So my 2009 torrent has an airbag warning light and says service airbag system. Also the sensor in the passenger seat doesn't detect when someone's sitting on it. I'm thinking it has something to do with it but not really sure.
Service Airbag System
- Thread starter sir_78
- Start date
92 Sunbird LE
Well-known member
Have it scanned at a GM dealer or repair shop, its not the thing for the average person to mess with..
Doug in P.R.
Doug in P.R.
I know it's probably not what you want to hear but I agree with @92 Sunbird LE in that air bags are dangerous, even lethal so it's advised for trained technician to perform the repair.
Okay with the safety precaution out of the way to answer your question yes the passenger seat occupant detection system can cause the MIL to illuminate. It's a complex system, as long as you don't mess with the airbags or crash sensors you should be safe since the only part you will be testing or replacing is the passenger seat occupant sensor. They are fairly sophisticated capacitive sensing elements that can differentiate the total weight of the passenger so it knows if it's an adult or small child. This sensor plugs into a small computer/module also usually under the seat. This module is what sends a digital information signal to the main computer to determine if the air bag should eject or not depending on the weight of the occupant. Some systems it's fairly easy to trick the computer into thinking an airbag is connected with a fixed resistor but the passenger seat occupant sensor cannot be simulated via a simple fixed resistor. Since the cost of replacing the passenger seat sensor gets very expensive they sell emulators that replace the small module under the seat that sends the information to the main computer. The emulators typically have only 3 connections to splice into your cars harness that goes the main computer; battery + and ground are two of the connections and the third is the digital information connection for it to communicate to the main computer. Once you have the emulator hooked up it makes the main computer happy but the airbag will not deploy. When you purchase these emulators they are sold as "test" tools as a legal loophole but people hook them up all the time to get the airbag light out instead of replacing the seat sensor. It's your car and you can do what you wish with it but as a "technician" I'm not supposed to install these units in cars...................on paper that is
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Okay with the safety precaution out of the way to answer your question yes the passenger seat occupant detection system can cause the MIL to illuminate. It's a complex system, as long as you don't mess with the airbags or crash sensors you should be safe since the only part you will be testing or replacing is the passenger seat occupant sensor. They are fairly sophisticated capacitive sensing elements that can differentiate the total weight of the passenger so it knows if it's an adult or small child. This sensor plugs into a small computer/module also usually under the seat. This module is what sends a digital information signal to the main computer to determine if the air bag should eject or not depending on the weight of the occupant. Some systems it's fairly easy to trick the computer into thinking an airbag is connected with a fixed resistor but the passenger seat occupant sensor cannot be simulated via a simple fixed resistor. Since the cost of replacing the passenger seat sensor gets very expensive they sell emulators that replace the small module under the seat that sends the information to the main computer. The emulators typically have only 3 connections to splice into your cars harness that goes the main computer; battery + and ground are two of the connections and the third is the digital information connection for it to communicate to the main computer. Once you have the emulator hooked up it makes the main computer happy but the airbag will not deploy. When you purchase these emulators they are sold as "test" tools as a legal loophole but people hook them up all the time to get the airbag light out instead of replacing the seat sensor. It's your car and you can do what you wish with it but as a "technician" I'm not supposed to install these units in cars...................on paper that is
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