97 Escort Airbag Sensor Problems

[scottevi199]

I have my State Inspection coming up in another month, and my car has a serious problem:

For about 2 weeks my Airbag light was blinking the code 34. I had planned on trying to fix it by checking out the connector under both my seats, but everytime I would whip out a soldering iron and multimeter, the light would stop blinking the code that time (very weird/unlucky I guess).

Yesterday, the light stopped turning on at start-up and now I hear an irradic beeping (sounds similar to the beeps at startup).

I am willing to fix this stuff myself; what should I try? Is there an electrical system kit I should buy that can tell me if my Airbag sensor is busted, or if its just the light in my dash?

Regards,
Scott Evil

[mightymoose_22]

Your first step would be to research what code 34 from the airbag light means. Perhaps someone in the forum will chime in and let us know. A call to the local dealer or auto shop should get you the info... might even find it on the net somewhere.

[Davescort97]

Code 34 is Driver Side Air Bag Circuit Low Resistance or Shorted. Some possible causes are:

A poorly mated air bag sliding contact connector may not push the shorting bars back into their fully retracted positions.

A damaged shorting bar may short circuit wiring

A short between the air bag sliding contact windings.

The connectors for the air bag and the air bag sliding contact have metal spring clips that act as shorting bars. These shorting bars are built into the
plastic hard shell connectors. The shorting bars are designed to short circuits 611 (green and yellow wire) and 612 (black and yellow wire) together when the connectors aren't mated. The connector may not be pushed together hard enough to retract the shorting bars. So check that and check to see that all the connections are clean and tight.

If you are going to work on the airbag system, disconnect the negative battery terminal for 5 minutes to deactivate the backup power supply and leave disconnected while working on the sytem. Information is from 1997 Workshop manual. You work on the airbag system at your own risk. I assume no liablity for any damages or accidents which may occur.

[sreve]

change out the clock spring. very common cause of steering wheel mounted electrical problems.
davescorts post refers to nothing but that although they they do not use the word clock spring.