Question about air bag light and message

I have to apologize folks, I didn't know where to post this.  I figured this was as good a spot as any.

I have a 2006 Avy with about 100K miles.  I have an airbag light and a message to service the airbag.  Sounds self explanatory enough....get it fixed right?  Well I just had the clock springs serviced very recently for about 200 bucks, a very expensive part!  Recently I started to get an intermittent light and message, now it is a constant.  Is this a regular problem with the Avy or is this just one of those things?  I also have a message to service tire monitor system, I am just going to have that done.  Any ideas?

Get the codes checked... The TPMS should tell you which tire it is.. Check for air pressures and the tire without pressure is the one with the bad sensor.

If you want a shot in the dark check the two impact sensors on the bottom of the radiator bracket. There are two blocks. When one of mine went bad it was cracked and swelled up.

But get the codes read... Thats the only way... I pulled mine manually otherwise you likely have to get the Air Bag code read at a dealer or someone that can read them. MAYBE a snapon reader can read them.

Rodney

redheadedrod said:

... The TPMS should tell you which tire it is.. Check for air pressures and the tire without pressure is the one with the bad sensor.

Click to expand...

The first gen TPMS system does not report pressures of the individual tires.

Unless they made a change after my 2004.

I had a tire with a slow leak and a message in the DIC was something generic like "Check Tire Pressure" or something like that.

Second gen systems give more information, like pressures at each corner and such.

My guess would be the OP has one or more in-wheel sensors failing with a bad battery.

If it were me, I would plan to replace all four, since they are all most likely near the same age and if one is dead, the others may not be far behind.

I've heard where the normal lifespan of those sensors is somewhere between 4 and 7 years.

There will always be exceptions.

But an 2006 with only 100K, I could see where the batteries in his may have lasted much longer and they are just now dying.

My understanding was the sensors go to sleep after becoming stationary for a period of time and then begin working again after the wheel reaches a certain RPM.

This is also how they can sit on a stockroom shelf for so long.

The battery doesn't power anything while the sensor is sitting still for a period of time.

This would help explain why the batteries last as long as they do.

And in the case of this truck, the low miles driven may have helped.

Just a thought or two.

Thanks guys, I have not been back to the site in a while which is why I am so late thanking you.

Ok Folks, here goes the answers to my issues.  The tire monitor is essentially not there.  The wheels have been changed out and my mechanic said that the valve stems have been replaced with ones that are not compatible with a tire monitoring system, so it is as if it was never there.

The airbag issue took more hunting around.  With the clock springs already replaced that was the first thing he attacked, that was not it.  Then he assumed something electrical.  He diligently (slowly) moved the electricals  feeding the system and what he found was a loose "plug" behind a panel down by the emergency brake handle.  He said that the connection was not good and all he did was make that right and the light is out!  Sometimes the simplest things....