airbag light with no code?

My airbag light is flashing slowly, but im not throwing a code 32,42,44,45 etc.
any ideas? My turn signals work, haven't thought to try the horn or cruise yet, but with no dtc set idk where to start. I did run the wheel lock to lock when i had to realign the steering shaft, so it could be the clock spring, but ive put over 300 miles on the car since that and its just now flashing...
any Ideas guys? I would really like it not to be a clock spring. This is a 98.5/99 cougar, but i dont think that matters since its the same steering wheel and collumn. If i do have to change the clock spring I'm going to go ahead an swap to a 2002 three spoke wheel while im at it. Is there anything i should know about that process? I know there is something about plug ends, but if the spring and wheel match it should be fairly straight forward right? Do the airbag modules swap between the two wheels? Or if not how do i know if the one in the wheel i get is still good?

Thanks for any input guys!

KAOS_3.0 said:

My airbag light is flashing slowly, but im not throwing a code 32,42,44,45 etc.
any ideas? My turn signals work, haven't thought to try the horn or cruise yet, but with no dtc set idk where to start. I did run the wheel lock to lock when i had to realign the steering shaft, so it could be the clock spring, but ive put over 300 miles on the car since that and its just now flashing...
any Ideas guys? I would really like it not to be a clock spring. This is a 98.5/99 cougar, but i dont think that matters since its the same steering wheel and collumn. If i do have to change the clock spring I'm going to go ahead an swap to a 2002 three spoke wheel while im at it. Is there anything i should know about that process? I know there is something about plug ends, but if the spring and wheel match it should be fairly straight forward right? Do the airbag modules swap between the two wheels? Or if not how do i know if the one in the wheel i get is still good?

Thanks for any input guys!

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It probably is the clock spring, BUT it also can be the controller. The only way to pull codes on the SRS system is to have a scan tool capable of pulling those kinds of codes, and the only shops capable of doing that are those with dealer programmed scanners.


You may not be able to swap out the wheel and have the airbag work, because the newer model system is a CAN system, where the older one is not CAN based, and the modules are different.


If I remember correctly, the older systems are based off a K-Line network connection on the PCM. In 2000, the manufacturers began using a simple CAN based networking system. They now have an advanced CAN network connection to the PCM.

cclngthr said:

It probably is the clock spring, BUT it also can be the controller. The only way to pull codes on the SRS system is told have a scan tool capable of pulling those kinds of codes, and the only shops capable of doing that are those with dealer programmed scanners.


You may not be able to swap out the wheel and have the airbag work, because the newer model system is a CAN system, where the older one is not CAN based, and the modules are different.


If I remember correctly, the older systems are based off a K-Line network connection on the PCM. In 2000, the manufacturers began using a simple CAN based networking system. They now have an advanced CAN network connection to the PCM.

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I've read about the wheel swap in the past. The only issue is the plug end from what I remember. The controller is only sending a signal to an explosive charge. Last time I checked shotgun shells didnt have a preference as to who pulls the trigger, right?

KAOS_3.0 said:

I've read about the wheel swap in the past. The only issue is the plug end from what I remember. The controller is only sending a signal to an explosive charge. Last time I checked shotgun shells didnt have a preference as to who pulls the trigger, right?

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Not exactly. The SRS controller is set for specific brands of airbag modules and the signals are different. Different voltages and spikes in that voltage. Not every airbag module will work with the controller.


I have ran into this before with some aftermarket airbag modules and stock controllers. The controller expects to see the airbag module plugged in and checks the function of that module by doing a simple voltage test upon key on cycle. It checks to see if the circuitry is what the controller is programmed to be and tests whether the system is ready. It is not just a simple fire voltage trigger. There are other things that come into play here.


