Electrical is it possible to test a airbag controller?

[lizzard]

help! I'm afraid that I fried the airbag controller. but I don't know that for sure.
is it possible to test the controller before ordering a new/used one?
I have a 95 GTS 5.0 manual

help is very appreciated!

 

[jozsefsz]

Your airbag controller tests itself at each startup - via the idiot-light on the dash. The yellow light on the dash should light up when the key is turned over, and then go out after the self-tests complete. If it's flashing codes, count the number of flashes and then determine what it's telling you is wrong. If it's not flashing codes, everything is operational. If it's not lighting up, then either the light's burned out or the module is not working. If it's not lighting up and not beeping, then the module is not working (it'll beep if the light's burned out). Check fuses before replacing parts.

 

[lizzard]

hi jozsefsz I forgot to mention, first I got error 52 which I could delete. but no I ve got error 23. It's a hard fault which I cannot delete.

 

[jozsefsz]

Hi there @lizzard. Well a 23 says "memory clear pin improperly grounded." http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/airBag/airBag95.html That's pin 17 on the module which I think it says is tan with a red stripe. Make sure there's nothing left in the under-glovebox connector where you cleared (strands of wire for example) and that the pins aren't bent. It sounds like the module is still functional to a degree, so I'd check the wiring first to make sure it's all good. If it's all good then you might be right, there may be something wrong in the module itself, some circuit may have opened if you have cause to believe you may have accidentally fried it.

 

[lizzard]

thanks! Will do!

 

[lizzard]

It's strange. Today I've got error 52 and 23 again. After deleting 52 there's no more error 23! I suppose because I've disconnected the battery yesterday I've got 52 again (Intermittent or Repaired Lost Battery Feed ). That helped me to wipe out 23. Maybe the last time I had been trying to delete 52 I had lost the connection somehow in the under-glovebox connector and that has been keeping it from deleting the error code properly till now.

I hope now the error never returns again. Thx for your help buddy.

 

[jozsefsz]

Great to hear! Yeah the 52 likes to occur after the battery voltage gets low (I've had it happen after extended storage). Don't turn over the key when the battery's dead or being disconnected I've learned. I guess it'd make sense that the 23 could clear itself with a battery reset - perhaps just a momentary grounding of the reset-wire earlier coudl have caused it. Either way it's a good day when something gets fixed for free.