Air bag light and Rear gate wiper

RCP Phx said:

Well the clockspring is the culprit for the airbag light, can't help with the wiper. On "Lil Sis" the airbag light has been on I bought it!

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halmca said:

Some folks have been injured by air bags -- and some folks have swallowed their tooth brush and choked on it. But intuition tells me that brushing my teeth is a better course than not doing so.

Made me smile but not a good point: swallowing a toothbrush is a freak accident - being injured by an airbag is rather too common.

My airbag light does go off occasionally, but it is on most of the time. And on one rainy day, I accidentally discovered that the airbag and the rear window wiper are linked, at least in spirit, if not electrically. Bizarre as it sounds. It was funny at first, but the giggles have subsided.

Does the light being on necessarily mean the ABS isn't working? I've never been sure, but then I've never been able to get my head round how that one light can confirm the system's working and warn you it isn't. That said, I do understand why you want it to work properly.

My air bag control module is under the console, which makes me wonder whether Jeep/Chrysler ran a power supply line back to the module, and figured that since they were half way to the back, why not tap of a little hunk of 12VDC to feed that wiper. On my XJ, I have to remove the seats to gracefully remove the console, so I'm not straining at the bit to take that measure -- but may have to. I think I'll start at the wiper motor and move forward in the car until I find some juice.

I'd be very surprised if you do have to remove the seats to remove the console - 'cos I didn't. Not sure about graceful, but wasn't too difficult.

Counterintuitive, cuz I figure good engineering would demand that the air bag be powered on a dedicated circuit, with no kibitzers along for the ride.

ABCM has 2 fused supplies, I assume one permanent hot, one ignition on - & the rear wiper has its own fuse.

Anyhow, please keep them observations coming. If when I figure it out (irrespective of whether by myself or from suggestions on this excellent forum) I'll publish the cure here.

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halmca said:

Point on the toothbrush: one does not throw out he baby with the bathwater. Airbags are not perfect -- but the ratio of 'saves' vs. failures suggests with overwhelming force that their use is prudent. I don't have any stats, so I don't know but I do have an aversion to secondary safety: there's just something weird about making vehicles safe(r) to have accidents in, rather designing/building them so as to be less likely involved in an accident.Or to put it differently, I ain't gonna pass up a donut because it has a hole in it. That said, this is a discussion that demands a table outside, preferably overlooking a body of water. Comradery as the principal ingredient and difference(s) of opinion are subordinate, and the discussion lubricated with ones favorite ale. Hmm, perhaps I should review my opinion of FL being one state I had no particular wish to visit

I think -- but do not know -- that if the airbag light is on, the airbags won't work. Testing that theory, however, would be tough on my jeep and on my fat ass, so a theory it remains.
Yup, I agree with all that but - when the light first comes on, it's supposedly telling you they are working - that is the bit I just don't understand.

LOL, re your hesitancy to trust a light that tells when a device is not working. A lovely logic problem. If it's not working, LOL, how are we to trust what it says about itself? Say, HOW DO IT KNOW?

When a warning light comes on, it might suggest all sorts of things but it only proves that the light works: obvious example is the oil pressure w/l, could mean failing bearings, might just be very low oil level, most likely bad sender.

Because of the inexplicable co-incidencent failure of the airbag and rear wiper, I have suspected energy/electrical circuit -- source and ground. So here's a serious question, w/o the logic issue: if the "airbag light" illuminates, does that not necessary show that the module is receiving juice?

For the same reasons, I have the same suspicions but find it difficult to believe they can be connected :doh:
No idea what the ABCM circuitry is although you're probably right - but it has 2 supplies & only one working would almost certainly trigger the light. Then again, if that's right, how would you know the module wasn't working for want of juice - 'cos the light wouldn't come on. All in all, a bit of puzzle.

On the console removal, I have discovered the hard way (my usual professor) that it's easier to bite the bullet and remove the seats. I've done it enough enough times to be able to grab all the right tools out of the box on the first trip.

I've only removed 2 consoles, but it never occurred to me to remove the seats first nor afterwards that it'd been easier if I had (not that it's particularly difficult - providing the outer rear bolt hasn't rusted solid!), especially given the weight of power seats - but we can only speak as we find.

Thanks for your engaging in my issue. It is much apricated!

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XJI6191 said:

Thank you for your kind words, wish I could've been more help. f-w-i-w, my best (uninformed) advice is, concentrate on the ABS as it's important (& an inspection fail here!)

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