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Car Forum / Ford / Ford Trucks / March 200694 150 1/2 ton air bag light & under dash buzzer & how to deactivate?
I have an old 150 ford that I drive once every 2 or 3 months with over 203,000 miles on it. For some reason, even though it has never been in a front end crash, the dash air bag light is now on and a buzzer hidden somewhere under the dash goes off 3 times periodically. This low drain in the periods between driving bleeds the battery completely dead. I've asked a mechanic I know how to deactivate the light and where the buzzer is and he has no idea where the buzzer is and how to deactivate the dash light and buzzer. Since it is a "safety devise", Ford won't tell me either. Ford wants about $1000.00 to fix the no longer functioning air bag, and since the truck is worth only $1500.00 to $2000.00, spending $1000.00 does not make sence given my frequency of driving and its value. Question: Does anyone know how I deactivate the light and buzzer? PS: Thought of getting a sunlight trickle charger to put on dash and plug into cigarette lighter, but it has not worked in years and according to my mechanic, it's not just a fuse but a major hunt and fix (lots of $$$$) or a complete rewire. That is thus not a financial option for me as I'm retired with a small income. Thanks if anyone has the answer to the above question. Jim McNulty >I have an old 150 ford that I drive once every 2 or 3 months with over >203,000 miles on it. For some reason, even though it has never been in [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >Thanks if anyone has the answer to the above question. >Jim McNulty You are chasing the wrong gremlin for killing the battery. The airbag system is not activated when the switch is off. If you have a drain on the battery, you need to find that problem. Also, keep in mind that the ECM has a keep alive circuit that is a constant drain. There are other live circuits. A competent tech can check the dormant drain on the battery and tell you if it is normal. The fact of the matter is that any modern vehicle will kill it's battery if left idle long enough. If the battery is being drained too quickly, you may want to have the alternator checked as they are a common cause of battery drain if there is a bad diode. If yours has the original alternator, I would even more suspect this. You air bag problem can also be diagnosed with the correct scanner. The repair may not be expensive at all. I also would not spend a grand to fix this on a older vehicle like yours and mine but, I would not hesitate to repair the airbag for a couple of hundred. The fact is that the mechanic you talked to may not have wanted to tackle the problem for you, Thus, the scary predictions from him. You can always have it checked without spending the money for the repairs. Most reputable dealers or techs will credit some or all diagnostic time toward the repair if you authorize the repair at that time. You should check that. Lugnut Thanks Lugnut for your advise. Question: What is this chime that comes from under the dash and goes off 3 times in a row only when the ignition is turned off? You can hear it through the door and closed windows. Very loud when door open. Does not make any sound when vehicle drivenor ignition is turned on. My mechanic yesterday said he had never heard such a sound, said yesterday it was coming from under the dash but he had no idea where, and asked me what it was. I reminded him that I had asked him to look at this while doing another repair and he said he had forgotten but since he'd never heard such a sound from under the dash of a Ford 150 or any other vehicle in 30 years as a mechanic, he had no idea but he was sure that as loud as it was, it would eventually drain off the battery. Any ideas about my "chime"? Thanks for your other suggestions above and I will have them checked out - Jim >Thanks Lugnut for your advise. >Question: What is this chime that comes from under the dash and goes [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >Thanks for your other suggestions above and I will have them checked >out - Jim Don't know if your F150 had such a feature but, my Crown Vic does that if the headlight switch is in the Auto position when I open the door to leave after the ignition is off. I stops after a few seconds. It may be that you have this along with a bad door courtesy light switch that does not let the system know the door is now closed. This is only a shot-in-the-dark WAG on my part but, may be worth checking into. Lugnut First how old is "old", if it has a real "buzzer" probably old unless you describe the chime as a buzzer A lot of states have extended warranty on airbag related stuff second, does it flash a code when turning ignition on before it turns into a solid light ???? > I have an old 150 ford that I drive once every 2 or 3 months with over > 203,000 miles on it. For some reason, even though it has never been in [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > Thanks if anyone has the answer to the above question. > Jim McNulty maybe I should learn how to read the " subject line" never mind > First how old is "old", if it has a real "buzzer" probably old unless you > describe the chime as a buzzer [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Thanks if anyone has the answer to the above question. > > Jim McNulty My wife says it is really a chime. Have not measured the frequency but it is 3 chimes in a row and the chimes only go off when the driver is out of the truck or the ignition is turned off. You can walk by the truck when it is parked through the closed doors and windows until the battery is drained. I bought a new battery and it will be dead in a week or so. I used to be able to park it for a month and jump in and start it up and drive it around the block. Now it is a jump start any time I park it for more than a few days. The airbag light goes on when the iginition is turned on and just flashes constantly as long as the ignition is turned on (and I'm driving the truck or while at an idle or just turned on). That light is on the dash panel on left hand side and is orange. The truck is a 94. Thanks so much for trying to help. Jim flashing air bag light, no horn, and no cruise control indicates a broken "clock spring" under the air bag. Your chime and air bag light are not in my experience pile. ______________________________ Keep the whole world singing . . . . DanG (remove the sevens) dgriff237@7cox.net > My wife says it is really a chime. Have not measured the > frequency but [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > is orange. The truck is a 94. > Thanks so much for trying to help. Jim |
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