Nissan Airbag Light On, Causes, Symptoms, Repair Tips

Are you experiencing the frustration of seeing the airbag or SRS warning light illuminated on your Nissan dashboard? Worry less because we are here to help you troubleshoot and fix this problem. This article will discuss the common causes and symptoms, what it means, and how to diagnose & fix the problem.

What does the Airbag / SRS light mean on a Nissan?

The airbag or SRS warning light means there’s a fault in the airbag system. It is an alerting indicator that informs the driver that the airbag is malfunctioning and may not deploy in case of an accident. This warning light can be caused by a faulty clock spring, deployed seat belt pre-tensioner, damaged wiring, or more, which will be discussed below in detail.

Can You Drive Your Nissan with Airbag / SRS Light On?

While the airbag or srs light will not affect the driving conditions of your Nissan, it is still not recommended because the airbag system is a safety feature that protects the occupants from serious injuries in the event of a car collision. If the airbag light is illuminated, it can cause one or more airbags not to deploy when needed.

Symptoms

These are the symptoms of having the airbag/srs light illuminated on your Nissan.

• Airbag/SRS light on the dashboard: The most common symptom is the airbag/SRS light illuminated on your Nissan’s dashboard.
• Audible warning: On other Nissan models, the sound warning alerts the driver that a system is malfunctioning and needs reset/fixed.
• Non-functioning airbag system: One possible cause of an illuminated light is that one or more airbags won’t deploy in a car crash.
• Failed state inspection or emissions test: A vehicle with the airbag/SRS light on may not pass a state inspection or emissions test in some states.
• Horn or steering wheel controls not working: A faulty clock spring can cause the horn and steering wheel controls not to work because the clock spring is the connector that attaches to the steering wheel and airbag system.

Common Causes

Faulty/Defective Crash or Impact Sensors

The crash or impact sensors are the one that detects a collision and sends it to the srs module for airbag deployment. This will take milliseconds for the airbags to deploy, keeping the occupants safe and preventing serious injuries. This sensor may break down due to physical damage or corrosion. You must run an airbag scanner to diagnose a defective crash sensor for fault code reading.

Weak or Dead Battery

When a Nissan vehicle experiences a weak or dead battery, it can cause the airbag light to turn on because the airbag system needs certain power for it to work. The system also has a backup battery, and once the main battery is weak, it will allow the backup battery to lose power, causing the airbag system to malfunction. Replacing the battery will allow the backup battery to regain power and set the airbag system to work again.

Faulty Airbag Control Module

The airbag control module is the one that controls the airbag deployment, and it is designed to communicate with the airbag system sensors. The most common causes why the airbag control module fails is because of water or electricity damage. Resetting the airbag control module can only be applicable when it has already deployed the airbags, but if major issues occur, you will need to replace the srs module.

Defective Occupancy Passenger Sensor

The occupancy passenger sensor (weight sensor) is designed to detect the person seated on the passenger seat, whether an adult or a child. Then it will send it to the srs module to enable or disable the airbags. This is a safety feature to protect the occupant in the passenger seat because if it detects a child, it will disable the airbag to prevent the airbags from causing serious injuries to the child. Possible causes why this sensor fails is because of corrosion, age, and physical damage. To diagnose a defective sensor, you must use a scanner to give you a specific code for the occupancy passenger sensor.

Deployed Seat Belt Pre-tensioner

The seat belt pre-tensioner is designed to keep the occupants intact in their seats. The pre-tensioner tightens the seat belt preventing the occupants from hitting the vehicle’s interior and airbags when deployed. Once the pre-tensioners have been deployed, the airbag light will come on and should be repaired/replaced to set it to work again.

Lose, Corroded, and Damaged Wiring

The airbag system consists of a lot of wiring that connects the airbags, sensors, and modules. The wirings can wear out over time due to age, high temperature, corrosion, physical damage, etc. Damaged wiring can be difficult to find, but if you have a scanner, use it to find the malfunctioning component. Then find the damaged wiring around the malfunctioning component.

Blown Airbag

The airbags can only be deployed once and should be replaced after it has blown. Also, after replacing the airbags, you must reset the srs module to set the airbag system into working condition again. A blown airbag can easily be diagnosed using a scanner that will give you a code for the specific airbag.

How to Reset Nissan Airbag / SRS Warning Light Without a Scanner?

1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position without starting the engine.
2. The airbag light will illuminate for 7 seconds, and after it comes off, turn off the ignition switch.
3. Then after 3 seconds, turn on the ignition switch again.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 three times.
5. The airbag light has already been reset.

