Airbag light on

[zurberts]

I took my '05 XRS Matrix to the dealership since the airbag light is on. The following codes were retrieved. They say replacing the centre airbag sensor would "likely" solve the problem but aren't certain. It would cost $500 or 4 hrs labour to "maybe find out the same thing". In this case it is $1k.

The car is also from the US and I am in Canada. The dealer covers their behind by saying the codes are different and this is why they are uncertain.

B1650 - Occupant classification system malfunction
B1801 - open in D squib circuit
B1803 - short in D squib circuit (T0+B)
B1806 - Open in P squib circuit
B1811 - Open in D squib (dual stage - 2nd step) circuit
B1816 - Open in P squib (dual stage - 2nd step) circuit
B1901 - Open in P/T squib (D seat side circuit)
B1906 - Open in P/T squib (P seat side circuit)

Any thoughts/suggestions? The person I bought it off says the vehicle wasn't in an accident...do you believe them or should I be slapped? They have promised to ask a US dealer for advice.

[matrixdude06]

how much miles are on the car? i would think that would be covered under the warranty

[Qslim]

Mother of god, those are some codes, huh.... I would certainly put money on the airbag control unit in this case. It's trying to tell you that it is sensing failures in the steering wheel airbag, the passenger side dashboard airbag, both front seatbelt tensioner squibs, and the occupant classification system for variable deployment. That's pretty close to the whole system. The center airbag computer is the only thing that all these different areas have in common, so the probability that your problem is there is high.
On another note, 4 hours just to replace the computer is a little steep. It shouldn't take anymore than maybe 30 minutes to remove the lower center panel to get to it. Just a note.

[zurberts]

Thanks for the help. To clarify, they said 4 hrs to diagnose the signals to be certain that it is the centre airbag sensor.

By the way, what are the squibs. I am unfamiliar with that term.

Thx

[Qslim]

Originally Posted by zurberts

Thanks for the help. To clarify, they said 4 hrs to diagnose the signals to be certain that it is the centre airbag sensor.

By the way, what are the squibs. I am unfamiliar with that term.

Thx

I see, it just sounded from your first post that they were unsure if this repair would do it or not. One word of advice, be very clear that if this does indeed not fix the problem, you won't be charged and the part will be returned. Expensive control units are not the place to 'shotgun' repairs.

The squibs are the actual units with explosive filler. The airbag squibs explode and inflate the bags, and the seatbelt squibs explode to retract the belts.

[bc toy]

I'll start off by saying that I know nothing about airbags or their circuits, but the one code that sticks out to me is B1803 - short in D squib circuit (T0+B)
Is it possible that something shorted out this part of the circuit near the steering wheel, then it popped some kind of fuse and left the rest of the airbag circuit open?
You know on the steering wheel, how the horn makes it's contact from the steering wheel to the steering column.....does the airbag also use similar contacts? Maybe something fell in between the steering wheel and the steering column and shorted it out?

[Qslim]

No, the driver airbag connects directly through the spiral cable, not through horn contacts. If something happened to the driver airbag, it wouldn't cause a fault elsewhere in the system. The only possibility here other than the center airbag computer would be a problem in the instrument panel wiring loom, but I can count on one hand the # of wiring problems I've seen in Toyotas (that haven't been wrecked, anyway).

[daveart]

ive seen this befor its the center air bag sensor,(basicly the air bag ecu)depending on the km it should be warrenty

[Highwire]

Following up on this, I'm a bit confused about the airbag light. Ours (2006 XR) stays on constantly. I was assuming this was normal. I read that these are advanced airbags which may explain why my 12 yr old son failed to activate it. Can someone please tell me what is normal regarding this light---should it say Airbag off when not triggered and Airbag On when triggered? I am also assuming this is in all regards to the passenger side airbag. I am just hoping my drivers side is working. Is there a way to tell.

[echo7]

Originally Posted by Highwire

Following up on this, I'm a bit confused about the airbag light. Ours (2006 XR) stays on constantly. I was assuming this was normal. I read that these are advanced airbags which may explain why my 12 yr old son failed to activate it. Can someone please tell me what is normal regarding this light---should it say Airbag off when not triggered and Airbag On when triggered? I am also assuming this is in all regards to the passenger side airbag. I am just hoping my drivers side is working. Is there a way to tell.

when you have a passenger, the "airbag on" sign should be lit.. this is the one near the clock/stereo. that is normal.

when there no passenger you will only see "airbag"

[Corolla_reps]

Considering an airbag light ?? would that be the same as an 03 ?? i also have a US Trix barely have 54000 miles on it...

[zurberts]

I had the centre airbag sensor replaced about a year ago which did the trick

[TRDfrankie]

Go with an aftermarket wheel screw the airbag...