airbag light

ok so i've done some searching and mostly what i've come up with is 'take it to the dealer' my airbag light comes on and goes off mostly its on sometimes it turns off driving down the road or turns back on driving down the road... honestly i could care less if i have airbags... so my question is 2 fold... 1) is it a dealer only problem? i.e. can i fix whatevers wrong at home? 2) if it's dealer only is there a way to unplug the light or brain or pull a fuse or somethin to turn the stupid light off and keep it off? thanks for any help!

What model year Cherokee ? The correct answer to many basic problems will vary based on model year and optional equipment. Always include the relevant info in your threads.

Not sure what year your's is, but on my 97 I was told there was a recall on this. Seems they had corrosion problems with the module that was mounted under the drivers seat. The recall involved moving the module to the center console

my bad... 99 xj 4.0 auto 231 30/8.25

and i checked into the recall and mine was updated as far as i can tell... the brain has been moved to under the console. as far as i can tell thats what they did for it???:dunno:

You can work on your own airbag system. Follow the safety procedures or you get punched in the nose by your Jeep.

Does your Cruise Control and Horn stop working when the airbag light comes on ? Any other symptoms, or just the light turns on and off ?

Most likely, your clockspring has gone bad. You can replace it yourself or remove the airbag lamp from the instrument cluster. IDK if removing the airbag fuses will disable the dash light.





SYSTEM OPERATION
The clockspring is mounted on the steering column behind the steering wheel. This assembly consists of a plastic housing which contains a flat, ribbon-like, electrically conductive tape that winds and unwinds with the steering wheel rotation.

The clockspring is used to maintain a continuous electrical circuit between the instrument panel wire harness and the driver side airbag module, the horn switch, and the vehicle speed control switches on vehicles that are so equipped.

The clockspring must be properly centered when it is installed on the steering column following any service removal, or it will be damaged. See the Clockspring Centering procedure for more information.

The clockspring cannot be repaired. If the clockspring is faulty, damaged, or if the airbag has been deployed, the clockspring must be replaced.

WARNING: THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS A SENSITIVE, COMPLEX ELECTROMECHANICAL UNIT. BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO DIAGNOSE OR SERVICE ANY AIR-BAG SYSTEM OR RELATED STEERING WHEEL, STEERING COLUMN, OR INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPONENTS YOU MUST FIRST DISCONNECT AND ISOLATE THE BATTERY NEGATIVE (GROUND) CABLE. THEN WAIT TWO MINUTES FOR THE SYSTEM CAPACITOR TO DISCHARGE BEFORE FURTHER SYSTEM SERVICE. THIS IS THE ONLY SURE WAY TO DISABLE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. FAILURE TO DO THIS COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTAL AIR-BAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY .


Turn the steering wheel until the front wheels are in the straight-ahead position before starting the procedure.

Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable. If the airbag has not been deployed, wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before further service.
Remove the driver side airbag module from the steering wheel.
If the vehicle is equipped with the optional vehicle speed control, unplug the speed control switch wire harness connector in the steering wheel.
Remove the nut that secures the steering wheel to the steering column upper shaft.
Remove the steering wheel with a steering wheel puller (Special Tool C-3428-B).
Remove the steering column, opening cover from the instrument panel.
If the vehicle is so equipped, move the tilt steering column to the fully raised position.
Insert the key in the ignition lock cylinder and turn the ignition switch to the On position.

Insert a small screwdriver or pin punch through the access hole in the lower steering column shroud and depress the ignition lock cylinder retaining tumbler.
While holding the retaining tumbler depressed, pull the ignition lock cylinder and key out of the ignition lock housing.
Remove the three screws that secure the lower steering column shroud to the upper shroud.
If the vehicle is equipped with a standard non-tilt steering column, loosen the two upper steering column mounting nuts. If the vehicle is equipped with the optional tilt steering column, move the tilt steering column to the fully lowered position.
Remove both the upper and lower shrouds from the steering column.