Resetting the airbag light can be effective, but the airbag light can still come on in the future, so we recommend using a scanner to ensure to fix the problem.

How to Reset Nissan Airbag / SRS Warning Light?

The airbag light on a Nissan can come on for several reasons, including a dead battery, a faulty sensor, a bad clock spring, etc. To find out, you need to read the codes with a scanner that can read the airbag module, such as YOUCANIC full system scanner. Then fix the underlying issue and clear the codes outlined in the section below. 

1. Locate the OBD-II port under the dashboard and plug in your adapter.
2. Power on the Youcanic scanner: Press the power button until the device turns on.
3. Go to the ‘Diagnose’ option: On the scanner’s main menu, select the ‘Diagnose’ option.
4. Select the Vehicle Make: You will see a list of vehicle makes. Scroll through the list until you find your vehicle’s make, then select it.
5. Select ‘Control Units’: The next screen will display different options after selecting the make.
6. Find and select the ‘Control Units’ option.
7. Select ‘Airbag/SRS Control Unit’: The next screen will show a list of various control units.
8. Scroll down until you select the ‘Airbag/SRS Control Unit’.
9. Read or Clear codes: Here, you can ‘Read codes’ or ‘Clear codes.’ To read the airbag codes, select ‘Read codes.’ The scanner will then display any stored airbag codes.
10. To clear the airbag codes, select ‘Clear codes.’ Follow any prompts that appear to clear the codes. Please note only clear codes after the problem has been fixed. Clearing the codes without fixing the problem may cause the codes to reappear.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does it Cost to Reset Airbag Warning Light?

The cost to fix the Airbag/SRS light on a Nissan can vary widely depending on the specific cause of the issue, the model and year of the vehicle, and the repair shop’s or dealership’s labor rates. Below here is a list of repair price estimations.

• Airbag Replacement – $700-$900 (per bag)
• SRS Module Reset – $100-$200
• Clock Spring Replacement – $300-$500
• Wiring Repair – $100-$250
• Crash Sensor Replacement – $150-$450
• Airbag Control Module Replacement – $600-$1200
• Seat Belt Pretensioner – $200-400

Should I Send the Airbag Module for Reset or Buy a Used One?

Resetting the airbag control module can be effective and cheaper if the issue is due to airbag deployment or some minor issue. But if the srs module is damaged, replacing the module is the solution, but it will cost more because it may require programming.

Can I Reset Airbag Light without a Scanner?

In most cases, resetting the airbag light without a scanner is not possible.

Can I Reset the Airbag Light by Disconnecting the Battery?

Disconnecting the battery is not recommended to reset a Nissan’s Airbag/SRS light. It won’t work. While disconnecting the battery may reset some other warning lights in the vehicle, it will not reset the Airbag/SRS light. So we recommend using a scanner to ensure that the airbag light issue and be fixed immediately.

Can a Blown Fuse Cause Airbag to Light On?

Yes, because a fuse is one of the electrical components of the airbag system, which protects and prevents the system from short circuits or overloading. The fuse is designed to destroy itself once a short circuit or overloading happens; it stops the flow of electricity and prevents significant issues to the airbag system.

Fault Codes

Several fault codes can trigger the Airbag/SRS light on a Nissan, each indicating a specific issue with the SRS system. Some common fault codes that may appear in Nissan vehicles include:

1. B1018: Faulty driver’s airbag module
2. B1023: Faulty passenger’s airbag module
3. B1028: Faulty side airbag module (left side)
4. B1029: Faulty side airbag module (right side)
5. B1049: Faulty occupant classification system
6. B1054: Faulty seat belt pre-tensioner (driver’s side)
7. B1059: Faulty seat belt pre-tensioner (passenger’s side)
8. B1081: Faulty side curtain airbag module (left side)
9. B1086: Faulty side curtain airbag module (right side)
10. U1000: Communication malfunction between the various modules in the vehicle

These are just a few possible fault codes that may appear in a Nissan vehicle’s Airbag/SRS system. When a fault code is triggered, it will typically turn on the Airbag/SRS light and provide a specific code that can be read using a diagnostic tool. (Recommended Scanner: YOUCANIC Full System Scanner)

Applicable Models

Most Nissan models have an Airbag/SRS system as standard equipment. Some of the Nissan models that may have an Airbag/SRS system include:

• Nissan Altima
• Nissan Maxima
• Nissan Sentra
• Nissan Versa
• Nissan Juke
• Nissan Rogue
• Nissan Murano
• Nissan Pathfinder
• Nissan Armada
• Nissan Frontier
• Nissan Titan