Blinking Airbag light?

[kwkshift]

Hello all,

I'm working on my '97 and the airbag light blinks. It is usually a continuous blinking, however sometimes, it stops blinking and goes out. Then after a few minutes or a couple of hours, it starts again.

The threads that I have found seem to be for airbag lights that are just illuminated, not blinking. Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[BILT4ME]

Hello all,

I'm working on my '97 and the airbag light blinks. It is usually a continuous blinking, however sometimes, it stops blinking and goes out. Then after a few minutes or a couple of hours, it starts again.

The threads that I have found seem to be for airbag lights that are just illuminated, not blinking. Any ideas?

Thanks!

Go to the "Resources" tab above and get a copy of the FSM (Factory Service Manual) for your truck. It details these type of diagnostics.

Resources

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[kwkshift]

I downloaded that and spent hours going through it with no answers found. There is only 1 mention that I have found in that entire manual about a blinking air bag light with no solutions. The light just continuously blinks, not in a code or pattern, either. Just constant blinking.

Any other ideas short of taking it to Toyota?

 

[ppc]

Have you gone through the diagnostic procedures to retrieve any error codes and measured voltages? As you know the SRS diagnostics have many pages. I would start by verifying system power is not intermittent. The spiral cable in the steering wheel could be failing because of usage and/or age.

 

[kwkshift]

I did that a few times and the light blinking doesn’t change. The only thing that did change, when trying to pull codes using the outlined procedure, was the Cruise and Check Engine lights started flashing as well.

Have you gone through the diagnostic procedures to retrieve any error codes and measured voltages? As you know the SRS diagnostics have many pages. I would start by verifying system power is not intermittent. The spiral cable in the steering wheel could be failing because of usage and/or age.

View attachment 2799222

 

[jonheld]

Page DI-271:
"When the battery voltage drops, the voltage−increase circuit (DC−DC converter) functions to increase the
voltage of the SRS to normal voltage.
The diagnosis system malfunction display for this circuit is different to other circuits−when the SRS warning
light remains lit up and the DTC is a normal code, source voltage drop is indicated.
Malfunction in this circuit is not recorded in the airbag sensor assembly, and the source voltage returns to
normal, the SRS warning light automatically goes off."

 

[kwkshift]

Page DI-271:
"When the battery voltage drops, the voltage−increase circuit (DC−DC converter) functions to increase the
voltage of the SRS to normal voltage.
The diagnosis system malfunction display for this circuit is different to other circuits−when the SRS warning
light remains lit up and the DTC is a normal code, source voltage drop is indicated.
Malfunction in this circuit is not recorded in the airbag sensor assembly, and the source voltage returns to
normal, the SRS warning light automatically goes off."

Okay? That reads as if the light would be lit, not flashing, though.

 

[jonheld]

Okay? That reads as if the light would be lit, not flashing, though.

And how easy would it be to verify the voltage?
Or you could continue to guess.

 

[reida]

Hello all,

I'm working on my '97 and the airbag light blinks. It is usually a continuous blinking, however sometimes, it stops blinking and goes out. Then after a few minutes or a couple of hours, it starts again.

The threads that I have found seem to be for airbag lights that are just illuminated, not blinking. Any ideas?

Thanks!

Curious if you ever figured out what the issue was here? I also have a 97’ LC with an airbag light that constantly blinks. When I try to get codes using the port under the hood, paperclip between E1 and Tc, all three airbag abs and cruise start to blink. I installed a brand new battery but no luck with getting the flashing to stop. Cleaned and checked grounds to make sure they’re tight too. Occasionally, the light will go off while driving, but after a few minutes or an hour it comes back on, just like you mention—never solid though, always flashing.

Does anyone have any ideas? Will a code only display if the airbag light is illuminated solid; whereas flashing means more of an intermittent short somewhere with no associated code?

 

[Brisbe]

Curious if you ever figured out what the issue was here? I also have a 97’ LC with an airbag light that constantly blinks. When I try to get codes using the port under the hood, paperclip between E1 and Tc, all three airbag abs and cruise start to blink. I installed a brand new battery but no luck with getting the flashing to stop. Cleaned and checked grounds to make sure they’re tight too. Occasionally, the light will go off while driving, but after a few minutes or an hour it comes back on, just like you mention—never solid though, always flashing.

Does anyone have any ideas? Will a code only display if the airbag light is illuminated solid; whereas flashing means more of an intermittent short somewhere with no associated code?

Hey Reida, did you ever happen to sort this? I've had mine for about two years now and it has had the intermittent flashing airbag light for what I would say is the duration. I have tried similar steps above and been unable to clear.

One thing I have noticed is that if it is in a flashing spell - the cruise control will either not allow me to engage it at times or I even had one instance where it disengaged the cruise.

I wonder if it could be in relation to the clock spring?

 

[reida]

Hey Reida, did you ever happen to sort this? I've had mine for about two years now and it has had the intermittent flashing airbag light for what I would say is the duration. I have tried similar steps above and been unable to clear.

One thing I have noticed is that if it is in a flashing spell - the cruise control will either not allow me to engage it at times or I even had one instance where it disengaged the cruise.

I wonder if it could be in relation to the clock spring?

Hey. No, I still have not figured this out. My airbag light constantly flashes a steady two blinks per second. It does not change when I jump Tc and E1 for codes, just does the same consistent blink. When I try to reset the light with Tc Ab procedure, the procedure seems to work as it reaches the end point where the airbag/ABS lights flash super fast repeatedly, but the airbag light never actually goes off.

I have checked and cleaned all my grounds in the engine bay, kick panels, etc. (except the ground under the center console, maybe I will look at that tomorrow). I have a brand new battery, brand new starter/ground wires in the engine bay, have checked voltage with car off, car running, all accessories on, everything appears healthy in that regard, so I am still not sure.

