Air Bag Light Coming On

Asked by tlm43 Apr 27, 2013 at 02:15 PM about the 2002 Dodge Intrepid R/T FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

My air bag light comes on periodically and when it does all other electronics stop working
like turn signals, power windows, radio, fan, wipers etc.  When the light goes out it all
starts working again. What could cause this and can it be fixed?

12 Answers

176,035

It could be that you are losing the power to all those circuits and the loss of power turns the air bag light on.

6 people found this helpful.
110

mine is doing this. When it does, I can slap down on the steering column and it all works again. I believe there is a loose connection on the wire plug just behind the steering wheel adjustment lever, because if I run my finger in there and press upward, it all comes on again. I need the proper screw driver head to get the case and steering adjustment lever out of the way so I can get a better look at it, but I believe that is where the issue is.

5 people found this helpful.
30

This is exactly what my car is doing. 2003 chrysler intrepid. Any answers?

3 people found this helpful.
50

Bad clock spring horn cruise and turn signals.are all.wired.inti clock spring plug.replace.and all.will work. If mechanically.inclined can purchase one at salvage.yard 25 to 35 bucks need steering wheel puller.disconect.battery.so air bag does.not.go off

4 people found this helpful.
30

My 2002 with 118,000 miles is doing the same. I've read many pages with Q & A's saying it's the ignition switch, but my brother, a certified diesel mechanic and I feel certain it reeks of a clock spring issue. I will change out the $30 ignition switch but then I'm going for the clock spring bcuz riding around Oklahoma in 100 degrees without my power windows and NOW intermittent a/c is killing me! No consistent a/c, no pwr windows, flashing interior lights, or full-on lights in the cab at night, abs light, brake, Trac on, Trac off, air bag lights all on in my dash which go off when you adjust the steering wheel eventually.....AARGH (but have gotten progressively worse). Now today NO a/c after hitting a bump and the steering wheel adjustment not fixing or bringing the air back on and then trying to turn into my street to find I also had no working blinkers. This seems to be a huge Dodge problem no matter when the car was purchased and should have been a recall. If not, then at least referenced as a commonly found problem on a forum and addressed by a Dodge certified mechanic as to the answer. Any others with additional info or ideas? Best wishes,

3 people found this helpful.
10

The airbag light in my 2003 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 SE with 78,499 miles has been coming off and on for the last week. Very low miles for a 2003 of any make and model. I have been wondering what the problem is but I do remember adjusting my driver side power seat by pulling up on the lift switch to raise the seat itself... could this be part of the problem? Also the passenger seat moves manually but would never slide until a week ago. Could a wire have gotten split, pulled loose or something. All other electronics work fine when the light is on. It's just super annoying

1 people found this helpful.
60

Hey Guys I think that I may have solved the airbag light problem. I have a level 2 code reader and when I checked my 02 intrepid with an airbag light on, it gave me a 0020 code along with this "Loss of ignition--run only". Like everybody else, there was the loss of electronics.....turn signals, windshield wipers, heater, windows, and radio. I went to the junker and got a clockspring and airbag set, but that didn't work. Then I replaced the ignition switch or some time called the ignition actuator located on the left side of the steering column. You're going to need a 1/4" drive male and Torx socket and a female Torx screwdriver set to do the job, but the replacement part only costs about $40 bucks in Canada at Partsource. It's a very easy job. Just remove the steering wheel cowling. Then, using your Torx socket set (#20 I think), loosen your multifunction switch and push it aside so you can get at the screws holding the ignition switch on. These should be a couple of Torx screws. Once the screws are out, pull the switch out and off. Oh, I forgot; when you're taking off the cowling on the steering column, remove the steering wheel tilt leaver first. When you are installing the new switch and multifunction switch, be very careful not to overtighten the screws. Remember, everything is either plastic or aluminum. Only use a screwdriver or socket driver. DO NOT use your 1/4" ratchet. It will strip the screws and your switch will loosen off and give you grief. Almost forgot; when you are inserting/placing your new switch, you will probably have to insert your key and wiggle the ignition a little to seat the switch properly. I did. By-the-way, the dealership did not know what a 0020 code was and they didn't know how to fix it. They said that it was probably a short in the wiring harness on the column and that it was going to cost a lot of money to track it down It's been a month and the airbag light hasn't come back on. Don't let anybody tell you that it's a P0020 code and that there's a problem with one of your crank sensors. Buy a level 2 code reader and check it for yourself. They're about $200 bucks but, they will save you thousands because they tell you exactly what's wrong with your car before you take it to the shop if you do feel like doing the work yourself. Hope that helps you guys

4 people found this helpful.

1997 Dodge van B2500. My airbag light came on, no power windows, no fan inside cabin. under the hood 30A fuse was blowing instantly when replaced. The issue was a short at the wheel column I guess. If I tilted back to upper position the short went away, so probably a wire got stripped when I was adjusting the height few days before

20

I understand that this thread is quite old, but I wanted to share my experience with a similar issue on my Dodge vehicle. The airbag light came on, and despite spending a significant amount of time diagnosing the problem myself, I was unable to locate it. Fortunately, I stumbled upon a helpful article on the YOUCANIC website that provided guidance on how to diagnose and troubleshoot airbag issues specifically for Dodge vehicles. With the help of this article, I was able to fix the problem in just a few hours. I discovered that the wiring for my occupancy passenger sensor was torn. I am extremely grateful to have found the YOUCANIC Dodge Airbag Light article, which was an invaluable resource.

2 people found this helpful.

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