03 SE Auto, Has anyone had their airbag light on the gauge cluster continuously flash? Is there anything I can do or check before going to the local stealership with this? I had searched and found nothing to go on except some words on a 99’ where someone had tried to reset it themselves and caused problems. I have an inspection in June, and assume they will fail the car for this, so any help you can give me would be much appreciated.

 

Bump...

Please? Someone must have had this happen?

 

i know somewone with an audi had the same problem... the sensors on the bumper were loose so he had them tightened and then reset

 

Took it to my guy last night (cost me $40, and Stealer quoted $89 just to read the codes). It was throwing 3 codes. Codes pointed to a sensor issue, an airbag module issue, and a computer issue. He cleared them all, one returned and the light was still flashing for him in the garage. When I got in the car to leave the light was gone. Fingers crossed, so far so good. He did say though that when the codes point to different system components it can get extremely expensive to solve... maybe it's time to change vehicles while it's not flashing...

 

me personally i would keep my fingers crossed till after the inspection but i wouldnt get rid of my car because of sumthing like that tho but again thats me

 

Airbags issues are usually really expensive. Just for future reference you can go to AutoZone and get codes pulled for free. Dont get rid of your car because of that...

 

I'll try Auto Zone on the way home, as it is F'N BACK! I'm so pissed... Stealer says it could take 1 hour at $89/hour or sometimes it's taken them 3 straight days, yes that's about $2100 in labor. This piece os sh*t has had so many pain in the azz problems in the past 3 years that I've lost count and Iv'e lost patience. If auto zone can't clear them then it's in for a trade-in estimate on and altima.... Ranting and raving, I know,,, Just sick of this so called "flagship", more like a "raft full of holes"...

Thanks for your replies though....

 

i think you might have to have a consult 2 or a nissan specific tool to pull the airbag codes so im not too sure if Autozone will be able to help you. If they can then let me know cuz my airbag light is on also.

 

here goto this link:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....hlight=air+bag

It's the thread I started awhile ago, there are two ways that people with 5th and 5.5 gens have cleared their airbag light. they are both listed in that thread, unfortunately neither has worked for me.
I unplugged my passenger airbag to replace my blower fan, and turned the car on while the airbag was unhooked, and my airbag light has been on ever since good luck

 

How many miles do you have? Airbags are covered under the Powertrain Warranty! I just had the driver's seat module and the airbag control module replaced a couple of months ago and Nissan paid the claim, so if your under 5yr/60k then they should fix it. Make sure you take your warranty book with you, as the service writer will probably say "since when?".

 

nope the only ones that could pulled the code is nissan, with the consult 2.

 

OK guy's I'm back and I may have found my cause & the reset process.

I think my SRS system is OK. Doing some digging, I found that an intermittent air bag light (mine was on, had the codes cleared, and it came back 2 days later) can be caused by the battery voltage going to or below 9 V. Makes some sense in my case for 2 reasons. #1, the day the light first came on was when I started the car after 6 hours of detailing with the Sirius radio going (part of the time ignition on to stop bell ringing). #2, 3 weeks ago I had the belts replaced and found last night that the alternator belt is limp and needs tightning.

Also found a way to put the computer system in self-diagnosis mode (checking without the "consult-2"). Here is the process...
Note: "Key to ignition-on" (all dummy lights light in this position - do not start car). This is where the car checks the airbag system status. The airbag light comes on for 7 seconds and goes out if OK, and flashes if not OK (my case).

Get in the car and close the door.
Key to "ignition-on"
Right when the airbag light goes off (after the seven seconds) turn the ignition off (You must do this within 1 second of the light going out).
Wait a minimum of 3 seconds and repeat.
You have to do this 3 times.

Once I did this 3 times I waited about 1 minute and started the car like normal. I think by waiting, I essentially setting the system back into the normal "user mode". The airbag light came on for the normal 7 seconds, went out, and stayed out. No more error indicated.

I think I just cleared the erronious error codes previously caused by the low battery (now at a full 12.8VDC). According to what I read, if there was a real system problem, doing the above 3X would not have cleared the errors and would not have stopped the flashing air bag light.

PS... Auto Zone "can not" check air bag codes, only check engine codes.

If you have the error light flashing and this works for you, please post your results.

Hope this helps someone out...

 

wow, thank you Skier....very nice write up

 

Hope it helps, but as I said... It may have just cleared my situation caused by temp low battery voltage. I'll keep the thread up to date with my success or failure in the long run.

 

Bump - Status Update
After the process I described above, the light remains off...

Has anyone else done it with success?

 

no success, my light is still on

 

That's too bad dude. If you plan on having it fixed, please update this thread with the diagnosis, cost, ect.
Thanks...

 

Skier, I just went out to my 01 and tried the advise you gave us on getting the air bag light to go out. It worked! Now I will watch to see if it comes back on. Thanks!

 

I have a 2000 SE and the damn light came on, My battery was six years old, so it could have cause the problem. None of the key switching fixed mine, red blinky light was driving me crazy. So my son showed me the fix, he had the same problem with his 4th Gen.

You remove the cover over the gauges, remove the gauge number overlay, and remove the red bulb, reassemble. Works every time!

There is no way I would pay the stealership to fix that.

Don

 

hope you realize that when you get in a head on collision goin 70 your going to eat that steering wheel. make sure you get pics, or someone gets pics.

 

yeah thats the only reason I have not taken my bulb out
I would like to keep my teeth in the event of a collision
now going on 5 months with a blinking airbag light

 

After your head goes through the windshield, let us know what the windshield sprayer nozzle looks like really close up... Oh... never mind, your eyes will be full of glass... forget I asked...

 

I see the error of my ways, and plan on replacing the bulb tonight, I never realized that the bulb would prevent the Air Bag from deploying, and prevent the glass from breaking into my face, I thought the seat belt would keep me in the car.

Besides everytime I am driving 70, it is on a dual lane highway, why would I be hit head on, and when I do have opposing traffic, I am going at the most 50, I thought airbags were designed to deploy over 35, they raised it due to the young child which was killed by the bags in a 15mph crash.

Oh these youngsters, I remember the day when seat belts were optional, and I mean they were a selling point, Seat Belts! If I could count the times I rode in a car without belts in the back seat.

Ok, sarcasim aside, I know the air bags are a wonderful safety feature, and if I had the $3000 to spend to have the stealership tell me it was a false warning light, I would run right down and drop the $3k on the counter. But reality is $3k is just a little much, if I were riding a motorcycle I'd just have a helment, if I get T-Boned, front airbags are useless, rear ended, useless again.

So I wonder if these same saftey concious folks are as concerned about other health issues, eat right, don't smoke, exercise, safe sex, you know a head on collision is just one way to die.


Thanks for the concern though..

 

why would it cost 3k to get it fixed? steeler prolly charges like $80 an hour and it would probably take them an hour to diagnose and find out what the problem is. Then atleast you would know. It could be a number of different things. I need to go get mine checked but i think the seat belt is causing my light. need to check it then take it to the dealership when i have time.

 

i just tried doing this on my car...after i was finished doing this the air-bag light stayed on for 3 seconds, then turned off for 2 seconds, then it flashed 2 times, then went off for 2 seconds, then it stayed on for 3 seconds, then off for 2...same process...so now it just keeps doing that..anyone have any ideas what its doing or if i can fix it somehow?

 

I just read the Service Manual, and it says that the 2seconds 3 seconds is an indication that the previous codes from the fault were not erased, and if this is the first time the SRS has been serviced it may not reset without the use of the Consult II