brus brother Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 (edited) 2008 OB 56k miles. On occasion the dash airbag light stays on. After I turn the ignition off/on, the light will be off. Car never had any accident or damage. Any ideas for diagnosis? Edited October 13, 2011 by brus brother Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rverdoold Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Could be there is a loose contact. Since the 2008 model has seat mounted side airbags it could be that by moving the seat for and backwards something happened with the connector. I think 2008 cars are still under warranty, a code readers should be able to figure out what error code is given. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted September 16, 2011 Author Share Posted September 16, 2011 3yr/36,000 mile warranty puts me over at 56K miles. I will see if I can find where the connector is. Does the OBDII reader tell you airbag fault locations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eulogious Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 3yr/36,000 mile warranty puts me over at 56K miles.I will see if I can find where the connector is. Does the OBDII reader tell you airbag fault locations? Don't know if OBDII will read the airbag codes, but I would think that you should be able to pull the codes from the computer for the airbags at the very least. Kinda like getting the ABS codes, and other things like that. BUT, I would scan the OBDII port and see what it says, you might get lucky. There must be a way to get those codes though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share Posted September 17, 2011 (edited) Don't know if OBDII will read the airbag codes, but I would think that you should be able to pull the codes from the computer for the airbags at the very least. Kinda like getting the ABS codes, and other things like that. BUT, I would scan the OBDII port and see what it says, you might get lucky. There must be a way to get those codes though... Dealer said airbag light had to be ON and then they could read the code. Since it is intermittent, and usually goes off after I restart the car, this is going to be a matter of timing it just right since the dealer isn't close to my home and it only happens once in a while. Found this: Airbag codes can only be read and system cleared with an Asian Airbag specific scanner. The only non-dealer scan tool we have found available for these vehicles is the Launch Scanner line. Edited September 17, 2011 by brus brother Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rverdoold Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Still think it is bad contact, most likely the seats. Would not harm to have a look under the seat where the wires go in. I am not sure but the seat pressure sensor (detects if a person is on the seat) is regulated by the airbag system. Not fully sure if subaru has a double system. 1 to show the seatbelt light and one that determines the weight of the person for airbag staging and timing. We had a problem with a Citroen car and side airbags and cables. Fixed it by cleaning the connector and putting a ring of duct tape around to make sure they would not loosen again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I'm going with a bad clock spring. This is the only moving part which could come and go. An OBDII reader ONLY reads engine related codes, nothing else. There is a way to pull these codes but like the dealer said, the fault has to be present. What happens when you turn the wheel lock to lock or bang on the wheel or column. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 i haven't done any work on anything this new and info is sparse on them, but as far as i know you can read the codes by just finding the connector under the dash, it's usually taped up in the harness above your feet somewhere. find the harness and then there's a metal pin that's a grounding pin. ground the appropriate pin-out on the connector and the light in the dash will flash the corresponding code that's being registered when the SRS light is on. there are threads showing what this connector/process is like. i've done this up to 2002's (with VDC, side impact air bags, etc) and they've all been the same so i wouldn't be surprised if the 2008 has that ability too. of course you will only read a code if the air bag light is on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 OK to update, the airbag light on the dash board has been coming on (and going off) more frequently now. The horn and cruise control work when the light is on which from my reading seemed to eliminate clockspring. Yesterday when the light was on, I had the dealer read the code: 26 Passenger Airbag Indicator Failure. Tech told me to keep an eye out for when the light stayed on if the overhead console (by the center map lights) was still functioning as he has had to replace a number of these. Today, the lights were still functioning so the next possibility I'm told is something amiss in the seat belt tensioning mechanism/circuit for the passenger side. My understanding is that when the airbags deploy, an explosive charge in the seat belt mechanism is released to keep the passenger from kissing the airbag. Anyone have any idea where the connectors are located and how/if I should try and reseat the connectors? I would hate to have my monkeying around deploy the airbags. Apparently the dealer can test the mechanism by inserting a resistor in line?? I just thought I'd check the connector before going back to see if that solved the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 as long as the car is good clean title (not salvage) then the DEALER should diagnose and repair it I would assume for free due to manufacturing defect. Salvage car, no way you will be charged. It is part of the