j-dawg

Not my car, but one I might buy. Seller was very straightforward, said the car was in an accident about a year ago and the bags didn't deploy, but the lights came on and he never took it to the dealer to get it reset. He showed me where the car had been hit and the repairs, in the driver's side front corner. The repairs looked all right, if not perfect.

I don't doubt that he's being honest, but I also wonder if it's indicative of a bigger problem. I don't want to buy the car and then need to shell out another G to make it safe to drive. In y'alls professional estimation, could an accident that didn't deploy the bags cause the airbag light to flash, even if there wasn't a problem with the system? And would a simple reset take care of it? I may just ask him if I can have a dealer check it out.

I didn't know about the SRS-light-reset trick; if I had, I'd have tried it right then. Before I take it to the dealer, assuming he's okay with that, I will try it.

najee1062

There are 10's of post about the air bag reset trick... I take you didn't do a search...LOL

First locate the driver side door switch, this would be located outside pillar near the bottom cover in black rubber. Once you've found that turn the key to on position but do not start the engine, Push the door switch 6 times within 7 sec than turn the key to off position. Shut the door and than start the engine. this should reset the air bag indicator if there is a code it will flash short and long intervals giving you a code.

if you get a code let us know how many short flashes and how many long flashes.

worst case if the airbags never deployed it may just a module needs replace or just a toggle on a wire.

when my airbag light start flashing I found that it was just a wire underneath my passenger side seat for side airbag.

But my opinion this shouldn't stop you from making the purchase if this is the only thing wrong.

j-dawg

I did search. I said I'd do the trick when I get the chance. I wanted to know what would trigger it, given that I know there was an accident.

najee1062

let's see..... the accident could be one, the sensors could be, the modules or even the airbags and it also could be nothing just needing to be reset. Do the reset and see if you get codes... That's all you can do right now.

Trini Boom

iTrader: (5)

What sensors do you speak of? Impact sensors like the newer cars have?? If I recall, 4th gens do not have these sensors....

99greddymax

iTrader: (7)

if it's a 98 with side air bags... than thats your prob. i believe that in 98-99 they act up once in a while..

najee1062

yea we have satellite sensors at least the ones with side air bags on the front seats...

Those years normally have that problem with the side air bags do to rear passenger putting there feet underneath the fronts seat hitting the wires. Each time my air bag light came on was do to the wire harness underneath the passenger side seat. The first time this happen the dealership told me that I needed a new module, of course at the price of a house mortgage.