Even on "stock" units, there are differences between years. A member of a forum I belong to wanted to swap out seats in his car, which was an 06 to a older seat from an 03 of the same model car. He found that his airbag controller set codes because the seats he installed (which have side airbags in the seat) were from a different vendor and had a different kind of electronic circuit than his stock seat airbag. One thing he did find, with my help was on the 06, it has weight sensors in the seat bottom as well as a track sensor, which the older seat did not have. Controller refused to turn on the system.


Even if people are successful at wiring it up, it may not work as designed because the electronic circuits can be different. It may turn "on" but in a collision it may not fire the airbag as designed when it should.

is there anyway to get a definitive answer then short of crashing one on purpose? people test the air bag circuit with simple 2 ohm resistor in place of the air bag module. wouldn't that mean the airbags in our cars have a 2 ohm resistance? shouldnt it be that simple? it's not like I'm trying to make a drastic change, we're talking about an airbag from a car that is only one or two years newer. i could see issues if I wanted to try and add side airbags with a seat swap, but I'm not doing that...

A dealer check to see whether the newer module will work is not sufficient, you will need to talk to Ford directly. Manufacturers have made a change that only lasted one year, and no other option will work. I know in 2000, Ford did change the system to do different things in a crash, and the parameters and modules did change for that change in design.


It is not only a 2 ohm test here. In order for it to turn on, the system has to electrically test the system for certain things first. Then and only then, it will allow it to function. You could have something that makes the airbag deploy prematurely, or not at all.

Seats have an occupancy sensor which tells the computer not to fire if seat is empty. It is also used for the front pass airbag to control if it needs to fire for full weight passenger or reduced if a smaller person is in there.

Because of the added complexity of the seat sensors they are calibrated and settings are programmed into the computer for full, empty, and partial weight. DIfferent seats have different values. On the Jeep Liberty board people swapped the sensor bladder and electronics to successfully swap seats between vehicles.

Driver airbags have no sensor and if they get enough power they fire. Check carefully with a digital mater the resistence of each airbag module. If they are similar values the computer won't know the difference.

dennyb said:

Seats have an occupancy sensor which tells the computer not to fire if seat is empty. It is also used for the front pass airbag to control if it needs to fire for full weight passenger or reduced if a smaller person is in there.

Because of the added complexity of the seat sensors they are calibrated and settings are programmed into the computer for full, empty, and partial weight. DIfferent seats have different values. On the Jeep Liberty board people swapped the sensor bladder and electronics to successfully swap seats between vehicles.

Driver airbags have no sensor and if they get enough power they fire. Check carefully with a digital mater the resistence of each airbag module. If they are similar values the computer won't know the difference.

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that is about what I was thinking. what you posted did raise another question though for me.

if I decide I want a power passenger seat, and get one from the uk, I will probably have to take my usdm passenger seat and the power ukdm seat apart and make a hybrid in order for my passengers to be safe, correct?

also found this on neco:

Here's a list of the different Airbag flash codes.

1 — One flash cycle: Driver air bag trouble code
2 — Two flash cycle: Passenger air bag trouble code
3 — Three flash cycle: Trouble code common to both driver and passenger air bag circuit
4 — Not used
5 — Five flash cycle: Driver side air bag trouble code
6 — Six flash cycle: Driver side air bag trouble code
7 — Seven flash cycle: Driver side crash sensor trouble code
8 — Eight flash cycle: Passenger side crash sensor trouble code

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starting to check on there since apparently airbags are some sort of magic voodoo that even dealership technicians are capable of servicing correctly...

Checked the horn and it works, haven't checked the cruise since I haven't had it on the freeway today. Im correct in assuming that cruise only works over 50mph right? Ive never tried it on the street...

KAOS_3.0 said:

Checked the horn and it works, haven't checked the cruise since I haven't had it on the freeway today. Im correct in assuming that cruise only works over 50mph right? Ive never tried it on the street...

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Cruise should work at speeds 30MPH and above.

All right I'll check that out tomorrow on the way to class! I'll report back tomorrow afternoon. If the horn works why would the air bag not? I'm not exactly sure what goes on in a clock spring, but I'm guessing its a coil of ribbon wire with enough play to allow the wheel to go lock to lock, right?

