So I have been having an intermittent REST light, sometimes it's on after start, sometimes not. Not too worried, it's not a daily driver.

So we are cruising thru OCMD Sat afternoon, the light has been on all weekend, they are grading/paving coastal highway, lots of ruts, uneven pavement, hit a bump/joint, BOOM, off goes the air bag.

We are all safe, I was like WTF, wife was screaming, we get pulled into a place to stop, shut down. Luckily I had tools and a torx bit to get the air bag out of the wheel.

Rest of the weekend car ran great.

So anyone have any ideas why the bag went off? I always thought if you had a lite, it meant something was wrong and the bag would NOT deploy. Or if the bump was that severe, you would of thought it would of blew a tire/wheel/front end damage? Car rides great.

And how do I go about resetting the system, clearing the light? or can I just throw another air bag in and press? I really don't want to do that, and will get the light cleared before I plug in another bag.

Any thought/advice??

Thanks
Mike

 

what was the first thing that came to mined?? after the BOOM!

 

Well after the initial boom I was somewhat in a daze, the bag never hit my face because I was just cruising, there was no accident, then I was like WTF just happened, and I am a pilot and we are always taught fly the airplane deal with the emergency as necessary, so I kept cruising till I could safety get out of traffic and pulled over on a side street. Like to think most people would of done the same, maybe not. My wife freaked for sure, she was a basket case by the time we stopped.

The bag comes out very hot, it burned my left forearm, and really stinks, the backing plate was still too hot to touch after I got it out of the wheel and had it outside the car. It melted the insulation on the horn wires, probably why they kept blowing, they were shorting out on the bag backing plate.

Mike

 

I would just put in a new steering wheel without a bag, remove the bulb for the light and be done with it.

 

My airbag was bulged and looked scary as hell. I removed it and put in an older Trans Am wheel. I know some people want the airbag but it does not bother me at all.

 

I need the "bag" look for the inspection zombies, so thinking of just getting another bag to fill the hole in the wheel, pull the bulb and the fuse for the system and move on.

Mike

 

Don't the inspection zombies verify that the INFL REST light works?

 

Here in Delaware they don't plug into older ALDL cars, so no they don't check.

 

I guess your system has a short somewhere. An intermittent INFL REST light can appear for many reasons.
Remember how an electrostatic charge at the connectors can make the system go off?
Your collision sensor could have been loose/damaged, any one of the wires may be chafed and grounded or there could simply be something wrong with the... what's its name... the yellowy slip ring thingy inside your steering column.

I would NOT recommend just replacing the airbag without finding the root cause making the first one go off.

So, is the light now OFF or permanently ON?

 

I took mine off and disconnected it right after I read your post. My infl rest light (airbag) comes on and flashes etc. Also the cosmetics of the steering wheel made it look a little flacky to keep the air bag on.

 

Lite is on steady, and I have no plans on wiring in another air bag. New parts are hard to come by, esp sensors and modules, and the coil in the column.

Mike

 

They don't need ALDL to check. The light is supposed to turn on for 3-5 seconds and then turn off. No light, no functional airbags. You might want to verify what they check.

 

[QUOTE=AmorgetRS;6032470]They don't need ALDL to check. The light is supposed to turn on for 3-5 seconds and then turn off. No light, no functional airbags. You might want to verify what they check.[/QUO


I have been going thru Delaware inspection now for like 15 plus years, they never look. Now on OBD I and II, they will plug into the computer and look for codes.

Mike

 

my light has been going on and off randomly from time to time. After reading this im gonna dig deeper into it

 

Yea I guess maybe I should of taken it more serious also. Good luck, and finding parts might be expensive, nothing new is available thru GM. E-bay has items, but they are pricy. My theory is why replace used (what I have) sensors with used sensors. And I have no idea what set it off in the first place, or what it takes to "reset" the system, change the module, etc.

Mike

 

I believe I have 2 air bags at home, I have to check. Won't be home for a week though.

 

After referring to my service manual and alldata I did a diagnostic flash code check of the SIR system. I got codes 12,13 ,and 71. 71 is the DERM module. I have both a 91 formula and 92 rs parts car so I will replace it to see if the light goes out. Then I will try rockauto