Jeep JK Wrangler Airbag Light Going ON & OFF

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
airbag-light.jpg

So, I know this is probably a sign that my clock spring is going bad but what I don't get is why all of a sudden it's going bad now! I mean, it just started out of the blue as I pulled out of my driveway today and to be honest, I'd be fine with it if it would just chime, come on once and just stay there but nooooo, it's got to go on and off and on and off and on and off the entire time I'm driving. Or hell, while I'm standing still! Totally sucks and I know I'm whining here but the main reason for me posting this up now is just in case I'm wrong and it's not the clock spring, has anyone else had this problem on their 2012 Jeep JK Wrangler or newer and had it fixed? If so, was it your clock spring or is there any chance it might have been the accelerometer? This is the first time I've had this problem happen on my 2012 so any help would be most appreciated. Thanks :cool:
 

HILLZ

Member
View attachment 106402

So, I know this is probably a sign that my clock spring is going bad but what I don't get is why all of a sudden it's going bad now! I mean, it just started out of the blue as I pulled out of my driveway today and to be honest, I'd be fine with it if it would just chime, come on once and just stay there but nooooo, it's got to go on and off and on and off and on and off the entire time I'm driving. Or hell, while I'm standing still! Totally sucks and I know I'm whining here but the main reason for me posting this up now is just in case I'm wrong and it's not the clock spring, has anyone else had this problem on their 2012 Jeep JK Wrangler or newer and had it fixed? If so, was it your clock spring or is there any chance it might have been the accelerometer? This is the first time I've had this problem happen on my 2012 so any help would be most appreciated. Thanks :cool:

Have you plugged in to see what code is being thrown? might be something simple, I've had one come up like that before on a different vehicle and it was because there was a build up of gunk in the seatbelt stalk. :thinking:
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Have you plugged in to see what code is being thrown? might be something simple, I've had one come up like that before on a different vehicle and it was because there was a build up of gunk in the seatbelt stalk. :thinking:

Thanks for the suggestion, that's for sure on my to do list. Certainly, it'd be a lot cheaper to have it be something dumb like that. :yup:
 

Jk909

New member
My 2012 ram 1500 hemi started doing the same thing a month ago. It's really annoying but I haven't had time to drop it off at the dealer
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
My 2012 ram 1500 hemi started doing the same thing a month ago. It's really annoying but I haven't had time to drop it off at the dealer

The crazy thing is, I literally just read there's some kind of electrical recall going on for newer JK's (unrelated to the airbag issue on the news) but it has something to do with the heated mirrors. Anyway, if you get your problem figured out before I do, I'd be grateful if you could please let me know what the fix was.
 

JayKay

Caught the Bug
Thanks for the suggestion, that's for sure on my to do list. Certainly, it'd be a lot cheaper to have it be something dumb like that. :yup:

May not be too much cheaper if it is the female seatbelt buckle and it has to be replaced. My wife's CR-V throws a code for the left front buckle every once in a while. Priced the buckle through Honda and it's around $250 and not returnable since its coded to the VIN and a safety part. Is the airbag light the only one that comes on?
 
May not be too much cheaper if it is the female seatbelt buckle and it has to be replaced. My wife's CR-V throws a code for the left front buckle every once in a while. Priced the buckle through Honda and it's around $250 and not returnable since its coded to the VIN and a safety part. Is the airbag light the only one that comes on?

If it turns out to be this let me know I have extra seat belts out of my 13 :) my airbag light is always on but for a different reason :( sorry to hear about the issues.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
May not be too much cheaper if it is the female seatbelt buckle and it has to be replaced. My wife's CR-V throws a code for the left front buckle every once in a while. Priced the buckle through Honda and it's around $250 and not returnable since its coded to the VIN and a safety part. Is the airbag light the only one that comes on?

Well, I'll try to give them a good cleaning first and check the wire connectors.

If it turns out to be this let me know I have extra seat belts out of my 13 :) my airbag light is always on but for a different reason :( sorry to hear about the issues.

