Seat belt light.

[Alex from GA]

Got into the truck yesterday, buckled the seat belt and a while later the seat belt light came on blinking. After a while it got steady. What do I look for? Thanks. '99 Explorer AWD 5.0 Eddie Bauer

 

[koda2000]

There's a switch inside the seat belt buckle that turns the seat belt light OFF when the tang is inserted. There's probably something going on with the switch or its wiring.

 

[Alex from GA]

Update. I went for a long ride today and the seat belt light blinked 3 pause then 5 several times then it stayed on. I remember the OBD 1 codes were read from the check engine light blinking.

 

[J_C]

Seems like an airbag code 35, passenger side airbag low resistance or shorted, or low resistance between airbag control module pin 8 and 9.

 

[koda2000]

Why would an airbag issue flash the seat belt light? I've had codes 3-5 and 3-6 but they don't flash the seat belt light, they flash the airbag light.

OP - Does your airbag light work during bulb check?

 

[J_C]

Don't know, just can't think of any other reason to get a seat belt code. Corrosion on the bulb wire traces or something? If it really is the seat belt switch then I'd see if spraying a lot of electrical cleaner in the buckle helps.

 

[German Engineer]

Try to get access to an OBD2 scanner that can also read ABS/SRS codes for Ford vehicles (The ABS and SRS codes are manufacturer specific and not all scanners can read all brands).
That should definitely be able tell you what the meaning of that blinking code is.

And Alex, If you don't mind driving down to Savannah from wherever in GA you are located, my code reader that I have here could read out those codes. I'd gladly let you use it for a beer.

 

[German Engineer]

Don't know, just can't think of any other reason to get a seat belt code. Corrosion on the bulb wire traces or something? If it really is the seat belt switch then I'd see if spraying a lot of electrical cleaner in the buckle helps.

Yes a bunch of cleaner and buckling and unbuckling the seat belt a bunch of times, also blowing compressed air in there could help (even if it's only air from a ball pump with a needle tip to blow the dust out of there).

 

[Alex from GA]

Thanks German Engineer. I don't usually get to Savannah being from Gainesville, just N of Atlanta, but I would be honored to buy you a beer. I'll try to get access to an ABD/SRS code reader. It's the air bag light and it's blinking a 3-6 code occasionally, not all the time.