Airbag light...sometimes. Console problem?

Thanks amptramp!

 

So my issue is the red dash light (the psgr airbag light on the map light console seems to be fine). The issue comes and goes. Seems to be no rhyme or reason. Still the resistor in the map light area you think?

 

My guess is yes. Those were my symptoms as well.

well, had (hopefully past tense) an airbag dash light problem, and hoping to never see it again (resoldered 'em all). only time will tell...

So I took apart the upper dome light console and that area seemed to be fine. No broken solders whatsoever.

 

So then I went to the steering wheel column. Removed it and found a loose ground wire below the airbag connectors. No idea if that's simply the horn ground or the airbag. But in any event, the airbag light went off so will see if that fixed it. I am guessing not and that wire has something to do with the horn instead.

This seems to have fixed the overhead and dash airbag lights on my 09 iSE. There was very uneven solder, and what was there was cold/unflowed. Reflowing is the way...

 

On the other hand, isn't the airbag system covered for 10 years, what's up with anyone having to pay ?

 

Thank you for helping fix an annoying bug.

Did this for my dad's '08 OB 2.5i. Most of the joints looked fine (albeit crappy, thanks RoHS ), but it did fix it for good.

 

Thank you for the info, and another bump!

This seems to have fixed the overhead and dash airbag lights on my 09 iSE. There was very uneven solder, and what was there was cold/unflowed. Reflowing is the way...

 

On the other hand, isn't the airbag system covered for 10 years, what's up with anyone having to pay ?

 

Thank you for helping fix an annoying bug.

 

They would just replace it with another one that had the same latent manufacturing defects. And eventually you would be replacing them until it was more than ten years later. Fix it right, fix it once and no need to let idiot grease monkeys get at your car.

My airbag light came on the other day, and after reading this thread I went to my car and tapped on the overhead console. Sure enough, the airbag light went off and has been off since. I am going to look at the solders within the console and possibly touch them up as previously mentioned.

Hi all,

 

The dash, red airbag light is staying on in my car (08 spec B) under certain circumstances. I was in a wreck earlier this year, causing the right side curtain airbag to deploy (and thus the airbag light). The car was repaired/put together (airbag and all). The airbag control module was replaced, since it seems the original one had multiple codes from the accident. When replacing the module, the new one showed codes for a passenger seat belt pretensioner. The seat belt part was replaced and now, strangely, the red airbag light comes on only if the front passenger seat belt is not fastened. Does anybody have any similar experience with this? Thanks for reading.

So I took apart the upper dome light console and that area seemed to be fine. No broken solders whatsoever.

 

So then I went to the steering wheel column. Removed it and found a loose ground wire below the airbag connectors. No idea if that's simply the horn ground or the airbag. But in any event, the airbag light went off so will see if that fixed it. I am guessing not and that wire has something to do with the horn instead.

 

Just an update... After fixing the wire below the steering wheel airbag my red dash airbag light has not come back on. It's been at least a month now and it used to flicker daily before. Good luck! JC

Been having the airbag light come on a lot more frequently lately. Going to try this fix. What temperature range are you guys setting the solders at to reflow? I don't want to burn anything out. Only touched a soldering iron maybe once or twice before. Thanks.

Been having the airbag light come on a lot more frequently lately. Going to try this fix. What temperature range are you guys setting the solders at to reflow? I don't want to burn anything out. Only touched a soldering iron maybe once or twice before. Thanks.

 

If you have a temperature controlled soldering iron, use something along the order of 325-350°C. And get leaded solder (60/40 or 63/37), because lead-free solder is a massive PITA to work with and it's likely the reason the solder joints on these boards break in the first place.

 

If you don't have a temperature-controlled soldering iron, a cheapo 30W or larger iron should do fine. A 15W iron may do the trick if it's clean and your technique is on point.

I'm having this same intermittent issue, although only when the temperature drops into the mid-30s or lower. I suspect the poor factory soldering contracts enough in freezing temperatures such that the contact is lost and the electrical connection is broken. I'm going to resolder the damn thing under the map lights when I get a chance and see if that fixes it. Like magic, the light never comes on when it's warmer than about 40, and always comes on near freezing and below.