Clockspring Remove/Install

Unplug the two wire harness connectors from the instrument panel side of the clockspring.
To remove the clockspring, carefully lift the locating fingers of the clockspring assembly from the steering column as necessary. If the clockspring locating fingers are broken, be certain to remove the broken pieces from the upper steering column housing. The clockspring cannot be repaired. It must be replaced if faulty or damaged, or if the airbag has been deployed.
When installing the clockspring, snap the clockspring onto the steering column. If the clockspring is not positioned properly in relation to the steering wheel, see Clockspring Centering before installing the steering wheel.
Plug the two clockspring wire harness connectors into the instrument panel side of the clockspring. Be certain that the wire harness connector latches are fully engaged.
Reinstall the steering column shrouds and ignition lock cylinder. Tighten the shroud mounting screws to 2 N.m (18 in. lbs.) .
Reinstall the steering column opening cover to the instrument panel.
The front wheels should still be in the straight-ahead position. Install the steering wheel being certain to index the flats on the hub of the steering wheel with the formations on the inside of the clockspring. Pull the wire harness, through the lower hole in the steering wheel hut. Tighten the steering wheel nut to 61 N.m (45 ft. lbs.) . Be certain not to pinch the wiring between the steering wheel and the nut.
Install the driver side airbag module onto the steering wheel.

i think i can change the clock spring without pulling the column... it's the white assembly under the steering wheel correct? and if the problem is the clock spring, wouldn't the gauges and such have issues too? i did some research on the clock spring and found that there were other symptoms that went with but i'm certainly willing to give it a try... i have one from a 98 that looks the same and has same plug ins... should work? and how do i center it as it came from a used rig that was missing the axle so i have no idea where it is in relation to center. thanks for the info!!!

All you need is a steering wheel puller. The symptoms can vary a bit depending if the clock-spring is bad or the airbag circuit is having ground connection issues. No ground, and you have a totally dead instrument panel. The airbag system is self testing so you will know if the new clock-spring is good or bad.

There are 2 types of 97-01 clock-springs, cruise (3 wire) and non-cruise (2 wire).

To center a clock-spring, very gently, turn the clock-spring mechanism one direction until you get resistance. Now turn all the way the other direction, counting the number of turns. Divide that number by two and count the new number of turns to center the clock-spring. Make sure your tires are pointed straight and install the clock spring.

The clock spring is round.

.

thanks for the info tim... i'll let you know how it works out after dinner...

swapped out the clocking spring and no change.... any other ideas? is there a port to actually check for codes or something along those lines?

An OBD-II Diagnostic Scan Tool can read the systems operating info and probably determine the source of the trouble. Since they are very expensive, only a Dealership or well equipped repair shop will have a Scan Tool.


The trouble code reader at your local auto parts store will not have the Scan Tool's diagnostic functions required to do the job.

ok... so without buying a really expensive scan tool what do you think next step is? swap brains out? i found one in a local yeard i can try... if that doesn't work... what next? i've verified that i have both airbags and changed the clock spring so if i swap brains then what does that leave? just wiring correct? don't know if there's any other major components to the system??????? thanks!!

Make sure the ground wire for the trigger box is clean and firmly attached.

The clock spring you installed may have been over-extended already. If the box isn't expensive you can try that. The pic is the entire airbag system. Wiring is a possibility.

A diagnostic fee at the dealership probably is about $100.

where might i find the ground wire for the trigger box? is that the brain box under the console? and yes the brain at the yard is reasonable, the jeep its in also has a clocking spring that as far as i can tell is ok... no bag deployment and steering is still hooked up so safe(ish) to assume it's ok... i'll pull both tomorrow if i get a chance. thanks for all the help!!!

brain box = trigger box, the silver box thingy. The ground wire is about 6" long and is attached to the box.

ten four... headed out to remove console and check trigger ground!!! thanks again!!

When the airbag light comes on push on the gauge cluster and around it on the trim, even bang you're fist on the to of the dash above the gauge cluster, if the light goes off after a few seconds its most likely this....and this is what fixed it for me.

pull out you're gauge cluster, unplug the two harness connections in the back. and bend all the 'fingers' on one side of the plug, inward. to basically make better contact with the spades thats go into it. put it back together and enjoy no more airbag light.

my light would go on and off randomly, also sometimes when hitting bumps, other times only when it was really cold out ect. mine was a 98' btw

ok so i tore out the console and pulled out the trigger box and redid the ground and made sure all mount screws were tight and free of funk so as a good ground could be had... put it all back together and the light came on and i wiggled the wires and it went off... did this a few times trying to narrow down which wire it was or the plug or???? well finally after enough messing with it the light stayed off... for now. so not sure if its the box or the wiring but if it comes back on i'll grab the other box from the yard and see if that helps.. thanks for getting me this far and i'll let you guys know if it comes back on!

took her for a ride tonight for about twenty minutes.... no light still (knock on wood...). i'll keep you updated this weekend. thanks again!!