Test Notes

Normal Operation
The air bag indicator is designed to light for six (± two) seconds when the ignition switch is turned to the RUN position. This initial six seconds of air bag indicator illumination is considered normal operation and is called prove out of the air bag indicator. If the air bag diagnostic monitor has detected any faults in the air bag system, it will flash the air bag indicator a series of times to indicate the highest priority Lamp Fault Code (LFC) stored in memory. When the New Generation Star (NGS) Tester is used to retrieve Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), the two digit LFC is transferred to a standard DTC by the air bag diagnostic monitor.

After the LFC has flashed completely five times, the air bag indicator will light continuously until the ignition switch is cycled. If the air bag indicator comes on when the ignition switch is turned to RUN and immediately stays on continuously for more than eight seconds, then a fault exists in the air bag indicator circuit.

The air bag diagnostic monitor incorporates a solid state circuit which shorts the air bag indicator line, Circuit 608 (BK/Y), to ground to turn on the air bag indicator. When the black air bag diagnostic monitor harness C233 is disconnected from the air bag diagnostic monitor, a shorting bar within the harness connector shorts Pin C233-11, Circuit 608 (BK/W), and Pin C233-10, Circuit 570 (BK/W) together, causing a continuous illumination. This shorting bar may be removed for repair purposes by removing the black spacer (locking wedge) in C233.

The air bag diagnostic monitor requires power at Pin C232-6, Circuit 364 (BK/LG). to energize the air bag indicator circuit properly. Loss of ignition voltage at Pin C232-6, Circuit 364 (BK/LG), due to an open circuit or short to ground will result in a continuous air bag indicator due to the ignition voltage applied to Pin C233-19, Circuit 584(Y). An open in the lamp circuit at Pin C233-11, Circuit 608 (BK/Y), will result in no air bag indicator; refer to DTC B1869, No Air Bag Indicator.

Possible Causes
Continuous air bag indicator illumination can be caused by:
- a DTC which has flashed five times after the ignition switch was turned to RUN (after prove out) and has timed out. Recycling the ignition switch will redisplay the DTCs by flashing the lamp. The DTCs can be retrieved using the New Generation Star (NGS) Tester.
- a disconnected or poorly connected air bag diagnostic monitor which may not push the shorting bar between Pin C233-10, Circuit 570 (BK/W), and Pin C233-11, Circuit 608 (BK/Y). into its fully retracted position. This shorts the air bag indicator line to ground and causes the air bag indicator to glow continuously.
- a damaged air bag diagnostic monitor.
- shorted air bag indicator wiring.
- loss of ignition voltage at Pin C232-6, Circuit 364 (BK/LG), of the air bag diagnostic monitor.