If you’re trying to figure out how to reset airbag light on Chevy, it’s because the red indicator at the center of your dashboard is on when it should be off.
When the airbag light on a Chevrolet is on, it means that the airbag light won’t be deployed when there’s an accident. Thus, this indicator is significant.
Luckily, there are different ways you can diagnose and turn off the airbag light so that your Chevrolet works the way it’s supposed to.
This guide will cover how to reset the airbags light with and without a scanner and other common questions Chevy owners might have concerning this.
Why Your Chevy Airbag Light Might Be On
There are different reasons why your Chevrolet airbag light is on, but it all boils down to the Safety Restraint System.
If the SRS detects a problem with the airbag components, it turns the airbag light on and doesn’t function.
By not performing, your airbag won’t turn on when it’s supposed to. Thus, noticing this light should give you a sense of urgency to fix it.
Here are some of the Reasons why the SRS System Isn’t Functioning:
- Damaged wires in the airbag system.
- A dead car battery which caused a low battery voltage.
- A previous accident.
- Faulty seat belts.
- A broken clock spring.
- A defective passenger weight sensor.
- The airbags are already deployed.
- Faulty crash sensor.
- The wiring harness is damaged.
- Damaged airbag sensor.
You can identify the problem by using a scanner, but the sensors for the airbag might be damaged in some cases.
You need to turn it off without the scanner. Then if this doesn’t work, you can purchase a scanner or go to a professional mechanic to diagnose the problem and fix it.
How Much Is It to Fix an Airbag Light
Going to a mechanic to fix an airbag light means that you need to spend extra money, although if you don’t have a scanner, you’ll be spending the money anyway.
If you take your vehicle to the mechanic, they will fix the root of the problem, which will determine how much you spend.
If the airbag sensor is the problem, it costs $250 and $350 to get a new part. Keep in mind that you will also have to pay labor costs to the mechanic, going between $125 and $200.
You can purchase the airbag sensor and replace it yourself if you’re good with tools.
Steps to Reset Your Chevy Airbag Light
You can reset your Chevy airbag light with or without the OBD scanner. It’s always better to reset it if there are any underlying problems.
But, it also takes a few minutes to attempt to reset it without the scanner. You can bring out your scanner and get to work if it doesn’t work.
Without the Scanner
You can follow these steps to know how to turn off airbag light Chevy Silverado without an OBD scanner.
- Insert the key into the ignition.
- Turn it until it reaches the ON position.
- The airbag light will stay on for up to seven seconds then turn off.
- Once it goes off, turn the key to the OFF position.
- Wait for three seconds and repeat the above steps two more times.
- Start the engine. The airbag light should be off.
- If it’s still on, move on to the next section.
How to Reset Airbag Light on Chevy Silverado With an OBD Scanner
With an OBD scanner, you can follow these steps on how do I reset airbag light on Chevy Silverado.
01. Purchase a Chevrolet Airbag Scan Tool
The first thing to do is purchase a Chevrolet Airbag Scan Tool. This is different from the regular OBD-2 scanner because it does not show any fault codes even when the airbag light is on. You can easily purchase the Airbag Scan Tool online.
02. Locate the Onboard Diagnostic Port
Now, you have to get to the onboard diagnostic port, which is located under the dashboard of your Chevy Silverado and similar models, as long as it is made after 1996. It is also called the OBD-2 port.
03. Plug-In The Scan Tool
Insert the Airbag Scan Tool into the OBD-2 port under the dashboard. It is a 16-pin port with a trapezoid shape, so you can only plug the scanner in one direction. Once you are sure it’s properly plugged in, you can move on to the next step.
04. Turn On the Ignition
Turn on the ignition without starting the engine of your Chevy. This is done by turning the key or pushing the START/STOP button but leaving the brake pedal. As long as you don’t push the pedal, the engine won’t turn on.
05. Turn On the Scan Tool
You can put on the Chevrolet Airbag tool by pressing the ON button. It will turn on as long as the ignition is also turned on. Wait for it to load on and then select Chevrolet and the type of car from the menu options.
06. Follow the Prompting on the Tool
After selecting your Chevrolet model, you can click on Airbag System in the different options.
Scroll down, and you will see the options to read the code and scan the vehicle for the fault codes related to the airbags.
The scanner will present the codes to you, and you can check what they mean online to fix them.
Each code has a status attached to it. If the status on your code is CURRENT or PRESENT, fix the problem that is causing the code.
07. Clear the Code
But, you can clear the codes if their status is PAST or STORED. If you fix the problem, like recharging the battery on your Chevy, the status will change, and you only need to clear the code, so the light turns off.
