Help! 92 Miata Blinking Air Bag Light

blinking.

advance

Well, it's blinking for a reason - count the number of blinks and see below:

Airbag Blink Codes # of Flashes - Possible Cause ON - Faulty diagnostic module or poor connection of diagnostic module connector

2 - Poor ground of all D-sensors 3 - Open Circuit or poor connection of power source circuit 4 - Faulty S-sensor 5 - Fault D-sensor (D-sensor remains ON) 6 - Faulty air bag modules or poor connection of clock spring connector 7 - Poor ground of wiring harness 8 - Poor ground of D-sensor 9 - Open circuit between diagnostic modules and D-sensor 10 - Faulty diagnostic module (System-down fuse burned)

------------- Iva & Belle.) '90B Classic Red.) #3 winkin' Miata

It is not possible that the airbag might deploy erroneously?

I think I would feel safer if the thing was disconnected if a sensor was faulty. Best of course would be to fix the problem and have a working airbag. I understand sometimes it is just a poor contact.

Leon

If 4 blinks, forget first it resulting from an air bag system failure. Check for properly tightened alternator belt. Next check for common point grounding points needing clean-up servicing, including the one nearly under the power brake unit (under the hood).

-Jeff Anderson

I think you disconnect the blue and orange clock spring connector.

It will not stop the light.

Leon

Remove the bulb...

A working airbag is not always best. Especially if you are a small person.

-------------- Alex

Can still be a legal problem for the car owner, if they know and let the car / truck be used on the road and there is an accident.

How can that be a problem? My only passengers are the the type of persons who fall under the average size curve and they would most likely be worse off with an air bag.

----------- Alex

snipped-for-privacy@prodigy.net

and let the car

of persons

likely be worse

IIRC, the 1992 had only the *driver* side airbag.

Don't know about the state you're in, but in PA the driver side air bag *must* be working to pass inspection.

Iva & Belle.) '90B Classic Red.) #3 winkin' Miata

Make sure you tell any shop that may test-drive it, or parking lot attendant that there is no airbag. I would put a tag on the key just to be sure I was covered.

will make a nice one for little money.

Leon

I agree that an airbag is more deadly for some people, like my mom. But it is still a safety item required by law to be built into the car. A special permit is needed to legally drive with it disconnected, in the USA. People do many things, I'm only recommending that one not use a car with known nonfunctional safety equipment.

The repair cost of airbag systems and ABS is why more cars are totaled after wrecks today. They are not cheep systems in cost of replacement.

snipped-for-privacy@prodigy.net

No, a permit is only needed for a professional mechanic to remove it. It's perfectly legal for a private owner to remove his own airbag and drive without it. On recent cars (even Miatas) the passenger airbag can be disabled with the ignition key when carrying high-risk passengers.

And how are they going to know? The only way to test it, aside from trusting the light, is destructively.

does anyone know if it's difficult to remove the bulb or replace the diagnostic module? does the steering column need to be removed? thanks in advance for a response.

Iva wrote:

It's not difficult if you're a contortionist. A couple of years ago, I was getting the '10' code, after briefly getting the '5' code, so I pulled out my '91 workshop manual and followed the directions. The tough part was getting at the connections, since the diagnostic module is sitting directly above the steering column. Once I disconnected the module, I checked the resistance of all the 'd' sensors, and they checked out as within specs. I concluded the module needed replacement, but have not done it yet. I replaced the original Panasonic battery in my '91 Miata (after 12 years, 2 months ), recently, and the '5' code is now flashing, instead of the '10' ! So, I am now wondering: There is a small back-up battery for the air-bag system that's up in there near the module, and after a period of time it has to need replacement, and when it fails to hold voltage, I wonder if it would affect the Module, since my codes have not been consistent. But I digress. Getting back to the original question, the workshop manual doesn't mention removing the steering column. It just has the helpful statement "replace module". BUT, if I ever find time to get around to replacing the module, I WILL remove the Driver's SEAT from the car first, to make access a little easier. I'm not a contortionist, and I'm getting too old for this sort of thing! I've been driving the car with the air-bag light blinking for so long now that I don't even notice it. As for removing the bulb, I think the dashboard would need to be taken out, but I'm not sure about this. Whatever, it will not be easy. Rod

"maximilian" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com...

The steering column can be dropped a bit by loosening the two bolts holding it.

Did you check the power supply leads for the diagnostic module for corrosion?

The module is feeling half as bad?

I seem to recall reading somewhere that the "battery" is just a capacitor. Not a NiCad.

It is not that big a deal. Remove screws holding the plastic cover around the steering wheel column and its stalks. Remove metal cover below steering column. Behind it, unscrew the two bolts holding up the steering column to drop it a bit. Unscrew (?) and remove the instrument cluster shroud. Unscrew instrument cluster. Carefully take apart. Snip snip with needle-nose pliers on nasty bulb. Reassemble. Drive against SUV or other nonmoving brainless object. Find out whether air bag works, and whether life-insurance takes care of those left behind.

That is it, as far as I can recall. Actually having some difficulty with the life-insurance part, but anyway.

Leon