6 Reasons Why Your Airbag Lights Are On (Don’t Ignore It!)
Posted by Artem Martynyuk on
You can't blame yourself for being anxious; your airbag is perhaps the essential safety device in your car, meant to protect you and your passengers in the case of an accident. The light indicates that there is a problem with your vehicle's airbag system.
The most vital thing to remember if your airbag warning light comes on is that your airbags will not function in the event of a collision. At the same time, this implies that your airbag will not suddenly deploy in your face while driving, but that is secondary to your and your passengers' safety.
Your Airbag Backup Battery Has Run Out
If your car's battery has recently been low, the backup battery that operates the airbags may have also been depleted. It may self-correct after the battery is wholly charged again, but if not, the backup battery must be recharged along with a sensor reset.
Defective Sensors
Your car contains a plethora of sensors that are linked to various components. They communicate directly with the car's computer system to identify and alert the driver to any possible problems. Sensors can fail or be accidentally tripped, causing the airbag warning to light. The sensors must be inspected, and the system must be reset.
Minor Accident
It is possible to be involved in a minor automobile collision (also known as a fender bender) that does not result in the deployment of your airbags but causes the crash sensors to activate. This means that your airbag light will remain illuminated until you visit an auto repair shop and get it to reset by a specialist.
A minor accident might occur if you strike something with the front of your car while traveling at less than eight mph. Crash sensors are often sensitive to any collision, no matter how large or minor.
Water Contamination
Corrosion may occur on the crash sensors of your airbag system if the interior components of your car suffer water damage for any cause. This corrosion will impair their capacity to work correctly and may cause the airbag light to illuminate.
Seatbelt Pretensioners That Don't Work
The entire official term for your car's airbag system is the Supplemental Restraint System or SRS. Other safety features, such as seatbelt pre-tensioners, are also part of the SRS. If a significant accident is detected, these tensioners can keep you tight to your seat at the time of impact, then gradually release that tension when you come to a safe stop. The airbag warning light will illuminate if these pretensions aren't operating correctly, which might be caused by debris under the front seats. The wire for the seat belt pretensioners is among the many electrical lines that go beneath the front seats. These connections can get dislodged, especially if water bottles are moved about under the seats.
Defective Air Bag Module
If the above doesn’t apply to you, yet your airbag warning light remains illuminated, it might be due to a problem with your airbag modules. The airbags are a complicated system that includes various sensors, processors, and other delicate components that assist protect you in the case of a collision. If one of these computer modules fails, the entire system may shut down, and the airbag light will illuminate to signal a problem.
Conclusion
Warning lights are installed for a reason. If they come on, you should get your airbag system, and sensors fixed as quickly as possible. Why have airbags if they aren't going to deploy in the event of an accident?
You can't compromise with safety devices like airbags, which is why Repair My SRS recommends making sure it's in working condition. We offer convenient SRS module repairs so you can drive with ease. Get in touch today!