08. Turn Off the Ignition
After using the scan tool to clear the codes, you can turn the ignition off and on to check if the airbag indicator is now off.
If it hasn’t or you didn’t fix the problem behind the code, the airbag light will come on either immediately or after a short time.
Hire a Mechanic
If the airbag light on your Chevrolet vehicle comes back on, the best thing is to hire a professional mechanic to check it and fix the problem.
You can tell the mechanic what you’ve already done to fix the problem so that they can work on it from there.
By hiring a mechanic, you can spend up to $500 or less on turning off the light on your Chevy airbag indicator, but this is necessary since it’s unsafe to drive with a faulty airbag.
Chevy Airbag Recalls
You can also get the airbag light problem fixed for free by Chevrolet dealers themselves. The company is known for issuing airbag recalls over the years because of faults and problems with the light.
To find out if you can get it fixed by the dealer, you can write down your VIN at the bottom-left corner of your windshield.
Then, call the dealer, give them your VIN and ask if it’s possible to get your airbag system recalled. If yes, you get a free fix, but this is only if the problem is from the manufacturer.
This process might take a long time since Chevrolet has to ensure the fault is from them. But they aren’t going to fix every single airbag problem for free.
Getting Your Airbag In
If you take your vehicle to the mechanic to fix the airbag lights, you can also ask them to check your entire airbag system.
If you’re wondering whether your airbag can be released randomly and cause an accident, you’re right. This happens to people sometimes and can lead to severe injuries or death. So, the mechanic should check if the system is working correctly.
Suppose you had an accident, and this is why your airbag indicator is on; you need to put the airbag in and then clear the codes.
As long as the airbag wasn’t damaged in the accident, you can stuff it back into the module until it’s appropriately in. Then, you can follow the provided steps to reset the airbag light.
But, if the airbag is damaged or you don’t want to use an already-deployed airbag, then you can replace it with a new one. You can do so yourself by following specific steps to replace an airbag or visiting a mechanic.
There are no restrictions to do this, although you can crosscheck the warranty information of your vehicle before doing so.
Top Questions[FAQs]
Can I Drive with the Airbag Light On?
No, you can’t. It’s highly unsafe to get on the road when the airbag light on Chevy’s dashboard is on.
If you get into an accident, the system won’t release the airbags because of the problem with the system.
It’s better safe than sorry, so you should clear the codes and reset the light as quickly as possible. Without a functional airbag system, you can get into an accident.
Can the Airbag Light Come On Because of Low Battery?
Yes, this is one of the main reasons the airbag light on your Chevrolet can come on. Whenever the car’s battery is drained, the airbag light won’t turn off regardless of what you do. By recharging the battery, you can fix the problem.
Is There a Fuse for Chevy Airbag Light?
For the Chevrolet, fuse number 13 is known as the airbag indicator.
If the airbag light refuses to go off and the windshield wiper behind the vehicle isn’t working simultaneously, you should check for blown fuses in your car.
These might be the culprit. But, this doesn’t mean that you should pull the fuse to disable the light or airbag system.
What Do I Do If the Airbag Light is on, but the Scanner Shows No Codes?
If your airbag light is on, but the scanner keeps showing no codes, even after checking it a couple of times, this is because of the scanner you use.
A generic scanner won’t show the codes because it can’t get through the module in the Chevy airbag system. Purchase a specific airbag scan tool for Chevrolet cars instead and try again.
Will Disconnecting the Battery Reset the Airbag Light?
While it seems wise to do the ‘Restart’ method and turn off the airbag indicator, it won’t clear the code. So, even if the light goes off, it’ll probably come on again.
Thus, it would be best to deal with it correctly from the first time. And this is done with the airbag scanner.
Do I Have to Disconnect the Battery Before Removing the Airbag?
Yes, you do. The point of disconnecting the battery is that no faults will be stored with the vehicle. It won’t deploy your airbag.
Your airbag will only be deployed when you hit your car against something.
Can I Sell My Car with the Airbag Light On?
No, you can’t. In the same way, it’s dangerous for you; it might be difficult for someone else, especially if they don’t know what the light means and that they need to get fixed.
If you want to sell your car, you should reset the airbag indicator first.
Summary
With this information on how to reset airbag light on Chevy, you can jump right on it whenever there’s something wrong.
It’s pretty straightforward to turn off this light, and if you’re lucky, you won’t have to go to the mechanic.
But, if you’re not confident in the way you handle tools, you should tow your car to the mechanic immediately.
They can turn the light off and also check the entire system.
It’s always important to get your airbag system thoroughly checked out after an accident since they’ve been deployed once.
Luckily, Chevrolet makes it easy to check and reset the airbag system. Once you’ve fixed it, you can get back on the road.