Test Notes

Normal Operation

CAUTION: Do not install a new air bag diagnostic monitor until the short has been located and corrected. If a short to ground has not been located and corrected, then the short to ground is intermittent and is not present at this time. Installing a new air bag diagnostic monitor with an intermittent short in the system will result in repeated blown air bag diagnostic monitors and repeated repairs.

NOTE: The air bag diagnostic monitor contains an internal thermal fuse that is not replaceable. The thermal fuse is controlled by a computer inside the air bag diagnostic monitor. The computer will blow the thermal fuse whenever a short on the deployment circuit occurs. The thermal fuse does not blow because of excessive current flowing through it. Do not attempt to jumper across the thermal fuse with a circuit breaker or any other type of fuse.

The air bag diagnostic monitor measures the voltages at the air bag diagnostic monitor connector pins. When certain air bag deployment wires are shorted to ground, the system may become susceptible to an unwanted deployment of the air bags. The air bag diagnostic monitor senses a short to ground on any of these circuits and helps prevent unwanted air bag deployment by blowing the air bag diagnostic monitor thermal fuse. Blowing this fuse removes all power (battery and backup power) from the air bag deployment circuits. While the short to ground exists, the air bag diagnostic monitor will flash Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) 13 or DTC 14. If the short to ground is intermittent and temporarily corrects itself, the air bag diagnostic monitor will flash DTC 51.

NOTE: If the short to ground returns, the higher priority DTC 13 or 14 will flash instead of DTC 51.

If the air bag indicator is flashing DTC 51 and a short to ground has not been repaired, this means that an intermittent short to ground exists in the air bag system. The air bag diagnostic monitor should be replaced only after repairs to the intermittent short have been completed.

A repair tip for finding an intermittent short to ground would be to:

Inspect wiring and harnesses in areas where they pass through or are located next to metal components (e.g., engine compartment bulkhead, body sheet metal, component mounting brakes, etc.).

Code 51 Sequence of Events
^ Short to ground occurs on one or more of the deployment circuits.
^ The air bag diagnostic monitor recognizes the shorted wiring and flashes DTC 13 or DTC 14 (depending on where the short occurred).
^ The air bag diagnostic monitor sends a signal to its internal thermal fuse, causing the fuse to blow.
^ The air bag diagnostic monitor will continue to flash DTC 13 or DTC 14 while the short to ground is present. If the short to ground goes away, DTC 51 appears.
^ The air bag diagnostic monitor only flashes DTC 51 when the thermal fuse is blown and the short to ground is not present. DO NOT install a new air bag diagnostic monitor until the short to ground has been corrected.

DTC 51 After Air Bag Deployment

NOTE: Air bag diagnostic monitors can withstand several air bag deployments and do not need to be replaced after every deployment. Only replace the air bag diagnostic monitor if it is damaged.

Occasionally, immediately after an air bag deploys, the internal wiring of the air bag may become shorted to the metal housings of the air bag. This internal air bag short is detected by the air bag diagnostic monitor as a short to ground in the air bag deployment wiring. Since the air bag diagnostic monitor is still operating immediately after most deployments, the air bag diagnostic monitor will detect the shorted wiring and will flash diagnostic trouble code (DTC) 13 or DTC 14 and blow the internal thermal fuse. After the deployment, as the air bag cools off, the internal shorted wire may correct itself, therefore the short to ground will no longer exist and the air bag diagnostic monitor will flash DTC 51. If a vehicle with a deployed air bag is flashing DTC 51, inspect and replace all the damaged areas of the vehicle with crushed wiring, sensors, etc. If no damage is found, assume that the deployed air bag was the cause for the intermittent short and replace the air bag diagnostic monitor when the new air bag is installed.