Airbag light

[GR11M]

The problems been fixed but like every other thread with no definitive answer, so if you've read this far looking for the answer you're bang out of luck.

EDIT 18 months later: Not sure why I hadn't updated this but I'm pretty sure I remember the cause of my air bag light was down to a lose wire, under the arm rest, that was connected to the control module. I've removed the arm rest several times over the years for sound insulation, wiring, short shifter etc and every time you remove it, it stresses the loom as it's connected to the arm rest but you need to lift it high enough to get your hand in to unclip the connectors.

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[MarkM]

The problems been fixed but like every other thread with no definitive answer, so if you've read this far looking for the answer you're bang out of luck.

I'm already looking to start my next thread, this time on battery/starter motor issues.

Mine’s still the same, been trying auto sparks and they just don’t want the hassle :(
I think I’m just going to give it away to webuyanycar and buy a C63, pity, I’ve loved the Mustang but they’re just not the quality I’m used to :(

 

[GR11M]

Nothing lasts forever, at least with Mustangs there's a lot of knowledge and fairly cheap parts. I'm also looking to replace the puddle lights again too

 

[sunhorntortoise]

The problems been fixed but like every other thread with no definitive answer, so if you've read this far looking for the answer you're bang out of luck.

I'm already looking to start my next thread, this time on battery/starter motor issues.

Out of curiosity, did you get a definite fix for this? I have a 2022 EU GT, the error first popped up this spring and then it seemed to come and go. Recently it's been constantly on, the exact same error code in Forscan that you had.
Ford tried to diagnose it, at first they just messed up the hood plastic covers but gave me back the car to go somewhere else please and try with them. Other place sat on it for a week, replaced the hinge actuator in warranty. The error was gone for 10 days, today it just came back... I'm reserving a new appointment tomorrow but I'd really like to know what to tell them, what to check? They clearly have no idea.

 

[GR11M]

Out of curiosity, did you get a definite fix for this? I have a 2022 EU GT, the error first popped up this spring and then it seemed to come and go. Recently it's been constantly on, the exact same error code in Forscan that you had.
Ford tried to diagnose it, at first they just messed up the hood plastic covers but gave me back the car to go somewhere else please and try with them. Other place sat on it for a week, replaced the hinge actuator in warranty. The error was gone for 10 days, today it just came back... I'm reserving a new appointment tomorrow but I'd really like to know what to tell them, what to check? They clearly have no idea.

Underneath the arm rest is the RCM (restraint control module) which controls the safety features in the car, including the hood actuators that my fault code was showing was at fault. The actual fault was where I had taken out the arm rest over the years (for sound insulation, short shifter, Sync3 upgrade etc) and 1 of the wires had come loose. The problem is when the air bag light is on all the safety features are disabled, including the air bags.

It sounds like they automatically assumed it was the hood actuator like I did. Both of the hood actuators are wired into the fuse box in the engine bay, then through the firewall into the fuse box in the foot well and then it runs up the side of the trans tunnel to the RCM. Wires then also run up to the rear for the reversing sensors/camera.

Disconnect the battery, then check the fuses and connectors into both fuse panels and then pull up the arm rest and check the RCM.

 

[sunhorntortoise]

I checked some videos about how the RCM module is being checked and repaired... ugh, that's the last thing I want these "professionals" to work on, they would have to take apart half of the car interior.

So this error has been constantly on the last weeks. Yesterday I did a deep cleaning, moved the chairs all around so I can pass with the vacuum cleaner. Guess what, the air airbag light is gone for now...

 

[V8_MOTOR]

I checked some videos about how the RCM module is being checked and repaired... ugh, that's the last thing I want these "professionals" to work on, they would have to take apart half of the car interior.

So this error has been constantly on the last weeks. Yesterday I did a deep cleaning, moved the chairs all around so I can pass with the vacuum cleaner. Guess what, the air airbag light is gone for now...

Sounds like a connection issue around the seats? There are a lot of sensors in the front seats which if fault can throw up a light.

 

[sunhorntortoise]

Sounds like a connection issue around the seats? There are a lot of sensors in the front seats which if fault can throw up a light.

Yeah, definitely suspicious for me. What's weird is that the error code is specifically for the hood latch deployment, which should not be related to the seat connectors.

 

[sunhorntortoise]

Wanted to post an update. I've been to Ford already 4 times, first they replaced the hood deployment explosive, now after 2 more visits, they replaced all the wiring/connectors under the passenger seat. They attached these photos to my warranty case:

After driving the car for about 30 kms, the dreaded airbag light is back... I checked the error code in Forscan, it's the exact same as before: passenger side hood hinge deployment control (plus I have an often recurring HVAC damp position sensor error, but I don't even care about that anymore, the AC works fine).