Thanks man, I really appreciate it. :thumb:
 

Alan30

New member
I had this same problem in mine from the day I got it. In the beginning it was only when out on the trails. Eventually it was in all the time. Took it to the dealership, the computer said passenger side sensor, I believe. Going back and forth with Chrysler engineers on the issue, it was determined to be electrical connections for a air bag sensor on the passenger side. What was throwing the light was the test signal verifying the circuit continuity. They replaced the connections and zero issues. If the clock spring was going bad the other functions on your steering wheel would not work, such as horn, steering wheel buttons. Chrysler told the dealership that they were starting to hear more issues like this coming up.
 

Alan30

New member
And the light does not need to be locked in for the dealership to determine what is setting off the light. It's stored in the computer. The first place I took said it had to be, the place that fixed it said it didn't matter
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Thanks for the info. I was wondering if maybe it could be something like that. Guess if all else fails, I may have to make a trip down to the dealership.
 
Thanks for the info. I was wondering if maybe it could be something like that. Guess if all else fails, I may have to make a trip down to the dealership.


Try some compressed air into the buckle and then verify the under seat connector has not come loose.

We know you drive like a grandpa :cheesy: everywhere you go and thos speed bumps at the mall can be tricky but it could have caused the connector to come loose.

Edit- Might also check the chasis ground too.

Edit 2: CRC makes and electronics cleaner or isoprophyl alcohol works too.
 
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EZ-E

New member
My 2012 was doing that and it turned out that the sensor plug in the drivers side pillar had came loose from taking the doors on and off when I would unplug the door harness. I just snapped it back firmly into place and it went away. Dunno if it'll be that simple for you. Worth a shot, I suppose.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
My 2012 was doing that and it turned out that the sensor plug in the drivers side pillar had came loose from taking the doors on and off when I would unplug the door harness. I just snapped it back firmly into place and it went away. Dunno if it'll be that simple for you. Worth a shot, I suppose.

Man, if that's all that it is, I will be stoked!! Thanks for the tip, I will try this out today :yup:
 

07sgt0720

New member
Wayalife, I am a tech at a Chrysler dealership and have had the exact same thing happen on my personal JK, a 2013. Also have seen and fixed numerous others with the same issue. Clockspring took care of it. Mine was covered by my warranty.
 
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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Thanks, I appreciate the note.

I just checked all the connections on Rubicat (door harness, seat harnesses, etc), tried cleaning the seat belt latches and.... still have the air bag light going on and off. :rolleyes2:

Guess I'll either need to make a trip to the dealership to have them give her a scan or, just order up a clock spring and hope that's the problem :sigh:
 

NFRs2000NYC

Caught the Bug
Eddie, stupid question.....do you have anything on the front passenger seat weighing around 1-15lbs? A gym bag? A laptop? A dog? Had this problem on the wife's crv. The seat had a built in sensor that if it THINKS a small child is sitting in the front seat, it will turn off the passenger airbag and illuminate the airbag light. Drove me crazy for 3 days, until I was washing the car and realized that it was her 4lb makeup case that was setting it off. Removed it off the seat and the light went away. Put it back on, light came back.
 
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JKWrang

New member
Eddie, stupid question.....do you have anything on the front passenger seat weighing around 1-15lbs? A gym bag? A laptop? A dog? Had this problem on the wife's crv. The seat had a built in sensor that if it THINKS a small child is sitting in the front seat, it will turn off the passenger airbag and illuminate the airbag light. Drove me crazy for 3 days, until I was washing the car and realized that it was her 4lb makeup case that was setting it off. Removed it off the seat and the light went away. Put it back on, light came back.

Whatever happened to the key on/key off airbag feature??? Too much taking the user out of the equation to eliminate liability going on these daya

Sent from my SCH-I545 using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

NAUJK

New member
Mines been doing this tooooo! Its a 2009... For probably close to or a lil over a year now. ive jsut been ignoring it and let it ding and jsut play my music louder... I just assumed it was my clock spring. Ill check all the other things that have been brought up but will def keep an eye on this thread if all else fails!
 
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