So about three or four weeks ago the airbag light starts coming on and occasionally flashes on my 1990 GM. Is this a known issue or easy fix or would it be best to disable the airbag system? I did find out that NC won't fail the car for the light being on (GOOD!).
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95 DGM Impala SS, 383, LT4 cnc heads, LT4 matched intake, Holley 58 mm t/body, GM 846 cam, GMPP 1.5 rr's, F-body MAF, BH OBD I PCM, LT4 knock module, K&N cold air, Edelbrock headers, Flowmaster exhaust, BBHP #73 6-speed, 4:10 gear, sloted and drilled rotors, Z28 cluster
96 Buick Roadmaster Limited Wagon, mostly stock
77 Ford F150, 400M auto, longbed
98 Suburban LS 5.7L Vortec, stock
90 Grand Marquis, stock -
Count the blinks, what code is it throwing?
2 - All Primary Crash Sensors Disconnected.
3 - Air Bag Deployment Circuit - Low Battery Voltage or Low Backup Power Supply Voltage
4 - Safing Sensor - Diagnostic Circuit Open or Low Primary Crash Sensor Resistance
5 - Air Bag Circuit or Crash Sensor Circuit - Shorted to Ground
6 - Driver-Side Air Bag Circuit - Open or High Resistance
7 - Passenger-Side Air Bag Circuit - Open or High Resistance
8 - Primary Crash Sensor - Not Mounted to Vehicle Properly
9 - Primary Crash Sensor Circuit - Open or High Resistance
10 - Diagnostic Monitor Internal Thermal Fuse - Open Due to Intermittent Short to Ground
Also, note that you can't just pull the bulb to get rid of that annoying light. The Airbag module checks resistance across the Airbag light circuit, and removing the bulb makes it very angry.2020 F250 - 7.3 4x4 CCSB STX 3.55's - BAKFlip MX4
2005 Grand Marquis GS - Marauder sway bars, Marauder exhaust, KYB's
2003 Marauder - Trilogy # 8, JLT, kooks, 2.5" exhaust, 4.10's/31 spline, widened rear's, metco's, addco's, ridetech's 415hp/381tq
1987 Colony Park - 03+ frame swap, blown Gen II Coyote, 6R80, ridetechs, stainless works, absolute money pit. WIP -
OK, it is blinking 9 times, so code #9.95 DGM Impala SS, 383, LT4 cnc heads, LT4 matched intake, Holley 58 mm t/body, GM 846 cam, GMPP 1.5 rr's, F-body MAF, BH OBD I PCM, LT4 knock module, K&N cold air, Edelbrock headers, Flowmaster exhaust, BBHP #73 6-speed, 4:10 gear, sloted and drilled rotors, Z28 cluster
96 Buick Roadmaster Limited Wagon, mostly stock
77 Ford F150, 400M auto, longbed
98 Suburban LS 5.7L Vortec, stock
90 Grand Marquis, stockComment
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check the crash sensor... that code is usually a bad mount or the wire disconnected. It grounds through the rad support, so that interface needs to be decently clean. I have no clue where the thing is mounted, though I would guess top center around the hood latch (look for a metal box with one wire going to it).
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
Originally posted by gadget73
... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
Originally posted by dmccaig
Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.Comment
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Thanks Sly. Will check right now. Are there two or just one?95 DGM Impala SS, 383, LT4 cnc heads, LT4 matched intake, Holley 58 mm t/body, GM 846 cam, GMPP 1.5 rr's, F-body MAF, BH OBD I PCM, LT4 knock module, K&N cold air, Edelbrock headers, Flowmaster exhaust, BBHP #73 6-speed, 4:10 gear, sloted and drilled rotors, Z28 cluster
96 Buick Roadmaster Limited Wagon, mostly stock
77 Ford F150, 400M auto, longbed
98 Suburban LS 5.7L Vortec, stock
90 Grand Marquis, stockComment
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3, one in each fender and one somewhere forward or under the hood latch somewhere.
