[Big Al]

Well, like the post said for some reason my passsenger airbag light next to the cigarette lighter is always on. I took my car in to have new wheels and snow tires installed on my car and after they were done the light will not turn off. I know when the car is started it comes on but normally just shut back off. Anyone have this constantly on problem? Has anyone even heard of this and if so is there some easy way to fix this?
Thank You

 

[EvilDeadFan]

If you have the passenger front seatbelt clicked in, the light will stay on (airbags off) because there isn't anyone with sufficient weight to enable to airbag, and kill the light. Otherwise you have an issue..

 

[automaticman]

check to make sure there isn't anything wedged under the seat (that might be affecting the weight sensor), and that there aren't any disconnected harnesses under the seat.

 

[mattleegee]

There is a TSB on the light, seems water or something malfunctions it

 

[automaticman]

interesting. Does the TSB affect all years or just newer ones.

I screwed up my own light when I put a hairline crack in teh glass and didn't notice. The next time it cycled on the bulb blew. Now I have a nonfunctional passenger airbag light AND a Airbag warning light on my dash that my dealer won't have anything to do with because I've modified part of my dash. From the tests I've done the only thing left causing the problem is the airbag module itself - which seems silly, surely the engineers must have considered that the light bulb would burn out eventually and should not kill the ABS module when it does!

 

[thinkvw]

I have the same problem i did some stereo work and had the ashtray out when i put it back together the light by the spedometer came on, i checked the airbag bulb near the ashtray and it was burned out. i replaced the bulb and the airbag light on the instrument panel will nor go out and the pas air bag light near the ashtray wont light when i first start the car like it used to.
I guess i will have to take it to the dealer. any ideas

 

[automaticman]

I resolved this issue. it seems the bulb for the airbag is a special low wattage bulb. Using any other bulb will work and the warning lights will remain on. I think i posted the correct mazda part number in another thread, but it is the same bulb that is actually used in teh glovebox light (the part actually said glovebox/ABS right on the box). it took the parts guy a long time to find it because on teh exploded diagram on their computer the part only says glovebox.

As soon as i installed the right bulb and started the car the light went out immediately and has worked right since.

 

[thinkvw]

I took the bulb out of the glovebox and replaced the airbag bulb with the one from the glovebox and works perfect no more airbag fault light. I first tried a 161 wedge bulb i bought at autozone and it was a 12volt bulb 2.7 watts the lowest i could find and it did not work, the factory bulb says 12volts 1.7 watt. i guess its very sensitive to bulb wattage, what a stupid design!. well does anyone know the correct mazda or aftermarket bulb part number i want to pick up a spare as they seem hard to find, thanks for your help.

 

[jhershorin]

subscribed

 

[Fritch]

interesting.

My MS3 has been doing this occasionally. Get in the car and it just stays on with nothing in the seat. Sometimes it will go out, sometimes it won't. Hmm...

 

[automaticman]

the warning light we were referring to being on earlier is actually the one in teh cluster that says something is wrong with the airbag system, caused by the bulb for the passenger airbag warning light in the center console being the wrong wattage and not turning on at all.

 

[Fritch]

[quote author=automaticman link=topic=66909.msg1889515#msg1889515 date=1196496804]
the warning light we were referring to being on earlier is actually the one in teh cluster that says something is wrong with the airbag system, caused by the bulb for the passenger airbag warning light in the center console being the wrong wattage and not turning on at all.
[/quote]and the warning light that I and the original poster are referring to is the one in the console next to the cigarette lighter. How can it be the wrong wattage? Its stock

 

[automaticman]

sorry, I was gettign the two issues at hand confused. There are two conditions:
1) the passenger wanrning light is on constantly, but the SRS Malfunction light (cluster) is not on.

2) The passenger warning light NEVER comes on, and the SRS malfunction light is on constantly.



The only things that I can think of that would cause #1 to happen would be something wrong with the weight sensor causing it to read between 9-40 lbs constantly, and something shorting inside the seatbelt socket, causing it to think that the seatbelt is plugged in with no one in the seat.

Here's a question for you, if someone sits in the passenger seat and puts their seatbelt on does the light go out? The next thing i would do is get a flashlight and look under the seat to see if any of the wiring or sensors are loose or damaged.

If there's a TSB out describing this condition and you're still under warranty than it seems like the easiest thing to do would be take it in and let mazda deal with it. Anyone have a link to the TSB?

Issue #2 was caused by the wrong bulb being installed and was fixed by installing the right wattage bulb.

 

[Fritch]

when somebody is in the seat with the belt on, the light will not come on. Its like the weight sensor is too sensitive.

 

[automaticman]

the light is supposed to turn off when someone is in the seat with their belt on to indicate that the airbag is now on. It should turn back on if they unplug their seatbelt, or if they weigh under 40lbs.

If the light is out when there is someone in the seat and belted in, and it stays off if they unplug their seatbelt, it might indicate that their is something shorting out the seatbelt switch. This would cause the system to turn the passenger light on all the time when no one is in the seat, and remain off if someone is in the seat and is not belted in.