Intermittent Airbag Readiness and Seatbelt Lights

[jrshelt10]

Within the last month or so, I start my 2009 XLT and the seatbelt light and airbag readiness lights come on (normal) and sometimes stay on (not normal). It acts like I have a small child in the passenger seat. This happens when the seat is totally empty or most recently an adult is sitting in it. (The recent experience: the seatbelt light turned off when the buckle was fastened but the oraange airbag light stayed on).

I suspect that the pressure switch in the seat is the issue, but has anyone else had any experience with this issue? The manual says to take to a dealership ASAP for service, but Im sure most of you are like me and try to give it a personal shot before limping over to the dealership. Any thoughts would be useful. Thanks

 

[wharriso]

I noticed that my seatbelt light comes on when the passenger seat is pushed all the way back. The fix is moving the seat forward a little. I don't know if that is a defect or a feature.

On my car, the airbag light often indicates its time to change the battery. When I don't drive the car for a few days in the cold weather, the airbag light comes on and stays on until It drive somewhere. It usually goes out and stays out for the rest of the day. My battery is 4 or 5 years old, probably time for a new one.

 

[Flag Gibby]

Pull the codes and see what they are, I tried to help an individual out a while back with a similar airbag issue on the passenger side and in that case the only way to track the failed component down was to have Ford do a pinpoint test on the system since he couldn't identify the exact component that was setting the trouble code. All indicators seemed to point to the occupant detection sensor, but that was not the issue. I suspect, in that case, that it had to do with the side impact airbag on the passenger side.

 

[jrshelt10]

Oddly enough, and I have no idea why this is, but it turns out the battery died and once I replaced it, the fault went away. Not a drain issue or anything since the battery is alive and kicking just fine. Kinda weird but I dont question easy fixes

 

[07EddyB]

Oddly enough, and I have no idea why this is, but it turns out the battery died and once I replaced it, the fault went away. Not a drain issue or anything since the battery is alive and kicking just fine. Kinda weird but I dont question easy fixes

Wharriso was right on the money. When weird stuff like that happens look at the battery first. I would imagine that those sensors are among the most sensitive ones in the truck. Therefore, they would be the most sensitive to any voltage issues.

 

[DavidEBSmith]

+1 on the battery. I started having airbag faults a few months ago and ended up replacing the battery and haven't seen a fault since.

I have a motorcycle with ABS that is notoriously sensitive to battery voltage - if the battery is weak or cold, it throws an ABS fault at startup. When it starts doing it more frequently, I know it's time for a new battery.

If the battery is weak, the drain from the starter can pull the voltage down just enough to fail the internal test. It's also a matter of timing - on the bike, if I turn the key and quickly hit the starter, it's much more likely to ABS fault than if I turn the key, count to 3, and hit the starter. The delay may be letting it get through the self test past the voltage check.