Retrieving Lamp Flash Codes (LFC)

- The air bag diagnostic monitor illuminates the AIR BAG indicator for approximately six seconds when the ignition switch is turned to RUN and then turns the AIR BAG indicator off. This indicates that the AIR BAG indicator is operational. If the AIR BAG indicator does not illuminate at all, stays on continuously or flashes at any time, then a fault has been detected by the air bag diagnostic monitor.

- Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), if present, will begin flashing within 30 seconds after the ignition switch has been turned to RUN. This is the amount of time it takes the air bag diagnostic monitor to perform all tests and verify system faults, if present.

- Diagnostic trouble codes are displayed as a series of flashes and pauses of the air bag indicator. Diagnostic trouble codes are two-digit numbers. For example: A DTC 32 is displayed as follows:

flash flash flash - (two second pause) - flash flash - (five second pause)...

flash flash flash - (two second pause) - flash flash - (five second pause)...

- Diagnostic trouble codes are prioritized numerically so that if two or more faults occur at the same time, the diagnostic trouble code with the highest priority will be displayed.

- After the DTC is displayed five times, the AIR BAG indicator will illuminate continuously until the ignition switch is cycled.

- The air bag diagnostic monitor incorporates Nonvolatile Random Access Memory (NVRAM) to store diagnostic trouble codes and retain them indefinitely. The air bag diagnostic monitor will always flash the highest priority diagnostic trouble code stored in NVRAM. Diagnostic trouble codes may be cleared from the air bag diagnostic monitor after the fault conditions are serviced.

- The air bag diagnostic monitor distinguishes between hard and intermittent (or repaired) fault conditions.
+ Each diagnostic trouble code number 12 through 45 represents a hard fault (a fault that is still present). Hard diagnostic trouble codes are higher priority than intermittent diagnostic trouble codes and may not be cleared from NVRAM.
+ Each of these hard diagnostic trouble codes has an equivalent diagnostic trouble code which is the sum of the diagnostic trouble code number plus 40. This equivalent diagnostic trouble code will indicate that an intermittent condition exists, or that a hard condition has been repaired.
+ Only the intermittent (repaired) diagnostic trouble codes, numbers 52 through 85, may be cleared from the air bag diagnostic monitor. (Refer to Testing and Inspection / Clearing and Extracting Codes) Example: A Diagnostic Trouble Code 32 indicates that high resistance in the driver side air bag circuit has been, and still is, present. A DTC 72(32 + 40) indicates that high resistance in the driver side air bag circuit existed at one time, but no longer exists due to an intermittent condition or a repair made to the circuit.

- If a system fault exists and the AIR BAG indicator is not functioning, an audible tone will be heard indicating a need for service. The tone is a series of five sets of five beeps. This does not indicate a diagnostic trouble code 55 or any other diagnostic trouble code. The AIR BAG indicator must be serviced before diagnostic trouble codes can be determined.