KAOS_3.0 said:

All right I'll check that out tomorrow on the way to class! I'll report back tomorrow afternoon. If the horn works why would the air bag not? I'm not exactly sure what goes on in a clock spring, but I'm guessing its a coil of ribbon wire with enough play to allow the wheel to go lock to lock, right?

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The clock spring has 3-4 separate circuits using several rings that rotate and make the connection for the separate electrical circuits. 1/2 of the clock spring rotates and the other 1/2 is stationary.


Usually when it fails, all circuits fail, but there is a chance that only one circuit is broken. Seen this a couple times.

I mean shouldn't the cruise control be 5 circuits on its own? Or is the cruise computer actually in the wheel? That seems unlikely to me...

KAOS_3.0 said:

I mean shouldn't the cruise control be 5 circuits on its own? Or is the cruise computer actually in the wheel? That seems unlikely to me...

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The cruise has 3-4 separate wires, with a common ground. The cruise module actually is under the hood by the front drivers side tower. The horn and airbag may have separate grounds, but some can use the common ground.


I looked at an image of a 96-2000 clock spring and see it is only a 5 wire system, with 4 plugs total, one for top and the other for the bottom. Apparently there is a module in the wheel for the horn and cruise that uses only 3 wires and a separate one for the airbag.

dennyb said:

Seats have an occupancy sensor which tells the computer not to fire if seat is empty. It is also used for the front pass airbag to control if it needs to fire for full weight passenger or reduced if a smaller person is in there.

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The Contour does not have seat sensors.

BrApple said:

The Contour does not have seat sensors.

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Newer cars that have the advanced airbag systems do. The example I gave, where a member of a forum I belong to spoke of this. Even those older cars with advanced airbag systems will have the weight classification sensors in the passenger seat for the passenger airbag.


I pay very close attention to this when I modify a car for disabled access. By law I cannot disable the system, I have to work around it. This is especially important if I am modifying the car for a little person (dwarf). They have to sit very close to the wheel, and I have to keep the airbag functional, because the federal DOT requires it. I have to slow the deployment down, or move the seat sensors so the airbag is off at a close to the wheel position.

That brings another question to mind, will I fail a north carolina inspection with the airbag light flashing slowly?

Also, I have a 98.5 cougar, shouldn't make a difference since I dont have side airbags right?

And does the 01-02 cougar wheel run a similar cruise/horn module? Nobody has mentioned an issue in anything I've read so far...

KAOS_3.0 said:

That brings another question to mind, will I fail a north carolina inspection with the airbag light flashing slowly?

Also, I have a 98.5 cougar, shouldn't make a difference since I dont have side airbags right?

And does the 01-02 cougar wheel run a similar cruise/horn module? Nobody has mentioned an issue in anything I've read so far...

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It depends on what NC looks for in their inspections. If they do a full safety inspection, you might fail it. Here in my state, all they look for is emission issues, but some states also look at safety equipment and if the car is road worthy.

Well sometimes they'll check that it has wipers and they check the blinkers, but they always pass me with clear bulbs in the forward facing blinkers, and they've never checked the seatbelts. Friends have had to remove tint at some places, but I doubt the place I go would even check tint...

KAOS_3.0 said:

Well sometimes they'll check that it has wipers and they check the blinkers, but they always pass me with clear bulbs in the forward facing blinkers, and they've never checked the seatbelts. Friends have had to remove tint at some places, but I doubt the place I go would even check tint...

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It all depends on what they want to check. Here, all they check is the emission equipment, and sometimes cops will cite you for defective equipment, i.e. lights, tires or defects they see. Had one car come to the shop that the owner was ticketed for smoky exhaust, and it ended up needing a rebuild. Owner ended up junking the car because it wasn't worth fixing.


In PA, they do a more thorough inspection, and can fail cars because of defective tires, brakes and emission equipment.