98 Q Flashing airbag light when car left running and driver door open. Old Code.

[tfvesquire]

Hi there:

I haven't been on here in awhile -- my wife and I just had our first child, a son born on Father's Day!! Doesn't get better than that.

Anyway, my 98 is having a recurring issue lately with the airbag light flashing when I leave the car running, unhook my seatbelt and open the driver door. When I do the airbag light diagnostic check, it shows a long pause which according to the FSM indicates an old, cleared code was fixed at some point, but no new codes.

Then, when I turn the key to the off position and then turn the car back on, the flashing light disappears and doesn't come back until I open the door again with the car running. I checked the drivers door pillar light switch and the connections under both seats. The only thing I can think of is there might be a problem with the drivers seatbelt clasp/buckle switch that is somehow triggering the old code to come up again??

If there is anyone out there who has dealt with this issue, please let me know. This is really frustrating when I can't even check what the code is because all the flashes tell me is there was a problem in the past that was fixed. When the guy at the carwash brings the car around and leaves the car running and door open, somethimes the light starts flashing. Is there something else I should check?

Any assistance would be great!! Other than that, everything else is working perfectly.

Ted

[Q45tech]

Take it to dealer where they can use a Consult II or III to evaluate. Generic OBDII scanner won't clear and recycle every code or memory especially in body control, abs, and SRS.

[Q451990]

There may be a reset procedure in the FSM (factory service manual) that you can try. I recently discovered one for my truck after unplugging the dash trim and turning the ignition switch on while the passenger airbag on/off switch was unplugged.

The FSM is in our library at http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/

Heath

[tfvesquire]

Thanks for the imput and suggestions. Now (this past weekend), the light comes on flashing all the time. If I reset it by pressing the driver door pillar switch five or more times with the ignition on and then turning the key off and then restarting the car, then light goes out for about 15 secs and then comes back flashing. In the past month or so, in the past I could at least reset the light and it would go out for a week or more. Still has the same old stored code flash, so I think I am going to have to visit the dealer and have the code checked out.

Any other suggestions would be great. I hate paying the dealer $90 to do a diagnostic and then getting a quote to fix the problem.

Hope all is well with you out there.

Ted