1996 Ford Taurus Airbag light flashing

[1940plym]

Hello:
I have a 1996 Ford Taurus. The airbag light flashes code 52. I saw where this means "Backup Power Supply Voltage Boost Fault". Does anyone know what this actually means and how it can be fixed and if it is a bad part, the location of the part?
Thanks so much.

[shorod]

The factory service manual shows that code to mean "Lost battery feed or low battery feed voltage." Did you recently pull the fuse for the system or is your alternator and/or battery weak?

-Rod

Following is more detail from the FSM:
The air bag diagnostic monitor (14B056) measures the voltage at Pin C276-14, Circuit 609 (O/Y) of the air bag diagnostic monitor connector. Voltage at Pin C276-14, Circuit 609 (O/Y) should be equal to battery voltage. If the voltage at Pin C276-14, Circuit 609 (O/Y) drops to less than 8 volts, the air bag diagnostic monitor will flash a lamp fault code 12 on the AIR BAG indicator. If the voltage at Pin C276-14, Circuit 609 (O/Y) drops to less than 5 volts, the DTC B1867 will also be stored in memory. Should the loss of battery voltage at Pin C276-14, Circuit 609 (O/Y) be intermittent or repaired, the air bag diagnostic monitor will flash a lamp fault code 52 (or higher priority code if one exists) on the next ignition switch cycle.

Note: If a short to ground exists on any of the Circuits 607 (LB/O), 614 (GY/O), 615 (GY/W) or 616 (PK/BK) leading to a lamp fault code 13 or 53 and DTC B1913, or similarly a short to ground exists on any of Circuits 619 (PK/W), 624 (Y/W), 625 (Y/LG) or 617 (PK/O) leading to a lamp fault code 14 or 54 and DTC B1914, the air bag diagnostic monitor will activate an internal solid state switch at Pin C276-13 of the air bag diagnostic monitor. This causes Fuse 16 (10A) to open, thus disarming the air bag system and preventing inadvertent air bag deployment. If power distribution box battery fuse has opened, it must be replaced by a 10A fuse.

Low voltage at air bag diagnostic monitor Pin C276-14, Circuit 609 (O/Y) can be caused by:

l an open in the battery circuit that would prevent battery positive voltage (B+) from reaching air bag diagnostic monitor Pin C276-14, Circuit 609 (O/Y).

l a short to ground on the battery feed circuit between the Fuse 16 (10A) and Pin C276-13, Circuit 609 (O/Y) or Pin C276-14, Circuit 609 (O/Y) of the air bag diagnostic monitor.

l a concern in the charging system causing battery voltage to drop below 8 volts.

After the air bag diagnostic monitor has disarmed the air bag system, it will not be enabled to disarm again until the appropriate condition (DTC B1913 or B1914) has been serviced and cleared by performing appropriate pinpoint tests.

[1940plym]

Thanks a lot for the fast and informative response. I really appreciate it.
Thanks again and have a good day.

Sincerely,
Carl

[dugan50]

9 out of 10 times a code 52 means you need to replace the airbag control unit.
http://www.airbagsolutions.com/

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.
The flashing light on your car is telling the answer you need. On some vehicles, the light is flashing a two digit code. Once you know the code, you can most likely repair it yourself. There are fairly easy procedures that most people are capable of repairing.
Airbagsolutions.com has the fault code charts to tell you what is wrong