Starscream88 said:
yeah mines flashing too,
Its a 91,
It flashes 3 times, then pause for 2 secs, Then 3 times,
Code 3 or 33??
How the heck do I fix it?
I actually dont care if the airbag works or not, Its the flashing light that annoys me!!!
I tried taking it off and replacing the airbag with one I had laying around,
Didnt solve it,
it all started when I first bought the car and I took apart the dash under the airbag for something,
I didnt disconnect anything,
and its flashed since
Anyone know what to do?
1991 GT is the car
See:
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/airBag/airBag90-91.html#CODE3
It's unfortunate that you have a code 3. There is a good chance that it's the *external battery backup*. Batteries only last so long. The 90's didn't have any backup and the 92+ have a big capacitor for an ~10 sec backup.
Do the checks that I listed in the link. You can try a junkyard. But, you're still going to get a 10+ year old battery that has been charged/dis-charged and exposed to the different temp conditions. A NEW battery is your best bet. Try Napa or Ford.
Do the check, see if you can get a new battery. If you can't get a new backup battery, then you can bypass the battery backup. But, if you loose the battery, then you won't have any air bag protection. In ***MY** view, that's not that big of a deal. There are Very few accidents that happen where the battery is lost before the air bag would activate.
Note: Bypassing the battery backup
VIOLATES FEDERAL and many state laws in that it _modifies_ the air bag system. But, you'd have a working air bag system that was "the same" as the 90 system. If you want to bypass the battery backup, send me a PM. I can tell you
in theory what would need to be done (super simple!). What you would then do with that information is
your choice. For legal and job reasons, I don't tell people how to violate Federal or State laws.
BTW: I'm just covering my rear-end with the following info and warning:
Quote:
Statutory prohibition against deactivating air bags;
statutory authorization for exemption from prohibition
Manufacturers, distributors, dealers(1) and motor vehicle repair businesses(2) are prohibited by 49 U.S.C. 30122 from knowingly making
inoperative any part of a device or
element of design installed on or in a motor vehicle in compliance with an applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. The statute, however, allows the agency to prescribe regulations to exempt a person from the "make inoperative" provision if such an exemption is consistent with safety concerns.
Contact the NHTSA for the latest **FEDERAL laws** WRT doing the work yourself. Contact your state for LOCAL laws. Also, selling between states often comes under *diff* laws for the Federal govt and both states.
Note: With the proper forms, and the
pre-approval by the NHTSA, if people meet the *specific guidelines*, then an on/off switch can be done *at an authorized location by an authorized mechanic*. The work and switch will be done so that it meets the Federal Guidelines for an optional on/off Air Bag switch for specific air bags (year, make, etc).
Example, the Wisconsin law:
From:
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/vehicle/airbag/disable.htm
Removing
You should not remove an airbag. It's against the law.
If you remove, change or tamper with an airbag, you can be subject to the Wisconsin Defective Air Bag Law (2001 Wisconsin Act 28). Any person who unlawfully removes or tampers with an airbag can be subject to a fine of not more than $5,000 or imprisonment for not more than one year in a county jail or both.
More on the Wisconsin law:
(2) No person may, either personally or through an agent, sell,
install, reinstall, or distribute any previously deployed airbag.
This subsection does not apply to the sale of a motor vehicle with
a previously deployed airbag unless the deployment is concealed
(3) No person may, either personally or through an agent,
remove, disconnect, tamper with, or otherwise circumvent the
operation of any airbag, except for the purpose of testing, repairing,
or maintaining an airbag, salvaging an undeployed airbag,
disposing of a deployed airbag, or replacing a deployed airbag
with a functional airbag. This subsection does not apply to the
installation or use of an on*off switch by any person who is
authorized by federal law or regulation to install or use an on*off switch
for an airbag.
(4) No person may, either personally or through an agent,
install a cover or otherwise conceal or disguise a missing airbag
or a previously deployed airbag.
Let me know if you have ANY q's or send me a PM!