. For what it costs you would be better to buy one there, where you could take it back if it didn't fit. The connectors are very unique.

 

[John_Rock]

Test the resistance at the module to rule out the possibility of bad wiring, faulty connections, or bad resistors. The procedure would be similar to pulling a PCM, and using a break out box. The only difference would be that you are pulling the air bag module to test everything from there. Disconnect the battery, wait a minimum of ten minutes for the internal battery inside the module to discharge, then pull the module, and break out the ohm meter.

Shouldn't unplugging the connector at the RCM and testing the resistance of the wires from that plug through the yellow resistor give a reading like around 7.2 ohms?

 

[BrooklynBay]

The resistor is around that resistance range.

 

[PalmettoXLT]

This thread is great! I had an airbag light that was on ever since I bought my XLT my senior year of high school. It's been driving me crazy for almost 5 years. I read this thread and all it took was a flat head screwdriver to unfasten the connectors and blow in them. Problem fixed for now. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[okellyh]

Airbag wiring kit 3l2z-14b455-ab ford tsb 03-24-1

1999 MERC MOUNTAINEER
Where is the RCM ?
Where is the Right Hand Cowl Panel?
Our airbag light has been solid on for over a year. I just this week had it diagnosed at the dealer and they assured me that when the light is on we have no airbag protection. Dealership also said it would be $500 to fix it, and I had to decline. I found found TSB 03-24-1 here on on the forum and ordered the kit , hoping the instructions in it would help me install. but it doesn't .
Instructions reference WSM 501-20B which I found , but it is dealing with the actual airbag in steering wheel & column.
The instructions in the kit tell you
1)gain access to the RCM following WSM 501-20B
2) Disconnect 11way connector at RCM in the right hand cowl panel
3)Where 11way conn wire loom exits the main harness, cut 11way conn end off 2 inches from take-out
4)Install service jumper (from kit?) & tape it
5) ON driver & pass seats locate yellow connectors for each seat resistor, disconnect & cut off connectors
6)Reassemble following RCM installation referring to appropriate WSM 501-20B
Now WSM 501-20B is really involved with the colume and steering wheel and the actuall airbag.
Do I really have to get into all that column work to install this jumper?

 

[CDW6212R]

Hmm, I'm very interested to know more about that. I have an airbag light which is referring to the side airbags. I wonder if that TSB is to remove the side signals from the system.

The RCM I take it as the airbag module, it's located in the right kick panel. That's easy to get to, and it has two wiring connectors.

Do they really say to cut wires in that TSB? I'd be very wary about cutting any wires, there is virtually never any need to cut wires. Keep us updated on more of the details of that TSB. Regards,

1999 MERC MOUNTAINEER
Where is the RCM ?
Where is the Right Hand Cowl Panel?
Our airbag light has been solid on for over a year. I just this week had it diagnosed at the dealer and they assured me that when the light is on we have no airbag protection. Dealership also said it would be $500 to fix it, and I had to decline. I found found TSB 03-24-1 here on on the forum and ordered the kit , hoping the instructions in it would help me install. but it doesn't .
Instructions reference WSM 501-20B which I found , but it is dealing with the actual airbag in steering wheel & column.
The instructions in the kit tell you
1)gain access to the RCM following WSM 501-20B
2) Disconnect 11way connector at RCM in the right hand cowl panel
3)Where 11way conn wire loom exits the main harness, cut 11way conn end off 2 inches from take-out
4)Install service jumper (from kit?) & tape it
5) ON driver & pass seats locate yellow connectors for each seat resistor, disconnect & cut off connectors
6)Reassemble following RCM installation referring to appropriate WSM 501-20B
Now WSM 501-20B is really involved with the colume and steering wheel and the actuall airbag.
Do I really have to get into all that column work to install this jumper?

 

[okellyh]

Airbag light TSB 03-24-1 wiring kit 3L2Z-14B455-AB

99 Merc Mountaineer AWD
YES INSTUCTIONS DO SAY TO CUT AT THE 11WAY CONNECTOR AND BOTH YELLOW CONNECTORS UNDER THE SEATS.
But I'm gonna wait and try to research more before doing anything that may cause the airbags to deploy.
UPDATE:
Last night I did discover that ours does flash 3 times, then a slight pause , then 6 more flashes, then on solid. (3 - 6).
When it was at dealership last week the tech told me the computer code was B1994. So I think this kit does need to be installed.
The instructions are on 8 1/2 x 14 sheet of paper, I'll try to make copies of the sheet and get them posted on this thread. Also I need to get a pic of the wiring kit. (not much of a kit for $127 )

 

[CDW6212R]

That 36 code is the same as I have, their are more just for the side airbags. The answer before has been to provide the proper resistance which the module is looking for. I've got a mixture of wiring years, so my one set of seat resistors don't plug in. I've been meaning to find matching connectors sio that I can rewire them to plug in. If that TSB would eliminate the need for the side airbag resistors completely, that would be better.

 

[okellyh]

Here's what I believe to be the real WSM 501-20B
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6614077/Airbag-Safety

This seems reasonable

 

[okellyh]

Airbag wirung kit 3L2Z-14B455-AB pics

the pics
can be viewed on Snapfish

http://www5.snapfish.com/thumbnails...otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=mypoints/

 

[CDW6212R]

Okay, that shows the connector going into the module, and a side airbag resistor. It looks like the goal of that TSB is to remove the wiring to the seats, and use just one resistor to do both. That makes sense I guess, but I think most issues have come from the resistors themselves.

That part number is $84 from Tasca now. The resistors are about $15 each.

 

[okellyh]

Airbag light TSB 03-24-1 wiring kit 3L2Z-14B455-AB

How do I forward the PDF/ Adobe docs of the TSB and the WSM 501-20B so the forum can see them? I have them in my email box.

 

[okellyh]

Airbag wirng kit 3L2Z-14B455-AB
OK Call me a CHICKEN.
I found out the labor $ to install the "Overlay Harness" was $95 at the Ford Dealer instead of $400 at the Mercury dealer. I let the Ford dealer get in my pocket.
I was more than a little nervous about my ability to get to all the places in the vehicle and do the pulling and cutting of the connectors involved. I sure did not want to let the airbags blow.

 

[justanxplorer]

this part is indeed 84.40 from tasca but they are having their end of year sale where they give 5% on all orders with the coupon code EXPLORER.

 

[CDW6212R]

Thanks, I had just bought about $400 of parts recently from them.