As a driver, it’s unsafe and uncomfortable for the airbag light to be illuminated on the dashboard because should in case an accident occur, the airbag will not be able to deploy to do its work.
Personally, it makes me uncomfortable anytime I look at the dashboard and see the light shining on my face. I have to find a way to turn the light off. So, will disconnecting the battery reset the airbag light?
Disconnecting the battery will not reset the airbag warning light if the problem that caused the warning light to come on is yet to be fixed.
Will Disconnecting Battery Reset Airbag Light?
No, disconnecting the battery will not reset the airbag light if the problem that caused the warning light to come on is not fixed. The light will continue to be on until the problem is fixed before you can disconnect the battery to reset the airbag light.
Let me use myself as an example. In my Lexus IS350, I keep having my airbag light come on anytime I hit a deep pothole or bump. If I scan the car, it will read the drive-side knee airbag issue.
The airbag is there but the connection is having issues. Once I disconnect and reconnect the wire, the light will go off on its own without disconnecting the battery or clearing the code with the scanner.
But if I disconnect my battery without touching the airbag wiring connection, the light will not disappear. It will still come back on when the battery is reconnected, irrespective of how long I waited before making the reconnections.
So, disconnecting the battery will not reset the airbag light unless you’ve fixed the problem that caused the airbag light to come on in the first place, then you can disconnect the battery to reset the airbag light.
However, depending on the model and make of your car, disconnecting the battery may temporarily reset the airbag light by clearing fault codes stored in the vehicle’s computer system. However, this is not a guaranteed solution and may not fix the problem that caused the light to come on.
It’s only a matter of time before the light comes back on. But, this is not always the case. It doesn’t work at all times. For my car, if you did not fix the problem that prompted the light to come on, disconnecting the battery will clear other fault codes but will not touch the airbag fault codes.
What Causes Airbag Light to Come On?
Different things can be wrong when the airbag light comes on in a car. They are:
1. Malfunction in the Supplemental Restraint System
The supplemental restraint system also known as the SRS airbag system is designed to enhance the safety of a passenger along with the seat belt system.
The supplemental restraint system assists the seatbelt system and provides support for the passenger by deploying the airbags when the car crashes or when certain types of collisions occur.
So when the SRS isn’t functioning well, it won’t be able to deploy the airbags to ensure that the passengers and driver are kept safe as much as possible.
2. Malfunction in the Seatbelt Pretensioners
The supplemental restraint system includes seat belt pre-tensioners. When the vehicle is in a collision and the passengers are tilted forward, the seatbelt pre-tensioners would engage and hold the passengers tightly to the seat.
This prevents them from sustaining any injury to the head as a result of hitting their head against the dashboard, steering wheel, or airbag.
If there’s a problem with the seatbelt pre-tensioners it would trigger the airbag light to come on.
3. The Airbag Backup Battery May be Dead
The airbag has a backup battery that powers the airbags and this battery may have been completely used up if the battery of your car was drained completely in recent times. Once the battery charges fully again, the SRS airbag light goes off.
4. Faulty Crash Sensors
If your car was involved in a crash recently and the airbags were not deployed, this could cause the SRS system to develop a problem because a crash sensor was set off and the airbags were not deployed.
The crash sensor detects a very fast decrease in the speed of the vehicle along with the seatbelt movement, so it sends a message to the SRS computer so it knows which airbag to deploy.
When the crash sensor is faulty, it can trigger the SRS airbag light to come on.
5. Wet Airbag Module
The airbag module is exposed to moisture or any amount of water body, this could result in the airbag module getting corroded.
When the airbag module gets shorted out or corroded, it immediately generates a trouble code and sends it to the supplemental restraint system which turns the airbag light in the vehicle on.
It is usually located under the driver’s seat or the front passenger’s seat.
6. Faulty Wiring
If all the above listed isn’t the cause of the airbag light coming on, it could be a result of a fault in the wiring of the main computer system. This might just be your problem. This is my problem.
Mine is not faulty wiring, but I don’t know what is wrong with the wiring that whenever I hit a pothole or speed bump with speed, the light will come on, but when I disconnect and reconnect the wire, the light will disappear on its own without disconnecting the battery or resetting the car’s computer with a scanner.
7. Faulty Airbag Clock Spring
The airbag clock spring functions to maintain stability between the airbag and the driver’s seat. When the circuit bands of the airbag clock spring get worn out, the driver’s seat sends a message to the airbag control module which turns on the airbag light.
The airbag clock spring gets worn out if it has been in use for a long period
How Do I Reset Airbag Light?
To reset the airbag light with an OBD-II scanner, follow the steps below:
- Locate the OBD-II Port: The On-Board Diagnostics (OBD-II) port is usually located under the dashboard on the driver’s side of the vehicle. It may be concealed behind a panel or cover, so you may need to use a flashlight to locate it.
- Connect the OBD-II Scanner: Plug the OBD-II scanner into the port, and ensure that it is securely connected.
- Turn the Ignition On: Once the scanner is connected, turn the vehicle’s ignition to the “on” position. This will power up the scanner and allow it to communicate with the vehicle’s onboard computer.
- Access the Airbag System: Use the menu or navigation buttons on the scanner to access the airbag system. This may involve selecting “Read Codes,” “Diagnose,” or a similar option, depending on the scanner’s interface.
- Clear Fault Codes: Once you have accessed the airbag system, look for an option to clear fault codes or reset the system. This option may be labeled as “Clear Codes,” “Erase Codes,” or something similar. Select this option to reset the airbag light.
- Wait for Confirmation: After selecting the option to clear fault codes, wait for the scanner to process the command. You should receive a confirmation message indicating that the codes have been cleared successfully.
- Disconnect the Scanner: Once the codes have been cleared, disconnect the OBD-II scanner from the port. Be sure to store the scanner in a safe place for future use.
- Turn the Ignition Off and On: Turn the vehicle’s ignition off and then back on again. This will allow the onboard computer to reset and reinitialize the airbag system.
- Check the Airbag Light: Finally, check the dashboard to see if the airbag light has been reset. If the light remains illuminated, there may be an issue with the airbag system that requires further diagnosis and repair by a qualified technician.
However, if there’s no issue with the airbag, the reset should turn the light off. Sometimes, the reset can turn the light off and it comes back on after a few miles of driving. If the airbag light comes back on, look for the cause of the problem, fix it, and perform the reset again.
When Should I Reset an Airbag Light?
You should reset the airbag light only after you have rectified the fault that caused the warning light to come on.
Resetting the airbag light can be dangerous because you don’t know what exactly is wrong and if your car gets involved in a car crash, you’ll wish you had fixed the problem if the airbag system is not deployed.
However, if you feel that nothing caused the warning light to come on, you can go ahead to reset it.
Conclusion
It has been proven that disconnecting the battery will not reset the airbag light if the problem that caused the airbag light to come on is not fixed, disconnecting the battery will not work.
The only time you can disconnect the battery to reset the airbag light is when you have successfully fixed the problems that prompted the light to come on. Then, you can disconnect the battery to perform the reset.
