2002 Air bag light

The air bag light has been coming on while I am driving. It doesn't always happen, but is getting more frequent. Any thoughts?

Also, the entire dash goes out (gages, lights, etc) then a click happens and everything starts working. Any thoughts??

Welcome to the forum!

For the airbag light, any chance the airbag/SRS light flashes a few times following engine start up? If so, it's flashing a lamp fault code (LFC). If you're getting an LFC, count and post the flashes here and we'll see if we can offer you more insight. The LFC will be something like flash, flash, flash, pause, flash flash. This would indicate and LFC code 32.

There have been people experiencing issues with connections to the flex circuit for the instrument cluster causing the instrumentation lights to work intermittently. Is it only your instrumentation that is affected, or do the radio and center console lights also go out?

-Rod

Thanks for the reply Rod.
The air bag light does flash, then stay on. I'll count the number of flashes next time it happens.
I believe the dash and radio all went out, then back on. It hasn't happened for a few days. I'll pay more attention next time.

Dave

On most vehicles, the airbag light should come on for @6 seconds, and then go off if the system is working properly. If there is a fault or a problem in the system, the light will remain illuminated, or flash continuously. If the airbag light does not work properly, some vehicles have an audible tone that sounds indicating a problem with the airbag light system. When the light is on (or the tone is sounding), the airbag will NOT deploy, even in an accident. These systems can only be diagnosed using a scanner designed for the airbag system. The scanners at Auto Zone or the ones that sell for @ $50 will not access the airbag system, only the engine systems (check engine light).
This website gives you the procedure for diagnosing and resetting some systems without a scanner. Some vehicle manufacturers accommodate that (like Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Infinity, Honda, Acura, Ford, Lincoln, Mazda & Mercury) and some require a scan tool. http://www.airbagsolutions.com/
Check out these websites also for more info on airbag systems and the light.
http://blog.airbagsolutions.com/archive/2007/11/18/why-is-my-airbag-light-on.what-should-i-do.aspx
http://www.airbagsolutions.com/resources.aspx
http://blog.airbagsolutions.com/
Check out this scanner for AIRBAG>>>It’s the cheapest one I’ve found!
http://www.airbagsolutions.com/scanner.aspx

The light flashes 3 times, then 3 times. This happens 5 times, then the light stays on.

The light acts normal during start up. The flashing doesn't happen until I've been driving for awhile.

That's a code 33. You will need to look that up on the airbag fault code chart. The website AirbagSolutions (http://www.airbagsolutions.com) does show that vehicle in their covered vehicle list & they will show you what the code means and what need to be replaced to repair it

Lamp Fault Code (LFC) 33 indicates Safety Belt Pretensioner Status (Driver Pretensioner Circuit Fault). According to the factory service manual, this indication can be due to an issue with the wiring, terminals, or connectors, a faulty pretensioner, or the Restraint Control Module (RCM).

I'd suggest you check the area under the driver's seat for a loose connection or a broken or damaged wire to the seat belt pretensioner. The connection could also be under the trim piece behind the driver's door or the kick plate.

-Rod

Thanks Rod, I fixed a wire under the seat and haven't had the light flash since!!!

The issue with the dash and Radio / center console going out seems to happen only after I've been driving for 45 to 60 minutes. It doesn't happen during my normal commute of 25 minutes. It seems like a breaker or relay tripping and then resetting.

Sorry for the delay in responding. I've been away on business travel and didn't have any service manual info with me.

For the dash/radio/center console issue, is it just the lighting that goes out, or the instruments stop working as well? The clicking noise would seem to indicate you have a relay that's dropping out, but after a quick look through the wiring diagrams, I don't see a relay that would be common to all the instrumentation. They do all come from the main light switch, but that appears to be a solid-state device so you wouldn't likely hear a click from that. Also, that would only effect instrumentation lighting, not the functions of the gauges and indicators.

-Rod

Rod
All of the gages on the dash stop working and peg one way, then the other, then reset and start working when the click happens. The radio sound stops, but I don't believe the center console lights go out.

It seems like there are two clicks, one when things stop, then another when things start working. There is probably 1 or two seconds in between.

Thanks
Dave