Vicarious.

Ever since I bought my '98, I've always had the airbag light on the instrument cluster lit up. I've always wondered why, but now that I have more time, I'd really like to get to the bottom of it.

Some brief history...I have had my PCM in and out of my car (plus tuned twice) and battery disconnected countless times, and the light has never went away. The car was in a light fender bender that airbags were deployed at one time...several years and owners ago.

Also these are the only codes on my DIC. Could anyone give me a good place to start troubleshooting this?

P1545 H C - A/C Clutch relay (the fuse is pulled for now)
C2120 H C - No TPMS sensors installed

fendermender

To be honest, I haven't worked on the C5 restraint system but have on several other cars.

There should be a code. Perhaps the SRS system requires a scan to find it?? My guess is the system wasn't fully repaired at the time of the accident. When bags deploy the SRS module will set hard codes. Also, if equiped, the seat belt pretensioners will blow on any occupied seats. Either of these will set the light. The manufacturer claims all components should be replaced but they can be repaired. Modules can be cleared and reinstalled and the belts can be reloaded. I use myairbags.com. The savings is huge.

fendermender

I did a little searching. It seems a lot of people have had problems with connectors under the seats. Maybe check there. You can easily spot SRS connectors as they will be yellow and have a safety stake pushed through them.

I couldn't find the SRS module listed in the modules that read to the DIC. Unless it goes through the body control module. Don't know on that one.

Vicarious.

Thanks for your input & research. I was going to try the under seat connector...if I can find it.

I was also hoping someone out there would have any info as to what conditions causes a solid airbag light that doesn't trip a code.

Or maybe i need to reset my battery and look for codes that come up in the history that I might have cleared sometime in the past?

Vicarious.

How many airbag connectors are there? I know about a couple of them already...

1) underneath the steering wheel
2) underneath the front bumper
3) under the driver seat?
4) any others?

1986coupe

Is it possilbe that a previous owner disconnected one or both of the airbags inside the car? Have a look under the steering wheel to see if anything is disconnected.

There is also the device under the HVAC behind the dash. If it is disconnected then the air bags won't work.

Not sure about 1998 but on my 2001 (and I believe from 1999 and up) there isn't an airbag sensor at the front of the car.

fendermender

I was reading the service manual and the fuse for the SIR system is #16 in the passenger footwell. May check that. I had a Mustang I replaced the bags & module in and the light was still on. Fuse was blown. Long shot but worth a look.

You are correct coupe, no sensors on my 99. I believe it all works off the brain box under the heater control.

ed97vette

1998 & 1997 has crash sensor on front cross frame.

Gordy M

Another possibility is the Clock spring in the steering wheel was broken. If you have the steering column disconnected and turn the steering wheel more than 3 turns in one direction, you can break the clock spring and it needs to be replaced. If you get a used one to install, there is a procedure to reset it.