air bag light came on

[RenegadeJay]

So I pick my kid up from school today and on the way home I hear the audio alert like if my seat belt wasn't on but it only "dinged" once, then I noticed the air bag light was on. I went and got a car wash to clean off the layer of salt and it stayed on. On the way home it went off for a second, then came back on. Pulled it into the garage, shut it off and hooked up a scanner but nothing came up. I don't know if it would anyway. Then I restarted it and the light was off. Any idea what gives? I will say that my passenger seat has a bunch of stuff on it and my "air bag off" light on the grab handle is almost always on. The air bag light on my Explorer was on for a while and found out it was a resistor under the seat. I was told if I didn't get it replaced the air bag could randomly deploy, which would not be a good thing if I am driving with my kid in the car. Anyone have this similiar problem of was it just a fluke today? Thanks Jason

 

[LI02liberty]

I have the same thing happen to me sometimes. I just turn the jeep off and back on and the light resets it self. So I too would love to know what causes it.

 

[LibertyFever]

If I'm not mistaken the airbag system computer is separate from the Liberty's engine computer. That's why you can't read a code. Somebody with a compatible code reader (a dealership) may be able to connect to the airbag system computer.

Airbags don't deploy easily. They would need two or more sensors to trigger.

 

[family KJ]

Do some searching on this forum, I know I was involved in a conversation a while back... I think it is a sensor in or near the seat belt connections. My light comes on in the cold weather, has been for years. Dont want to pay anyone to "check it out" if it does no harm.

 

[RenegadeJay]

I checked the connections under the seat and they all seemed secure. It seems to go on and off while driving with no specific pattern. One of the things I was told when my Explorer's light was on was that if the air bag light is on then it will never deploy which could be very bad in the event of an accident. Some people say it is nothing, while others preach of impending doom. Unfortunately I don't have the time to get it to a dealer to be checked out. I might do the old disconnected battery trick and see what happens. I have one car with the "service engine soon" light stuck on for the past 5 maybe 6 months (still no fix after a lot of man hours and parts invested) and now this.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

My Durango had the same issue, nothing ever became of the light, it would just turn off. I never tried to get them to deploy though.

 

[twack]

my liberty does this all the time, its a malfunction in passenger seat sensor somwhere. i doubt it could trigger an airbag, but i understand your worry for your childs safety......in which case your kid should be in the backseat anyhow...

 

[JeepJeepster]

My light use to come on only when it was cold. Turned out to be a bad sensor in the passenger side seat belt. Belt was replaced under warranty.

 

[RenegadeJay]

If it could be a malfunction in the passenger seat sensor, would it only affect the pass side air bag? If so then no biggie since noone ever rides shot gun. My kid is, as always, in her booster seat in the back seat. My concern was with her being in the car, the air bag deploying and smashing me in the face causing me to lose control of the vehicle and getting into a real crash endangering the life of my kid. I've never had a crash with airbag deployment so I don't know what it is like.

 

[Luke]

It may be small comfort ... but I can tell you from experience if you have your seat belt on, the air bag will never hit you in the face. The smoke from the detonation would be your biggest hazard. You will not be able to see anything until the smoke has been cleared from the cab.

P.S. If you stop calling your Jeep a car you may have better luck with her behaving

 

[RenegadeJay]

Well, I was told by a wrangler owner that the term "jeep" applies only to wranglers and that it is an insult to call a liberty or any other jeep product a jeep. I also get the usual " you drive a girls jeep" but I let that slide. I drive a vehicle that was in my price range and has the 4wd capability for the rough winters. Call it what you want, just don't call me when your vehicle is stuck!