All,

I had restraint malfunction for a while now and figured out that the BST bypass the previous owner had done was junk. The resistor had fallen off Resulting in this error. I replaced the positive battery cable and this error went away. But the restraint malfunction still remained. It comes back as soon as I clear the error in INPA/ISTA.
I looked at the ignition circuits status in INPA and the passenger head air bag was "NOT OK".
Which airbag is it? the one in the dash or the door? or side the curtain airbag? I looked at the resistance output in INPA and it showed higher resistance than normal.
Is this just a connector issue or is there something major going on?
I have attached the INPA screenshot of the ignition circuits.

Please advise.
TIA

INPA ignition circuit status

 

If the BST bypass was done, the cable is ruined.

Replace the resistor (2 ohm) or buy a new cable (which is not cheap).

 

I have had to repair a customers BST bypass before. All I did was go to the junk yard a cut a connector off a car, soldered it on and shrink wrapped it. Then I cleaned both sides with electrical cleaner and problem was fixed. Just like @donpb I'm not a fan of the bypass. Most do it because they can't figure out the issue. From experience it's a bad contact in the plug which trigger the errors.

 

I did replace the entire cable with one I found from the junk yard. I measured the resistance it is 2 ohm. INPA is telling me that the BST ignition circuit is working fine. I can even see the resistances. Its the passenger head airbag. the resistance was showing as 17 ohms.
I do agree that the cable was toast. the fuse box also had corrosion and I was not getting power to sunroof. But with new fuse box, new fuses and battery cable and some repair work to the wiring, the TPM is functional and power is going to sunroof. but the module appears to be not responding. That's a different issue.

Need to know if there is a way to get access to the connector for this airbag without removing the dash. I understand this is the side curtain that attaches behind the A pillar and all the way back to the c pillar.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

TIA

EDIT: there is a code for the airbag too. I believe its 93B1. Searching the forum did not help. There is only one other guy with the error, that is after the deployment and he did not connect the cables back properly.

 

For that issue it should be an issue with grounding of the module itself.

 

grounding of which module? the one under the arm rest or the air bag gas generator that is in the A pillar?

 

Well you have a different or additional aiir bag issue(s) then. When its the BST, you usually see code 93B2.

 

Thats exactly what I am saying. I had 93B2 and solved it by changing the positive cable. after that I am seeing this 93B1. Or maybe it was there from before and I never noticed it. I knew it was the BST and just ignored it for as long as I could. Now that its fixed, I cannot leave this unfixed.
I will try to remove the connectors for the curtain airbag and clean it and reconnect it. Maybe that will fix it.
I will keep you posted.

 

Update:

I was able to temporarily solve the issue. looks like the previous owner or the dealer I got the car from has done an stupid job of fixing electrical faults.

When I removed the A pillar cover, I saw a connector hanging by the airbag. I wiggled it out and it looks like it has been spliced to the original connector. ( Dont know why ). This is the same type of connector I had seen on the BST where the dealer had installed a resistor. It just plugs straight into the connector.
But I did not see any resistor fallen off, SO WEIRD...!! I connected the battery back up again and fired up inpa, cleared the codes and checked the resistance. It was around 2 ohm.
What I understand is there is probably a bad wiring to the airbag which is sending bad resistance readings so the dealer installed this bypass resistor connector but did not use it.. may be it only throws the error when the wire shorts or something.. Either way I will have to go to a junk yard and get an airbag just in case mine is almost dead and no longer capable of igniting..
I will rewire the Air bag and solder all the wires properly and will update on how it goes..!!!

This might be fun..!!! LOL.

Pictures are here.


connector hanging next to airbag

shitty job of splicing connector

INPA screenshot