restraint system and should be covered for life under laws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 My understanding is that when the airbags deploy, an explosive charge in the seat belt mechanism is released to keep the passenger from kissing the airbag. is this right???? if is it is, it's the most convoluted set up i have heard. why not just let the regular ''inertia'' catch grab the seat belt. the one in my 06 ford truck is so sensitive that i have to wait until i'm on smooth pavement before i can pick something up off of the floor. i don't think this is right, is it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike104 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 In some cars those are called seat belt retractors that force the seat belt to retract ensuring that you stay in the seat when the air bag deploys. I think some Subaru's have those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 as long as the car is good clean title (not salvage) then the DEALER should diagnose and repair it I would assume for free due to manufacturing defect. Salvage car, no way you will be charged. It is part of the restraint system and should be covered for life under laws. Actually it is the "supplimental" system. It is not covered like seat belts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 thanks was waiting for the right info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 Just wanted to UPDATE the post for future searchers. I brought the car to the dealer. The tech did some testing and suggested that it was a defective (failing) unit which is contained in the overhead (map light) center console. Watch and wait was suggested due to intermittent nature of problem. Well it has been nearly 2 weeks and the airbag light that been occurring daily, has yet to come back on. If this continues, then the only thing that has remedied this was a reseating of the two connectors to this unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 is this right???? if is it is, it's the most convoluted set up i have heard. why not just let the regular ''inertia'' catch grab the seat belt. the one in my 06 ford truck is so sensitive that i have to wait until i'm on smooth pavement before i can pick something up off of the floor. i don't think this is right, is it?? yes it is, my H6 has them. i bought it wrecked and had to replace them. they are called pretensioners, they're supposed to be safe but hard to get out of - i think it's recommended to keep something handy to cut them off if in a wreck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 yes it is, my H6 has them. i bought it wrecked and had to replace them. they are called pretensioners, they're supposed to be safe but hard to get out of - i think it's recommended to keep something handy to cut them off if in a wreck. No hardeer then any other seatbelt that is under load. Yes they are pretensioners they take up the slack in the belts when the impact starts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debicaron Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Just wanted to UPDATE the post for future searchers.I brought the car to the dealer. The tech did some testing and suggested that it was a defective (failing) unit which is contained in the overhead (map light) center console. Watch and wait was suggested due to intermittent nature of problem. Well it has been nearly 2 weeks and the airbag light that been occurring daily, has yet to come back on. If this continues, then the only thing that has remedied this was a reseating of the two connectors to this unit. --------------------------------------------------------------------- --would love to know what the result was with your intermittent airbag light. I have a 2008 legacy sedan with exactly the same issue and the subaru service tech told me I had an ODB2 code 26 and the only way to remedy the problem was to change the airbag module (through the dome light) cost $133 for part and $63 for labor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted June 3, 2012 Author Share Posted June 3, 2012 UPDATED UPDATE: The dashboard airbag light came on again. A few months ago I noticed that the driver's side map light which is in the center overhead console was out so I went to change it but tested it first and it was OK so just replaced it. In the past I had similar situation and just cleaned the contacts and replaced. This time I just left it alone. When the light came on, I looked up and noticed that my wife had depressed the switch and left it in the ON position not realizing the bulb wasn't "working". I pressed the switch to the OFF position and the dashboard airbag light was now off as well. So there is some sort of electrical gremlin in the unit. It's just 4 screws and 2 connectors to replace the $130 unit. For now, I'll just do without a map light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enricorizzo Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 The airbag light stayed on in my 2008 Outback. I read elsewhere on the internet about bad solder connections on the module in the map light assembly. I removed it, found the module, and located several surface mount resistors with cracked solder connections. I resoldered the surface mount resistors, reinstalled the map light assembly and the airbag light stayed off. I have pictures of this module and the cracked solder connections. I could email them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted March 1, 2016 Author Share Posted March 1, 2016 Welcome to the board . If possible, upload the pics with a description to the USMB Repair Manual forum located HERE Instantly gain "valued member" status and all of the prestige that goes with such a title! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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