Air bag Light??? Anything I can do to reset? help

[samW]

I have an 08 Outback 142K. Air bag light came on the other day. Is there anything I can do with this my self?
I would rather not call the dealer but if I need to I will.

Thanks
Sam

[plain OM]

I presume you mean that the "Air Bag" warning light in the instrument panel (combination meter) is on.

There's another seat belt warning light in the overhead panel above the rear view mirror. This one indicates when the right front passenger air bag is being armed (active) or not (off). This will usually change from off to on when someone sits in the seat.

There have been cases where a bad solder joint in the printed circuit board that the overhead panel lights are mounted to will cause the Air Bag warning light to come on. The air bag diagnostics system checks the connections to the lights, and if one is bad, it disables the Air Bag system, and turns on the warning light in the instrument panel.

This thread has the same apparent problem as you. Look at the second link in post #5; it has more details about the printed circuit board and the bad solder joint.

Not saying this is your problem, but it might be. The best approach would be to first narrow down the area by having the airbag trouble code read. The code will indicated where the problem is, at least in terms of which circuit. If it indicates the light then the linked threads could have the solution. If it indicates a problem in one of the air bags themselves, it would be something else. In this case it could be a loose connector, or something else.

Not sure if the is any way to read the SRS Air Bag codes without going to the dealer, but read through the threads -- someone might have posted a method that I'm not aware of.

Hope this helps; let us know . . .

[Davee3]

My 2009 has warning up erratically & when up the indicator re passenger seat is dark I got rid of the problem several years ago by fiddling with the connector to the seat sensor Hope it works again lousy placement for the controller as no room to troubleshoot without removing the seat. Seems to be worse in the very cold recently (-25C!)

[mark211]

If the light in overhead /maplight is out it will cause the light to come on in your dash, this is a common fault that I have come to know when mine did the same. It is a safety issue and if not possibly not deploying the SRS.
The only way is to replace your overhead/maplight with a new one. I noticed mine when it starting getting cold here ,so just replaced it with a new one.
-- When the light burns out in the map it is tied to the the one in the dash--- It may be a soldier or lamp but why go through all that tracing when just replace it--
ivory or black
There are no codes and the dealer told me and after searching this is the cause.

http://www.subarupartsamerica.com/parts/index.cfm?searchText=84621ag53a&make=Subaru&action =oePartSearch&siteid=216122

[plain OM]

Originally Posted by mark211

If the light in overhead /maplight is out it will cause the light to come on in your dash, this is a common fault that I have come to know when mine did the same. It is a safety issue and if not possibly not deploying the SRS.
The only way is to replace your overhead/maplight with a new one. . . .

Perhaps this solution might work as well (2006 OBW - Airbag Light On - My fix )

[Ice_Alchemist]

http://www.subarupartsamerica.com/parts/index.cfm?searchText=84621ag53a&make=Subaru&action =oePartSearch&siteid=216122[/QUOTE]

Has was the service/shipping at subarupartsamerica? I have the same problem and want to replace the unit.

[vinicola]

Originally Posted by plain OM

I presume you mean that the "Air Bag" warning light in the instrument panel (combination meter) is on.

There's another seat belt warning light in the overhead panel above the rear view mirror. This one indicates when the right front passenger air bag is being armed (active) or not (off). This will usually change from off to on when someone sits in the seat.

There have been cases where a bad solder joint in the printed circuit board that the overhead panel lights are mounted to will cause the Air Bag warning light to come on. The air bag diagnostics system checks the connections to the lights, and if one is bad, it disables the Air Bag system, and turns on the warning light in the instrument panel.

This thread has the same apparent problem as you. Look at the second link in post #5; it has more details about the printed circuit board and the bad solder joint.

Not saying this is your problem, but it might be. The best approach would be to first narrow down the area by having the airbag trouble code read. The code will indicated where the problem is, at least in terms of which circuit. If it indicates the light then the linked threads could have the solution. If it indicates a problem in one of the air bags themselves, it would be something else. In this case it could be a loose connector, or something else.

Not sure if the is any way to read the SRS Air Bag codes without going to the dealer, but read through the threads -- someone might have posted a method that I'm not aware of.

Hope this helps; let us know . . .

Had this problem with my 2008 OB XT. Re-soldered the "off" light, works like a charm. Airbag fault light hasn't been on since. Thanks forum! Saved me hundreds...