After stopping the car for a few minutes and restarting it...the airbag light is gone now. I only have the error in the DTC history (+ in the Fordpass app alert messages). Honestly I'm not sure what to tell the Ford people, how can they reproduce the error and how can I actually confirm I got back my car really fixed this time?

It's very frustrating, I feel like they don't really know what they are looking for. If I tell them clues, like hood hinge deployer, they replace that, if I tell them seat wiring, they replace that, taking the shortest path always. I should not tell them anything yet I feel like I know and understand more about this car than the official Ford mechanics.


Can anyone confirm if I have working airbags when this error code is present and I have the airbag lights on? It would be nice to know if I'm expected to die while driving , or just the hood deployment thingy won't work (and a pedestrian gets hurt but at least not me or my passenger).

 

[raptor17GT]

The car designers and hardware design techs are definitely smarter than your average dealer technician, that's for sure.

 

[SCP440]

A lot of modern cars seem to have repeated Airbag warning problems, friends in the garage trade reckon they get at least one in most weeks and some just wont go forever. one was telling me he had to write a Renault off recently because the cost of fixing it was going to be more than the cars value. Used parts often wont work because they are coded to the car.

 

[sunhorntortoise]

Hi all! For those who end up in this thread in the future, just wanted to provide an update: my problem has been solved permanently! I no longer have the airbag light popping up, no error codes, nothing, my car works as expected. The problem was with cable contact between the Restraints Control Module (RCM) and some other components/sensors of the car. (Exactly as suggested by others here and exactly what I kept telling the Ford mechanics for months without success.)

It took me about 5 or 6 visits to the dealer, I don't even remember anymore. After the lot of unnecessary seat cabling, etc. replacements, finally what solved the problem: disassembling the car interior and checking the cables, reassembling everything -> the error was gone. At this point, I told them don't even bother replacing the RCM because it seems it's unnecessary, but they insisted that it's under warranty and they already ordered the module, so let's do it anyway.

As expected, the more often I went to the dealer, the more chance there was to damage my car and indeed it eventually happened. After the cable checking, I came home with a paint scratch on the front:

Unfortunately this was a few days after Christmas, I didn't even check the car for damages and noticed it only a week later when the shop was closed for vacations. Since I reported the damage many days later, they didn't rush to offer any compensation or fix as I could have been the one scratching it. (Which wasn't the case with the car parked all week but ofc I can't prove it, it's "my mistake" for not noticing it.) I told them to check their security footage, they said it's too low quality to see if there was a scratch before I arrived or not.

So finally I took the car for the last appointment, to replace the RCM, they did it in less than a day. I picked up the car again (this time checking the paint ) and guess what: there was no seat belt installed in the driver's seat! They couldn't even believe it at first, I had to call the mechanic to try to click the seatbelt: there was nowhere to click it, the red socket part, from the right side of the driver's seat was completely missing. Thank God I found it there before leaving the shop.

They took back the car, "just 5 minutes and will be fixed" and after half an hour I got back my car. Again, no new paint scratches , but this time they scratched my driver's seat:

I noticed this and made them take photos, the manager of the shop was busy so he couldn't come but they promised to follow up with me and fix it the next time I'll be there. Ofc they never followed up ever since then, but I'll make sure to remind them when I go for an oil change in 2 months.

So that's my story, the car is permanently fixed, my soul (and my paint) is permanently scratched, it is the first ever damage on this car, until this point, for the last 2.5 years it has been absolutely spotless and scratchless. I won't get this fixed because this tiny scratch would cost 200-250 euros at least, because they have to match the paint on the entire front piece to make sure it doesn't look crappy. I can and I will live with it and if (hopefully never) I will get more scratches in the front, I'll get them fixed all together in the future. When it's dusty or there isn't strong sunlight, the scratch is almost impossible to notice unless you're looking for it...

 

[WD Pro]

If I recall correctly, the seat has to come out to replace that trim …

The seats are heavy and a little awkward to manoeuvre out of the door (especially the Recaro due to the built in headrest).

Personally, I would ask for the trim and swap it yourself (I’ve done that exact job with the seat plastic and the base cover).

I hope the last bit of this saga turns out OK for you

WD

 

[snake bite]

Hi all! For those who end up in this thread in the future, just wanted to provide an update: my problem has been solved permanently! I no longer have the airbag light popping up, no error codes, nothing, my car works as expected. The problem was with cable contact between the Restraints Control Module (RCM) and some other components/sensors of the car. (Exactly as suggested by others here and exactly what I kept telling the Ford mechanics for months without success.)

It took me about 5 or 6 visits to the dealer, I don't even remember anymore. After the lot of unnecessary seat cabling, etc. replacements, finally what solved the problem: disassembling the car interior and checking the cables, reassembling everything -> the error was gone. At this point, I told them don't even bother replacing the RCM because it seems it's unnecessary, but they insisted that it's under warranty and they already ordered the module, so let's do it anyway.

