Air bag light will not go off.

[Hitchhikingmike]

Howdy,

For a long while now my air bag light has been on and will not go off. Sometimes its on, sometimes it will stay off. It stays on the entire drive solid, it does not blink.

I don't believe I have side air bags. I have take out the yellow connector under the driver's seat and blown it out with compressed air twice now, to no avail.

I have not tried to pull any codes.

Any one else have any more ideas?

Thanks.

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

Also, its a 2002 xls 2x4.

Thanks in advance.

 

[rwenzing]

Watch the light immediately after keying up. If a trouble code is stored, it will flash a 2-digit sequence and repeat a few times before going solid. If the light never flashes, then you probably have lost power to the RCM or the RCM itself could be faulty (rare but possible).

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

Okay, thanks for the suggestion, I've got a code now.

Immediately after starting the engine, the air bag light flashes 3 times, then after two seconds flashes 3 times again, five seconds later the entire process repeats four more times flashing the same number. It appears to flash "33" a total of 5 times. After all this the light stays on solid for the rest of the drive.

Do you know what the significance of the code 33 is?

I have an OBDII code list sheet and "33" does not appear to have the syntax of an OBDII code. However I do not have a OBDII reader to pull the code the proper way.

According to: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//archive/index.php/t-150784.html
it appears that I must replace my driver side seat belt pretensioner? Is this right?

Thanks.

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

Can any one tell me about the air bag code "33"?

Any one ever fixed a code like this before?

 

[rwenzing]

First of all, I don't have the correct 2002 Explorer shop manual, so take this for what its worth. Air bag code assignments sometimes vary from model to model and year to year.

In both the 2000 Explorer manual and the 2002 Ranger manual, LFC 33 is for high resistance in the passenger side (dash) airbag circuit. Some common causes could be an unplugged or dirty connector or a cut wire. Less likely would be a bad PS airbag module or bad Restraints Control Module.

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

Hmm. I guess I will go around and unplug and clean out ever single plug under the driver's and passenger's seat in hopes of completing the circuit.

I guess I should also check the fuses? I guess air bag components also go through the fuse box, but I have no idea why an air bag fuse would blow.

Thanks for your help and time.

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

Good news, I unplugged all three connectors under the driver's seat and all two under the passenger seat. I sprayed them all out with air and cleaned the mettle connectors with rubbing alcohol on a Q tip. The air bag light does not come one now. Last time I only cleaned the the yellow connector under the driver's seat.

Hopefully it will stay off permanently and I will not have to do this every month. Thanks again.