What Causes the Airbag Light to Illuminate?
2 Answers
The airbag light illuminates due to an airbag malfunction. When the ignition is turned on, the airbag light should turn on for about 6 seconds and then go off, which is normal. If the airbag light remains on after starting the vehicle or while driving, it indicates a fault in the airbag system. Airbags are distributed in three directions inside the vehicle: the front (driver and front passenger seats), the sides (front and rear seats), and the roof. The exterior of containers equipped with airbag systems is marked with the words "Supplemental Inflatable Restraint System," which translates directly to "Auxiliary Inflatable Restraint System" in Chinese. Its purpose is to reduce the severity of injuries caused by secondary collisions due to inertia after a car crash.
As a seasoned driver for many years, I've encountered the airbag warning light coming on. It happened on a rainy day when I was driving out, and I felt a bit panicked because the airbag light indicates there might be an issue with the safety system. I immediately pulled over to check, first looking to see if there was any heavy object like a backpack or luggage pressing on the passenger seat, but found nothing. I suspected it might be a sensor false alarm or poor circuit contact. Airbags are crucial, and if the light is on, it means they might not deploy in a crash, which is really dangerous. That time, I went to a repair shop, and they used a computer to diagnose that the wiring under the seat for the weight sensor was loose. It took about an hour to fix and cost me two hundred yuan. I recommend not ignoring this warning light and getting it checked by professionals as soon as possible. Also, avoid placing items on unoccupied seats while driving to prevent false triggers.