As expected, the more often I went to the dealer, the more chance there was to damage my car and indeed it eventually happened. After the cable checking, I came home with a paint scratch on the front:

Unfortunately this was a few days after Christmas, I didn't even check the car for damages and noticed it only a week later when the shop was closed for vacations. Since I reported the damage many days later, they didn't rush to offer any compensation or fix as I could have been the one scratching it. (Which wasn't the case with the car parked all week but ofc I can't prove it, it's "my mistake" for not noticing it.) I told them to check their security footage, they said it's too low quality to see if there was a scratch before I arrived or not.

So finally I took the car for the last appointment, to replace the RCM, they did it in less than a day. I picked up the car again (this time checking the paint ) and guess what: there was no seat belt installed in the driver's seat! They couldn't even believe it at first, I had to call the mechanic to try to click the seatbelt: there was nowhere to click it, the red socket part, from the right side of the driver's seat was completely missing. Thank God I found it there before leaving the shop.

They took back the car, "just 5 minutes and will be fixed" and after half an hour I got back my car. Again, no new paint scratches , but this time they scratched my driver's seat:

I noticed this and made them take photos, the manager of the shop was busy so he couldn't come but they promised to follow up with me and fix it the next time I'll be there. Ofc they never followed up ever since then, but I'll make sure to remind them when I go for an oil change in 2 months.

So that's my story, the car is permanently fixed, my soul (and my paint) is permanently scratched, it is the first ever damage on this car, until this point, for the last 2.5 years it has been absolutely spotless and scratchless. I won't get this fixed because this tiny scratch would cost 200-250 euros at least, because they have to match the paint on the entire front piece to make sure it doesn't look crappy. I can and I will live with it and if (hopefully never) I will get more scratches in the front, I'll get them fixed all together in the future. When it's dusty or there isn't strong sunlight, the scratch is almost impossible to notice unless you're looking for it...

Glad your car is finally fixed. Unfortunate your car got damaged at the the dealership, that really annoys me. It seems.to be a common thing that the people working on our cars don't give a shit. Unfortunately it's my experience here in Australia too, must be a requirement to get a job at a dealership.

 

[Gregs24]

Hi all! For those who end up in this thread in the future, just wanted to provide an update: my problem has been solved permanently! I no longer have the airbag light popping up, no error codes, nothing, my car works as expected. The problem was with cable contact between the Restraints Control Module (RCM) and some other components/sensors of the car. (Exactly as suggested by others here and exactly what I kept telling the Ford mechanics for months without success.)

It took me about 5 or 6 visits to the dealer, I don't even remember anymore. After the lot of unnecessary seat cabling, etc. replacements, finally what solved the problem: disassembling the car interior and checking the cables, reassembling everything -> the error was gone. At this point, I told them don't even bother replacing the RCM because it seems it's unnecessary, but they insisted that it's under warranty and they already ordered the module, so let's do it anyway.

As expected, the more often I went to the dealer, the more chance there was to damage my car and indeed it eventually happened. After the cable checking, I came home with a paint scratch on the front:

Unfortunately this was a few days after Christmas, I didn't even check the car for damages and noticed it only a week later when the shop was closed for vacations. Since I reported the damage many days later, they didn't rush to offer any compensation or fix as I could have been the one scratching it. (Which wasn't the case with the car parked all week but ofc I can't prove it, it's "my mistake" for not noticing it.) I told them to check their security footage, they said it's too low quality to see if there was a scratch before I arrived or not.

So finally I took the car for the last appointment, to replace the RCM, they did it in less than a day. I picked up the car again (this time checking the paint ) and guess what: there was no seat belt installed in the driver's seat! They couldn't even believe it at first, I had to call the mechanic to try to click the seatbelt: there was nowhere to click it, the red socket part, from the right side of the driver's seat was completely missing. Thank God I found it there before leaving the shop.

They took back the car, "just 5 minutes and will be fixed" and after half an hour I got back my car. Again, no new paint scratches , but this time they scratched my driver's seat:

I noticed this and made them take photos, the manager of the shop was busy so he couldn't come but they promised to follow up with me and fix it the next time I'll be there. Ofc they never followed up ever since then, but I'll make sure to remind them when I go for an oil change in 2 months.

So that's my story, the car is permanently fixed, my soul (and my paint) is permanently scratched, it is the first ever damage on this car, until this point, for the last 2.5 years it has been absolutely spotless and scratchless. I won't get this fixed because this tiny scratch would cost 200-250 euros at least, because they have to match the paint on the entire front piece to make sure it doesn't look crappy. I can and I will live with it and if (hopefully never) I will get more scratches in the front, I'll get them fixed all together in the future. When it's dusty or there isn't strong sunlight, the scratch is almost impossible to notice unless you're looking for it...

Try wetting the scratch on the paintwork - if it is not visible when wet it will polish out.

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