Air Bag Sensors
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 61
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From: West Greenwich RI
Air Bag Sensors
Hey All,
Just finished rebuilding my late model 97 F150 super cab. I bought it after the previous owner went on a drunken stupor and smacked it into a tree. The air bags did not deploy. There was significant damage to the front end. Bent a frame rail and took out the core support. All has been fixed/replaced.
My question is: I have 2 front crash/airbag sensors out of a "good" parts truck. Is there a way to test them so that I can verify they are "good" right now the 2 front sensors are not plugged in.
Also, is there anything else I should be aware of since the bags didn't go off? Will my local Ford dealer be able to check the system for me??
Thanks!
-Alex
Just finished rebuilding my late model 97 F150 super cab. I bought it after the previous owner went on a drunken stupor and smacked it into a tree. The air bags did not deploy. There was significant damage to the front end. Bent a frame rail and took out the core support. All has been fixed/replaced.
My question is: I have 2 front crash/airbag sensors out of a "good" parts truck. Is there a way to test them so that I can verify they are "good" right now the 2 front sensors are not plugged in.
Also, is there anything else I should be aware of since the bags didn't go off? Will my local Ford dealer be able to check the system for me??
Thanks!
-Alex
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,495
Likes: 7
From: Memphis, TN 38135, USA, Earth
The sensors automatically "reset" themselves after any impact, so if they're not physically damaged, they're probably OK to reuse. If you want to test one, put a digital multimeter (DMM) set to Ohms (resistance) or continuity (diode test) across the primary terminals & smack it down. The meter should show momentary short circuit, or beep.
There are many reasons why the bags didn't go off, but the sensors are the least-likely. Probably, the system worked exactly as designed, and the bags wouldn't have helped, so they weren't deployed.
The system self-tests constantly, so all you have to do is turn the key on. If there's a fault, the SRS light will flash out the code. When all faults are gone, the light will simply prove-out, and then turn off.
Read this caption:
Note that it's very similar to later systems:
There are many reasons why the bags didn't go off, but the sensors are the least-likely. Probably, the system worked exactly as designed, and the bags wouldn't have helped, so they weren't deployed.
The system self-tests constantly, so all you have to do is turn the key on. If there's a fault, the SRS light will flash out the code. When all faults are gone, the light will simply prove-out, and then turn off.
Read this caption:
Note that it's very similar to later systems:
