My air bag light and my seat belt light can on the other day. I had the battery disconnected to do some other work and they came back on again. The owners manual states nothing about both lights on. Where do I start? Could it be the fuse in the passengers side dash? '90 L-98

 

Dont know about the seatbelt but the 90 is none for the air bag light comeing on, so much so that they sell a clearing tool. I checked my 90 for codes and it said it was a rf sensor, which I fixed and cleared with the tool ---so far so good--I would check for codes first

 

Ive been told that the seat belt light is the seconday light for the infl rest light. If theres a problem both might come on.

 

Where did you get this tool?

 

I had a problem with mine when I turned the ignition on and had the DIC disconnected. I think there is a tech tip on resetting it. It's not easy and it may take a few times but it can be done if the problem is fixed. I used a momentary switch between ground and a terminal on the ALDL to check/clear codes.

 

Mid America sells them for about $19 with instructions--Its just a button that hooks to the aldl. some one with more smarts than me could make one at home

 

There was a TSB on the "infl Rest" light for the 90's and it said that the sensors could loose the ground due to corosion at the frame attachment point. That could be one reason for the lights? If you pull codes, I think 26 is the right side sensor....look in the Helm to be sure as my car never did it. I did the TSB fix pre-emptively on mine.


Tom

 

Ok guys here's the deal: It's probabally one of your frame sensors that went bad. Check your trouble codes first. Code 16 is the left hand side sensor and 26 is the right hand side sensor. To get to these you will need to remove the side panels behind the front wheels. The sensors sit on the frame rails right in front of the firewall. New they are 60 bucks from GM. DISCONNECT THE BATTERY BEFORE DOING ANY SERVICE ON THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. They are held on the frame by 2 10mm bolts. To disconnect them you will need to peel back the carpet in the footwell area in the drivers and passenger compartment. The wires from the sensor come through the firewall there. When you pull the connectors apart you see the 3 pin connector. With the small notch in the connector facing down there should be 1 pin at the top and 2 and 3 on the bottom. Grab an Ohm meter test pin 1 and 2 they should be around 10,000 ohm's 1 and 3 about the same 2 and 3 less than 1 If not than that sensor is bad. When you replace the sensor take a dremel or small grinder and clean off the frame rail where the sensor sits and apply some dielectric grease to the frame and bottom of the sensor before re installing. You might also want to put 2 star washers on the bolts when re installing to help make a better ground. Then re connect the plug in the footwells and put the carpet back. You can clear the code with a small jumper wire between the upper 2 on the far right side of the ALDL TERMINAL (A&B) Re connect your battery and just turn your key to the on position then ground out terminals A&B FOR 3 SEC THEN UNGROUND THEN 3 SEC AGAIN THEN UNGROUND THEN DO IT ONE MORE TIME FOR 10 SEC. That should clear it if not you may have to do it a few times to clear this code. Most of the time it's the right hand side sensor that goes bad. GOOD LUCK let us know how you make out or if I can help you any more. I've done many of these fixes including my own 90 coupe NO MORE PROBLEMS Pipe

 

How difficult is this repair? I am mechanically inclined but am lousy at electrical and I do not want to get in over my skill level. I've had this problem several times since I bought the car new in 1990. Unfortunately, now the dealers in northern NJ do not kn ow how to fix it and all want experimental time at my expense

 

You'll have nothing to worry about, you can do it by yourself in about 1 1/2 hrs to 2hrs. I know I did it myself in 1 1/2hrs. First get your MID AMERICA parts catalog out and order part#601106 Air Bag Clearing tool, now as you wait for it to show up, go to your local Auto Parts Store and buy a tube of dialectric grease to put under the sensors when you remove them and clean and then put them back on the frame(because they corrode and cause them to make contact making your light's to come on-YES! Seatbelt and INFL seatbelt is the secondary light). Now once the package shows up on your doorstep and you have the tool procede to follow the instructions per the sheet of paper(you do not want to DEPLOY your airbag! and cost yourself any more money than necessary or headache's) therefore disconnect your negetive battery cable.
What I did was to follow the instructions on HOW TO CHANGE YOUR BATTERY in my Haynes Manual, I started with the Driver's side because it was the one or the SENSOR(it "WILL" have a "YELLOW" wire connected to it and will be mounted to the frame) I could see a little easier(just with a flash light, under the battery tray) then the passenger side is even easier when your done with the driver's side.

I hope this helps Thanks, Matt

 

Good write up Pipe. Three things I noticed. The bolts that hold down the sensors, one is a 10mm the other is a 13mm. The other is, I could have sworn the reset is a 2 second interval, not 3. Then also on the reset, it's A-K. Not A-B.

 

Oops thanks for the correction Jeffvette it's been awhile since I fixed one. Did everyone around town. Now there's no more to fix. GOOD LUCK with the repair guy's. It's not hard to fix just a little time consuming. So don't worry if your not to mechanically inclined. Pipe