1999 Explorer Airbag Light and Rear Wiper Problems

The airbag light is 'generally' caused by a seatbelt pretensioner.... these are what I am seeing having the highest failure rate. They are much cheaper than the airbags. Avoid stowing items under the seat or between the seat and the console since wiring damage is usually the problem with the pretensioner...... no, I will not attempt a wiring repair on an explosive device... especially since the liability can be so high.

Rear wipers seem to be a real issue in some areas of the continent...... someone else might add their experiences here.

-- Jim Warman snipped-for-privacy@telusplanet.net

The dealer wasnt able to look at the truck until Monday. I still had to drive it a bit this weekend and the light has been off all weekend.

I am still going to take it in to get checked out since I still need to get the rear wiper fixed.

Amy,.

Here is the post wrap...

Rear Wiper - Motor is shot.. (Warranty) Airbag - High resistance in the wire to the passenger air bag (warranty) Horrible Rattle underneath the truck - catalytic convertor (Warranty)

I am worried about what will happen when my extended warranty runs out. This truck has had so much work done on it that it scares me. I keep asking myself what can break next...

Thanks for the input Amy...

You may have missed the disclaimer about accidentally deploying several thousand dollars worth of safety equipment... not to mention the bodily harm that can result from "saving money". The failures I have seen regarding the seatbelt pretensioners involves broken wires... I'm sorry, this is an explosive device and I don't recall signing up for the bomb squad.

In case it escaped you, the concern is addressed under warranty and the original poster is much better for leaving it up to the dealer.

Incidentally, I routinely use 'faulty' air bags and seatbelt pretensioners in my capacity as fire department instructor. It is important that our rescue technicians appreciate the energy contained within these devices. I am never disappointed in the reaction I get when I deploy even a seat belt pretensioner in front of the 'troops'.

There are many repairs well within the scope of the DIYer.... SRS repair is not one of them.

-- Jim Warman snipped-for-privacy@telusplanet.net

pretensioner.... these

continent......

I've seen two major problems with the rear wiper, and they both seem to be related to owner negligence.

First, especially in sloppy weather, the rear of an SUV is usually exposed to LOTS of airborne junk, such as road salt spray, dirty water, and dust. That stuff also ends up in the wiper arm, and if it's allowed to accumulate, the wiper arm can't pivot enought to provide the tension it needs to keep the blade on the glass. That arm needs to be kept clean and lubricated.

Second, and I see this all the time, some people drive around with the rear wiper running continuously. Usually, one swipe is all you need to keep the glass clean for a while, even in very rainy weather. If the wiper is left running, it ends up struggling to push a blade over dry glass, and that puts a lot of strain on the motor, even to the point of overheating it.

I had a '99 XLT, and I learned both of these things right away. Despite all of the complaints I've seen here, I never had a problem with mine.

I now have an '02 EB, and I like the wiper design MUCH better than the one on older Explorers. The wiper is mounted directly to the glass, so it doesn't need a mechanism to park the blade below the glass to allow access to the glass hatch. With a straight arm, it also does a full 180-degree wipe of the glass.