Dear Sir: I have a 2003 Buick Century 3.1L. The airbag light goes on randomly. I realize that it is supposed to go on momentarily after I start the engine. Sometimes the light will stay lit for one or more drives and sometimes it will stay off for one or more drives. I have checked the fuse; it is good. I have tried smacking the airbag on the steering and the dash…the light remains lit. I have seen a bundle of wires on the back side of the fuse box and am not sure whether I should try to trace the fuse wire back to both locations or what to do next. Is there some trick of the trade like a reset button and what do you think I should try next?
Thank you!
With the light ON, a dealership can tell WHY it’s on, and then repair the fault. When the light is OFF the bags are armed and ready and there is nothing to diagnose…
You need to have the system checked when the light is on…
I have a 2000 Olds Silhouette. Much of the basic air bag system is probably about the same as it is in your car, and mine has done the same thing. These vans (venture/montana/silhouette) are known for it. The fact is that the electrical connectors GM used - at least during this period, if not still - are cheap. And I don’t mean inexpensive, though I assume they were that too.
On the family of minivans, there are electrical connectors for the airbag system under the seats. They easily get dirty and disrupted. If you first, pull the airbag system fuse, and then pull apart and clean and reconnect those connectors it often takes care of this.
This is a total WAG - shot in the dark. The airbag system is complex with lots of wiring, and connectors, and sensors etc. If you just want to know up front what the source(s) of the issue(s) is then, as Caddyman said, you need someone with a scanner good enough to pull airbag system codes. Many shops have these - not only dealerships. But if you want to spend about 15 minutes and about fifty cents on electronics cleaner you can clean any connectors you can find and possibly be done with it. (Be sure to pull the fuse first). The worst that happens is that you end up on a scanner anyway - though as Caddyman said, at a time when the light is on.