Fault codes - Different based on reader?

[cabri]

Background:
Airbag idiot light has stopped coming on intermittently and now is on steady on our Jeep Grand Cherokee ('09)

When I had an oil change done, they ran a diagnostic and the code came back with the right seat belt restraint system.


Yesterday:
Went to a local Jeep dealer (not where I purchased the vehicle), and was quoted an estimated cost for the unit by the parts department ($187). However, not having the VIN # handy, they could not guarantee the quote.
(Not a problem, I wanted an estimate at this point to use for research)

I then asked the service advisor about a view of an manual on how to replace the unit. I was told that they would have to run a diagnostic check - that the code from the shop was not the same and/or have the same meaning.

Then even if Chrysler's code indicated it was the same problem, they would not provide me a view of an manual on how to replace the unit. "It might be the harness and because of safety issues, Chrysler requires the harness to be replace"

This seemed to be a load of BS.

1) The code is what the diagnostic unit reports.
2) There should be no reason that I should not be able to see the manual.
3) Seemed like they wanted to try to generate an justification for extra costs to replace the harness.


Am I being paranoid?


Update:
Had the passenger seat belt clip unit replaced.
Bad sensor; but the complete unit from the clip to the bolts on the floor came as a bundle (unneeded but $$).
The passenger seat had to be pulled out to work on the replacement.
Chrysler dealers locally did not have the part; had to be shipped in.
15% markup and 1 hr labor.

 

[Pulsar]

Pretty much, yeah you are.

Unfortunately, our society is so litigious that automakers are anal when it comes to safety features - especially airbags!

You can go spend $20 and buy a Hanes manual to repair it yourself, but an official dealership operates under the requirements of the manufacturer and there are things that the manufacturer absolutely will not let them do.

 

[phucheneh]

It is not the dealer's job to teach you how to work on your car.

Was the airbag/SRS light on when your brought the car in? And there is a fault code for a seat belt pretensioner?

The dealer will not do a repair based on someone else's diag, nor, again, will they teach you how to replace something. The bit about 'it could be the harness' is just him trying to get you to pay them a diag fee. No one is messing with SRS wiring unless there is some kind of TSB for your particular issue that includes a wiring fix.

 

[cabri]

It is not the dealer's job to teach you how to work on your car.

Was the airbag/SRS light on when your brought the car in? And there is a fault code for a seat belt pretensioner?

The dealer will not do a repair based on someone else's diag, nor, again, will they teach you how to replace something. The bit about 'it could be the harness' is just him trying to get you to pay them a diag fee. No one is messing with SRS wiring unless there is some kind of TSB for your particular issue that includes a wiring fix.

I do not mind purchasing the manual.

It is the fact they seemed to want to push the diagnostic fee and harness replacement.
I know that it would be much more labor and parts $$.

Over to AutoZone to get the manual 🙂

 

[sze5003]

Get an obd 2 Bluetooth reader from Amazon if you have a smart phone. I've had an oxygen sensor light come on and off by itself for weeks now and nothing wrong has happened to the car yet, luckily. Stupid CE light comes on for a day or two sometimes a week then goes off for like a month, etc.

 

[phucheneh]

Generic OBD2 does not read SRS. At minimum, you're usually talking about a grand these days to get a fully-functional scan tool that will communicate with all modules. And that's a steal compared to the 5-6k+ you would've had to spend ten years ago.

If you think you need a Haynes manual (FYI, it will have no relevant info) to replace a seat belt retractor, you should really probably just pay someone. FFS, it's probably like an hour of labor, tops. You have no clue what you are doing.

 

[tortillasoup]

If the airbag light isn't on then I probably wouldn't worry about it. Believe it or not, there are sometimes transient stored codes that for whatever reason, don't actually mean anything but if you have the right code reader, they'll show up. This CEL shouldn't affect emissions compliance and without the airbag light, wouldn't make anybody second guess buying the vehicle.


But let's assume for a second the code for the right passenger restraint system is valid, my guess is it's related to the passenger seat weight detection system. It's entirely possible that you drive around with a light load on the passenger seat and when you drive over bumps in the road, the system is getting momentary triggers saying that a seatbelt needs to be used. If this happens frequently enough, the system may detect that as a fault.

I really wouldn't worry about this too much. The only time I'd worry is if it said the airbag was faulty or if you had a seat belt that was slow to retract or didn't latch which 99% of the time is caused by the seat belt/latch mechanism being dirty. (Washing the seat belt will cure the issue)

 

[Raduque]

Unfortunately, our society is so litigious that automakers are anal when it comes to safety features - especially airbags!

GM does not seem to care much that almost every Solstice (and possibly every GM product that uses the same system!) on the road has an issue with the passenger seat pressure sensor mat failing and causing a false "Passenger airbag off" problem that could potentially cost a person's life in an accident.