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Slicktop '91 GS HO 4.30 rear. '82 Mark VI Tudor HO, '90 F-150 XLT, '62 project Heep, '89 Arizona Waggin' and '88 donor in PA, getting combined.Comment
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So you all are thinking there's some issue with non-conductivity between either the sensor and ground, or the sensor lead to the airbag module? If I go jiggling the sensors around (re-establishing a ground), should I first disconnect the battery, or is the module smart enough to know the car is not moving and not to blow the damn airbag?95 DGM Impala SS, 383, LT4 cnc heads, LT4 matched intake, Holley 58 mm t/body, GM 846 cam, GMPP 1.5 rr's, F-body MAF, BH OBD I PCM, LT4 knock module, K&N cold air, Edelbrock headers, Flowmaster exhaust, BBHP #73 6-speed, 4:10 gear, sloted and drilled rotors, Z28 cluster
96 Buick Roadmaster Limited Wagon, mostly stock
77 Ford F150, 400M auto, longbed
98 Suburban LS 5.7L Vortec, stock
90 Grand Marquis, stockComment
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Usually its the mounting bolts are crusty and its not making a proper ground, or the connector is dirty and not making good connection. Could be any of the sensors, so clean all of them. Unhook the battery first, just in case it wishes to do something stupid. It normally takes both a primary (the 3 up front) and the secondary "safing" sensor to "make" before it blows the bomb though. The safing sensor is probably in one of the kick panels, though I'm not positive which one. The Mark VII used the same system, and it lives in the driver's side on them.86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley
91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry
1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal
Originally posted by phayzer5
I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousersComment
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I thought the 90 model has just one... I've never seen that setup, so I dunno. Listen to the others on that. And yeah... Thain probably knows more about it than I do.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
Originally posted by gadget73
... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
Originally posted by dmccaig
Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.Comment
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well, I assume its got the 4. Mark VII's in 90-91 had that same control unit and they had 3 along the rad support plus the one in the kick panel. Might only be 2, the primary and the safing. I've honestly never looked close at that system in boxes.86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley
91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry
1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal
Originally posted by phayzer5
I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousersComment
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According to the 91 EVTM the 4 that you mentioned are correct. I can get post a few diagrams in a little bit in case it might help.Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
I assume there weren't any radical changes to the system between 90 and 91.Vic
~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"Comment
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nah... the major changes happened in 92... mainly with the 2-digit codes and diag module (controller). Think it still had the same crash sensors though if its' 3 up front and the safing.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
Originally posted by gadget73
... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
Originally posted by dmccaig
Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.Comment
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Here are those sensor location diagrams.
Center Line Forward Crash Sensor and Left Forward Crash Sensor:
Right Forward Crash Sensor:
Air Bag Safing Sensor:
Vic
~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"Comment
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I unhooked the front one next to radiator and reinstalled. No change. Can these things just go bad?95 DGM Impala SS, 383, LT4 cnc heads, LT4 matched intake, Holley 58 mm t/body, GM 846 cam, GMPP 1.5 rr's, F-body MAF, BH OBD I PCM, LT4 knock module, K&N cold air, Edelbrock headers, Flowmaster exhaust, BBHP #73 6-speed, 4:10 gear, sloted and drilled rotors, Z28 cluster
96 Buick Roadmaster Limited Wagon, mostly stock
77 Ford F150, 400M auto, longbed
98 Suburban LS 5.7L Vortec, stock
90 Grand Marquis, stockComment
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I meant that I uninstalled and sanded the bolts and then reinstalled. Are these 'boxes' still available from Ford? I do have the three (one each fender and one under hood latch). The ones on fender aren't easy to get to. Wish that error code narrowed down problem.95 DGM Impala SS, 383, LT4 cnc heads, LT4 matched intake, Holley 58 mm t/body, GM 846 cam, GMPP 1.5 rr's, F-body MAF, BH OBD I PCM, LT4 knock module, K&N cold air, Edelbrock headers, Flowmaster exhaust, BBHP #73 6-speed, 4:10 gear, sloted and drilled rotors, Z28 cluster
96 Buick Roadmaster Limited Wagon, mostly stock
77 Ford F150, 400M auto, longbed
98 Suburban LS 5.7L Vortec, stock
90 Grand Marquis, stockComment
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