The only time my airbag light has turned off completely in the past ~4mo is one day where it rained hard, I drove the next day, and the light turned off for about half of the drive... so maybe humidity/actual water is reaching something and briefly completing a connection? I don't know.

Possibly could be the clock spring, especially since you are having cruise control issues too. Let me know if you end up exploring that route and what you find out!

 

[Brisbe]

Hey. No, I still have not figured this out. My airbag light constantly flashes a steady two blinks per second. It does not change when I jump Tc and E1 for codes, just does the same consistent blink. When I try to reset the light with Tc Ab procedure, the procedure seems to work as it reaches the end point where the airbag/ABS lights flash super fast repeatedly, but the airbag light never actually goes off.

I have checked and cleaned all my grounds in the engine bay, kick panels, etc. (except the ground under the center console, maybe I will look at that tomorrow). I have a brand new battery, brand new starter/ground wires in the engine bay, have checked voltage with car off, car running, all accessories on, everything appears healthy in that regard, so I am still not sure.

The only time my airbag light has turned off completely in the past ~4mo is one day where it rained hard, I drove the next day, and the light turned off for about half of the drive... so maybe humidity/actual water is reaching something and briefly completing a connection? I don't know.

Possibly could be the clock spring, especially since you are having cruise control issues too. Let me know if you end up exploring that route and what you find out!

My dimmer switch died along with the steering wheel leather disintegrating. I’ll will probably order those components and test the clock spring.
Knock all that “area” out at once.

It may take me sometime to get to it but will let you know when it’s done!

 

[reida]

@Brisbe I drove out to the coast this weekend and the humid/misty air caused the airbag light to completely go away the whole time I was there. Now I’m home in a dry climate and it’s back on. Not sure if you’ve noticed a similar behavior or not, but just thought I would share.

 

[Brisbe]

@Brisbe I drove out to the coast this weekend and the humid/misty air caused the airbag light to completely go away the whole time I was there. Now I’m home in a dry climate and it’s back on. Not sure if you’ve noticed a similar behavior or not, but just thought I would share.

Hope you had a great trip!

I unfortunately have not- I am in Houston and the humidity I would say tends to be pretty high most of the time (maybe not as much as a sea breeze).

The sunroof drains were clogged up awhile back and did cause a soggy carpet scenario more than once but “appeared” to be independent of airbag light behavior for me!

 

[Brisbe]

@reida to keep you (and the thread) in the loop. I’ve started headway on “my big project” which involves removing the dash. I unplugged the passenger side airbag in order to aid in the removal.
When moving the vehicle back out of the garage: the light continues flashing as it was.

I would have figured to have a continuously illuminated light on the dash given the passenger airbag has been disconnected from the system. I’m worried it may be an SRS module issue but I will see more into it the more I pull it apart!

 

[Brisbe]

I wanted to update as a part of my “big project” resto was dash removal and thus I would have access to the SRS system quite easily

I disconnected in stages: where I started with the removal of steering wheel airbag and clock spring. Seeing if there was a change in behavior for the dash and then proceeding to passenger air bag disconnect/removal to see a change in behavior.

One of the reasons for reconnecting the battery mid-way was from what I was reading (FSM/forum) I would expect the removal of the steering wheel airbag and clock spring to result in the SRS light in the dash to become illuminated solid red. Especially if a failing clock spring caused intermittent connectivity thus the sporadic flashing airbag light.

However, the light continued to flash but this time it is a consistent 3 flash, pause, 1 flash, (longer pause) and then a repetition of this cycle. Disconnecting the airbag in the passenger side too did not change this status.

I will note- I followed the FSM testing of the clock spring removed from the vehicle with a multimeter and I did get suspicious readings/random infinite resistance. When turning the clock spring by hand it felt “crunchy” with still more turns available in either direction.

Regardless; I believe the clock spring should be replaced based on “crunch factor.” The 3/1 flashing leads to an airbag module fault I believe, but maybe this can occur when turning the system on without everything connected? (But I do figure it should be solid red?)

I do have a friend with a cruiser in a similar state of (dis)assembly and I could potentially swap the module to see if it could resolve the behavior?

I also candidly have not done the full FSM procedure for tracing where a fault may be occurring in the SRS entirely. If anyone has any feedback or ideas - I’m game!

 

[mullet]

Hello all,

I'm working on my '97 and the airbag light blinks. It is usually a continuous blinking, however sometimes, it stops blinking and goes out. Then after a few minutes or a couple of hours, it starts again.

The threads that I have found seem to be for airbag lights that are just illuminated, not blinking. Any ideas?

Thanks!

I had the same problem, FSM doesn't say what a continuously blinking light means. I spent several hours trying diagnostics and resetting, checking connections, nothing affected the blinking light. Finally opened up the airbag sensor assembly and found the problem in 5 seconds. ordered a used one, installed and reset the used one and the light finally went away. Takes 15 minutes to take it out and look inside. The assembly is not sealed and only has 4 screws holding the lid on.

 

[LongDuck]

The obvious problem, for those following along; capacitor leaking electrolytic oil out, causing current fluctuation, yes?

 

[mullet]

yes.

 

[reida]

I had the same problem, FSM doesn't say what a continuously blinking light means. I spent several hours trying diagnostics and resetting, checking connections, nothing affected the blinking light. Finally opened up the airbag sensor assembly and found the problem in 5 seconds. ordered a used one, installed and reset the used one and the light finally went away. Takes 15 minutes to take it out and look inside. The assembly is not sealed and only has 4 screws holding the lid on.

View attachment 4233330

View attachment 4233331

View attachment 4233332

@mullet thank you for posting this plus photos. Going to pull mine out too and see if the same thing is happening, will report back.