Had the same intermittent air bag light in colder weather. Checked the upper console and I could see what looked like a hair-line crack in one of the 331 chips. In the picture its under LED4. You can just make it out in the picture, not the thick dark line, but the thin tiny one under that. Anyways, I added/reflowed a small amount of solder on there, and went through and touched just about every other joint for good measure. No more light yet, and its been even colder than when it started. Good for now!

I tried this fix once a week ago after just watching a youtube video and it didnt work.... then read this entire thread front to end... re-did the solder and everything is working perfect!

 

fwiw, my symptoms: sometimes saw airbag off on top console, never saw passenger seatbelt icon, rarely saw airbag on. If there was an airbag light on the cluster there would be no lights up top - now after the re-solder I see ALL the lights up top and nothing on the console.

 

thanks to everyone for the posts here and good pictures!

Ok i just followed the steps here, did every join, front and back, will update on results, thanks everybody

I was having the same issue. Dealer diagnosed as the board in the roof, followed the steps here and it seemed to work.

 

Thanks for the detailed pictures. It looked like most of the solder joints on my board were cracked.

I just started having this issue.

 

Before I go and potentially mess something up, I'm wondering if you guys see any obvious problems with my untouched solder joints. In the last 3 pictures, it looks like there might be some cracking. I can't tell if those are cracks, or just ridges/peaks of solder, if you know what I mean.

 

*After looking at the pictures again, I think those are cracks you can see in the last 3 images.

Edited June 21, 2016 by apexi

Just reflow all of them. Sometimes you can't see a broken solder joint with the naked eye. You don't need to do much more than just heat them and perhaps add a touch of solder. Reflowing every single joint on that board should only take a total of about a minute (I know from experience ). Of note, R6 and R7 look to have visibly cracked joints.

This looks like classic cold solder joints. Guessing they used silver solder (which is the norm now) but the soldering machine's hot air was only hot enough for the old-style 60/40 type. Nonetheless, add some dabs of lead/tin solder and you should be rockin'. If interested, the 000 resistors are 0Ω (jumpers), the 331 are 330Ω and 511 is 510Ω. These limit the amount of current the LEDs can use so they won't burn out.

This looks like classic cold solder joints. Guessing they used silver solder (which is the norm now) but the soldering machine's hot air was only hot enough for the old-style 60/40 type. Nonetheless, add some dabs of lead/tin solder and you should be rockin'. If interested, the 000 resistors are 0Ω (jumpers), the 331 are 330Ω and 511 is 510Ω. These limit the amount of current the LEDs can use so they won't burn out.

 

Most RoHS-compliant (lead-free) solder I see in commercial products, as well as the stuff I use by hand almost ALWAYS forms what looks like a cold joint. Most of the time they're fine, but you would be hard-pressed to find any 90+% tin solder joint as shiny as a eutectic tin/lead solder joint.

As of this week, all 4 of the 4th gen Legacies that I've owned have now had this dome light issue with the airbag. All fixed by resoldering the circuit card. The initial failure rate on these has to be very high.

Thank you for your replies. I fixed mine, hopefully it lasts and I don't have to redo it.

 

I'm kinda surprised there hasn't been a recall for this, if having the airbag light on disables the airbag(s).

Thank you for your replies. I fixed mine, hopefully it lasts and I don't have to redo it.

 

I'm kinda surprised there hasn't been a recall for this, if having the airbag light on disables the airbag(s).

 

Probably intentional because they don't want the defective Takata airbags going off anyway lest you mangle your passenger

Hello all, just taking possession of an 05 that has the airbag light on. Is there anyone selling reflowed circuit boards? It would be a nice service to have, send in your old board and get a new fixed one for a fee. I searched and found links on how to clear and also this thread. If the majority of problems is the board then I would think there ought to be a market for them instead of the $300 dealer charge...

Hello all, just taking possession of an 05 that has the airbag light on. Is there anyone selling reflowed circuit boards? It would be a nice service to have, send in your old board and get a new fixed one for a fee. I searched and found links on how to clear and also this thread. If the majority of problems is the board then I would think there ought to be a market for them instead of the $300 dealer charge...

 

For how easy this mod is, you're going to go broke real fast owning this car if you're rather pay someone to fix it than fix it yourself. I had no soldering experience when I first did it and it worked perfectly.