Retrieve/Clear Continuous DTCs

During vehicle operation the air bag diagnostic monitor will detect and store both intermittent and hard failure codes in non-volatile memory. The Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) strategy employed by the air bag diagnostic monitor incorporates a time out scheme for determining when a fault exists in the system. This requires a fault to exist for up to one minute in the system before the air bag diagnostic monitor will detect it.

For the air bag diagnostic monitor to determine that a fault no longer exists requires that the fault be absent for up to one minute The actual fault detection time-outs vary with DTC. The codes can be retrieved by the service technician with the Rotunda New Generation Star (NGS) Tester 007-00500 or equivalent using the RETRIEVE/CLEAR CONTINUOUS DTCs option. Any fault codes stored in the air bag diagnostic monitor will be displayed on the NGS along with a brief description of the fault. If no codes are present, the NGS Tester will display a "SYSTEM PASSED" message. This option can also be used to clear DTCs from the air bag diagnostic monitor memory, as long as the fault no longer exists. Once a fault code is logged in the air bag diagnostic monitor memory, it will stay in memory until 80 key cycles have been recorded or until the NGS is used to erase the codes. Once 256 key cycles have been recorded since the fault was last detected, the DTC will automatically be removed from memory.

To retrieve and/or clear DTCs, follow these steps:
1. Connect Rotunda New Generation Star (NGS) Tester 007-00500 or equivalent to Data Link Connector (DLC).
2. Turn ignition switch to RUN.
3. Select the MODEL YEAR and VEHICLE.
4. Select DIAGNOSTIC DATA LINK.
5. Select IABM-INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR.
6. Select DIAGNOSTIC TEST MODES.
7. Select RETRIEVE/CLEAR CONTINUOUS DTCs.
8. After pressing START, all continuous DTCs will be displayed on the screen. Before proceeding with the clearing operation, make note of DTCs displayed, because once cleared they cannot be retrieved.
9. To clear DTCs, press C_ALL. Clearing of individual DTCs (C_ONE) is not supported by the air bag diagnostic monitor.
10. The Rotunda New Generation Star (NGS) Tester 007-00500 or equivalent will retrieve DTCs again after clearing DTCs, and if any remain they will be displayed. Hard DTCs will be redisplayed after clearing DTCs since they cannot be cleared from the air bag diagnostic monitor