If your airbag warning light comes on, you should never ignore it. It’s warning you about an issue with this crucial safety feature, which needs to be investigated immediately.
Your car’s airbags are part of its supplemental restraint system (SRS), which includes sensors and seatbelt pretensioners. The airbags are designed to inflate in the event of a collision, cushioning you from the impact. If they aren’t working properly, your safety is in jeopardy.
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What does the airbag warning light look like?
Airbag warning lights vary in appearance, but often resemble a person sitting down (as seen from the side), with a line above the shoulder, and one across the lap to represent the seatbelt, with a large circle above the chest and lap to represent the airbag.
Sometimes, instead of an icon, ‘AIRBAG’ or ‘SRS’ (supplemental restraint system) will be displayed in text.
No matter what variant of the dashboard warning light appears, it will always be displayed in either red or orange to indicate an issue that requires immediate attention.
Why is my airbag warning light on?
You’ll always see your airbag warning light when you start your engine, as your car goes through its automatic self-diagnostic tests. However, it should quickly disappear. If it stays on, you could be dealing with any of the following issues:
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Seatbelt sensor issues
Most modern cars have sensors in their seatbelts that can detect whether they’re fastened. As these sensors are part of the SRS, the airbag warning light will be triggered if they stop working.
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Electrical problems
The SRS has multiple components, including the airbags, that are all linked by electrical connections and wires. If any of these wires become loose or corroded, the SRS may receive incorrect information, triggering the warning light.
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Recent minor collisions
If you’ve recently been in a fender bender, the SRS would have registered the impact, even if it wasn’t severe enough to cause your airbags to inflate. In this case, you’ll need to take your car to the garage to get your airbags reset.
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Seatbelt pretensioner problems
Part of the SRS, the seatbelt pretensioners tighten your seatbelt if the car crashes, keeping you safe in your seat. If the pretensioners or the sensors within them become faulty, this can trigger the airbag warning light.
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Faulty crash sensors
The SRS features several types of crash sensors, which measure different aspects of each impact, including pressure, speed, and rotation. The information they pick up during a collision is sent to the SRS, which determines whether to deploy the airbags. If any of these sensors are faulty, the airbag warning light will come on.
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Flood damage
If your car has suffered water damage, whether from a flood or another incident, the electronic parts within the SRS are likely to have corroded, which will trigger the airbag warning light.
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Manufacturer issues or other faults
Other faults that can trigger the airbag warning light include missing software updates, incorrect installation of the airbags or other SRS components – and a faulty SRS control module or sensors.
What should you do when the airbag light comes on?
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If your airbag warning light comes on (and stays on) when you first get into your car, there may not necessarily be a problem with your airbag. You should carry out a few basic checks first:
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Double-check that your seatbelt is securely fastened. If it is, and the airbag warning light is still on, try restarting your car. If that doesn’t work, turn off your engine - and call a mechanic. Your car is not safe to drive.
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If you’re already on the road when the airbag warning light illuminates, you should drive very carefully, as your airbags won’t deploy if you get into a crash. If you’re near to a garage, drive straight there. If not, keep your journey as short as possible and book in at your local garage as soon as possible.
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Leave it to your mechanic to find and fix the problem and reset the airbag warning light – the SRS is an incredibly complex system.
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So, unless you’re a skilled mechanic, you shouldn’t attempt to work it on it yourself. If you make a mistake, you could compromise your vehicle’s safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it’s not safe to drive with your airbag warning light on, because your airbags won’t deploy if you get into a crash.
You may be able to reset the airbag warning light by restarting your car. You can also try making sure that your seatbelt is securely fastened.
Yes, a loose wire anywhere within the supplemental restraint system (SRS) can trigger the airbag warning light.
During a minor collision, the supplemental restraint system (SRS) will register the impact (even if it wasn’t enough to cause the airbags to deploy), triggering the airbag warning light.
The cost of fixing an airbag warning light in the UK typically runs between £100 and £800, depending on the extent of the problem.
The lower end of the price spectrum may include a basic light reset or a single sensor replacement, whilst the higher end covers SRS module and multiple sensor replacements.