why would the idiot light for airbag come on?

[Umby]

Hope this helps...

As mentioned before, the flashing of light represents different does... one flash, pause, two flashes = code 12

This chart is for 92-93 cars.

The chart for 90-91 cars and other useful info can be found at http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/airBag/





AIR BAG DIAGNOSTIC MONITOR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE





+-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------+
| Code | Description | Pinpoint Test |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| No Indicator | Inoperative air bag indicator circuit | A |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| Continuous Indicator | Diagnostic monitor disconnected or inoperative | B |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 12 | Loss of battery power to air bag firing circuit | C |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 13 | Front crash sensor or air bag circuit shorted to ground | D |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 21 | LH B-Pillar safing sensor not mounted to vehicle properly | E |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 22 | Safing sensor shorted or stuck closed | F |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 23 | Open connection in safing sensor feed circuit | G |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 24 | Safing sensor diagnostic circuit open | H |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 31 | All system air bag(s) open | I |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 32 | High resistance or open circuit in driver air bag circuit | J |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 33 | High resistance or open circuit in passenger air bag circuit | K |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 34 | Low resistance in driver air bag circuit | L |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 41 | Open connection in forward crash sensor circuit | M |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 44 | RH front crash sensor not mounted to vehicle properly | N |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 45 | Center front sensor not mounted to vehicle properly | O |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 46 | LH front crash sensor not mounted to vehicle properly | P |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 51 | Diagnostic monitor internal thermal fuse open | Q |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 52 | Backup power supply fault | R |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 53 | Diagnostic monitor internal fault | S |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------|
| 99(1) | All crash sensors disconnected | T |
|-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------+

(1) - Air bag indicator flashing very fast continuously.

 

[Shakerhood]

Air bag codes can't be rear with a code scanner. You have to count the number of times it flashes to get the code. Mine has a code 34 right now. 3 flashes, a short pause, then 4 more flashes. Then it starts over. Most common cause for the airbag light is a bad clockspring, located behind the steering wheel. Usually it will flash a code 32 when the clockspring is bad. Mine is showing driver side airbag circuit shorted or low resistance, haven't got around to fixing it yet...

Dont feel bad, mine is a code 12 which is loss of battery power to the airbag firing circuit, your code says probable fault low resistance in driver airbag circuit. People that have that beeping sound means there moniter is shot.

 

[TheUser]

ok, from what I understand, a KOEO or any such test will be of no benefit for fixing an air bag problem; that's for problems with engine sensors. The air bag light flashes/stays on to indicate it's own seperate set of faults. There are a different number of flashes for certain things. It has them all listed in the Mustang Car Shop Manual Body/Chassis/Electrical/Powertrain edition.

If you know how many times it flashes, let me know and I'll check out the problem for you a bit.

EDIT: Weird! I didn't see anything like the list above in the shop manual!

 

[Shakerhood]

ok, from what I understand, a KOEO or any such test will be of no benefit for fixing an air bag problem; that's for problems with engine sensors. The air bag light flashes/stays on to indicate it's own seperate set of faults. There are a different number of flashes for certain things. It has them all listed in the Mustang Car Shop Manual Body/Chassis/Electrical/Powertrain edition.

If you know how many times it flashes, let me know and I'll check out the problem for you a bit.

EDIT: Weird! I didn't see anything like the list above in the shop manual!

That list is in my Ford Service Manual in section 01-20B

 

[RMODEL65]

my air bag flashed when i got my car i had a wreck shortly after it still went off?

 

[aete2]

probably a bad clockspring , its a piece that goes on the steering column that is common to wear out on these cars , cost close to 100 bucks at the dealer , installs easily behind the airbag and steering wheel

This is what i think too, when i worked at the Ford dealership i saw this a few times.

 

[Shakerhood]

This is what i think too, when i worked at the Ford dealership i saw this a few times.

As long as the Code says the Clockspring is the problem, it would be kinda foolish to change a part that is not needed unless you like throwing money away!

 

[Foxfan88]

my airbag light will come on every so often, it will blink for a while. Most of the time it doesnt so....