Passenger airbag light 2005 pontiac vibe

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

My husband and I just bought a used 2005 pontiac vibe. At first, the passenger side airbag light was off, but eventually it turned on. Now, no matter who is sitting in the seat, it will not turn on. We just bought the car a couple weeks ago, and we are hoping this is not a huge expense to fix. Does anyone have a suggestion?

Thanks,

Lisa

2

There’s sensor/switches in the seat belt latch and the passenger seat. One of those, or the connector to them could have a problem.

You’ll need a basic multi-meter, or at least a continuity tester to check them.

3

Doesn’t the light indicate that the passenger airbag is disabled?

Check the owner’s manual. I believe the light should only be on if a small person is in the passenger seat. Otherwise the light should be off.

4

I’ve read the manual, and it says that if the off light is on, then it is for some reason not detecting the person sitting in that seat. The weird thing is that it was working for awhile. I think I’ll take circuitsmith’s advice.

5

I am by no means car-saavy, so I have no idea what a multi-meter or coninuity tester are. Should my regular mechanic have these things and be able to diagnose the problem, or should I take the car into a Pontiac dealer? Thanks so much for your help.

6

This Could Be A Case Of “Don’t Try This At Home.”

Apparently, there have been problems with 2005 Pontiac Vibe passenger air bag light problems and they have issued a TSB (Techinical Service Bulletin) pertaining to this problem.

One of several things that can cause a problem is exerting extra force on the seatback. A DTC (diagnostic trouble code) # B1785 can be set and stored by your car and the air bag light triggered.

There are several things that need to be checked and you should probably discuss this problem and perhaps TSB # 06-09-41-001, February, 2006 with your Pontiac dealer before wasting time trying to troubleshoot it yourself. The dealers have these bulletins and other information.

One possible fix after other things are checked calls for replacing the passenger seat frame and PPS (passenger presence system module).

CSA