It's a very thin sensor mat, and it's not repairable or bypass-able. You have to replace the entire passenger seat. It's prone to breakage. Some people have replaced the seat several times!

 

[bradly1101]

Generic OBD2 does not read SRS. At minimum, you're usually talking about a grand these days to get a fully-functional scan tool that will communicate with all modules. And that's a steal compared to the 5-6k+ you would've had to spend ten years ago.

If you think you need a Haynes manual (FYI, it will have no relevant info) to replace a seat belt retractor, you should really probably just pay someone. FFS, it's probably like an hour of labor, tops. You have no clue what you are doing.

What was in the Haynes manual for my car was the procedure to get the car to tell me the code via long and short blinks of the check engine light. It involved shorting two pins on the connector. It's a Toyota so I don't know if that applies here.

 

[BUTCH1]

GM does not seem to care much that almost every Solstice (and possibly every GM product that uses the same system!) on the road has an issue with the passenger seat pressure sensor mat failing and causing a false "Passenger airbag off" problem that could potentially cost a person's life in an accident.

It's a very thin sensor mat, and it's not repairable or bypass-able. You have to replace the entire passenger seat. It's prone to breakage. Some people have replaced the seat several times!

That's when you call the "GM goodwill#" and ask for assistance, you won't know until you try, right?. My car's seat frame cracked, (05 Malibu), I poked around the intrawebs and saw the problem was not mine alone so I called and calmly explained that since the seat belt is bolted to the seat frame GM had just invented the first "consumer ejection seat" in the event of a frontal collision. I mentioned that yes, all cars have parts that go bad but a seat frame (unless subjected to unusually harsh environmental conditions) should last the life of the car. she had me bring it to the dealer where I bought it, GM ponied up for the frame,($650) and the dealer ponied up the cost for the labor, ($450) and I got it fixed for free. Sometimes it just takes talking to someone the right way rather than calling up with a crap-ton of attitude, they hear that shit all day, she found my explanation of the "ejection seat" funny and in the end worked with me.

 

[cabri]

If the airbag light isn't on then I probably wouldn't worry about it. Believe it or not, there are sometimes transient stored codes that for whatever reason, don't actually mean anything but if you have the right code reader, they'll show up. This CEL shouldn't affect emissions compliance and without the airbag light, wouldn't make anybody second guess buying the vehicle.


But let's assume for a second the code for the right passenger restraint system is valid, my guess is it's related to the passenger seat weight detection system. It's entirely possible that you drive around with a light load on the passenger seat and when you drive over bumps in the road, the system is getting momentary triggers saying that a seatbelt needs to be used. If this happens frequently enough, the system may detect that as a fault.

I really wouldn't worry about this too much. The only time I'd worry is if it said the airbag was faulty or if you had a seat belt that was slow to retract or didn't latch which 99% of the time is caused by the seat belt/latch mechanism being dirty. (Washing the seat belt will cure the issue)

Airbag idiot light is now continually on. Started to happen when my wife was not in the passenger seat. For 1-2 weeks it was sporadic and then finally stayed on.

If you think you need a Haynes manual (FYI, it will have no relevant info) to replace a seat belt retractor, you should really probably just pay someone. FFS, it's probably like an hour of labor, tops. You have no clue what you are doing.

My wife wants me to have the shop that provided the code/diagnosis replace the unit. It is where she sits and there has been a previous accident where the airbags/seatbelt protected her life.

Unplugging and unscrewing, I can do with simple socket and wrench/screw driver set. Problem is in knowing what to attack 🙁, which is why I need a manual. If Haynes will not have the info and I can not get it from the Jeep dealer, I have no choice but to have the shop handle it.

 

[tortillasoup]

Airbag idiot light is now continually on. Started to happen when my wife was not in the passenger seat. For 1-2 weeks it was sporadic and then finally stayed on.



My wife wants me to have the shop that provided the code/diagnosis replace the unit. It is where she sits and there has been a previous accident where the airbags/seatbelt protected her life.

Unplugging and unscrewing, I can do with simple socket and wrench/screw driver set. Problem is in knowing what to attack 🙁, which is why I need a manual. If Haynes will not have the info and I can not get it from the Jeep dealer, I have no choice but to have the shop handle it.

I believe there may be an extended warranty (a warranty longer than usual) on safety equipment such as airbags, its related equipment and whatnot.

My best guess is that the seat sensor is malfunctioning and is triggering the airbag light.

 

[cabri]

Update:
Had the passenger seat belt clip unit replaced.
Bad sensor; but the complete unit from the clip to the bolts on the floor came as a bundle (unneeded but $$).
The passenger seat had to be pulled out to work on the replacement.
Chrysler dealers locally did not have the part; had to be shipped in.
15% markup and 1 hr labor.