Airbag light - module bad... coded module?

[325iT2004E46]

Hi everyone,

The airbag warning light on my dash is on ever since I bought my car. The local independent shop scanned it and tried to reset it but was unsuccessful. The code from the scan shows that the airbag module is bad. The module I'm referring to is the module under the back seat cushion in the middle. It's not a surprise since the soft top leaks and the back seat cushion was completely soaked when I bought the car.

I was told that to fix it, the replacement module has to be coded to the car, so I can't just go to any junkyard and find a used module.

What exactly does it mean that "the module has to be coded to the car"?

[palomino]

It means just that. Maybe think of it more like syncing them together. You install the replacement module, and then they hook the car up to their computer and the computer runs through all the modules to check codes and whatnot.

You might be able to get a used module anyways and have that programmed to the car. It worked for me, but my car's fault was in a different system. There seems to be a lot of disagreement on if a used module will work, and if it (new or used) actually needs to be coded to the car.

In December, I was told by the dealer that I had to replace my car's ABS module and ABS relay and that it would have to be coded to the car. Instead of buying a new $1500 module at the dealer, I bought a used known-good one from a friend for $40 and had it programmed to the car. It's hard for me to say whether or not it would have worked without the coding because I had the module coded to the car before I replaced the relay, and only after replacing the relay did my light go away. My diagnostic guy told me that he wasn't sure if the module reprogramming was successful or not because he had never done that before and his computer was giving him strange error messages. I wish I would have been able to replace the module & relay together without any computer coding to see if that would have solved the problem.

I'm not sure what your shop is charging you for this, but your airbag light will need to be reset with a computer anyways so keep that in mind. You can get a used module from a car with no airbag faults and install it yourself, then go have the light cleared. If that doesn't work, you can have your shop try to program the used module, then clear it. If that doesn't work, then I'd say its time for a brand-new module.

Hopefully you have a good shop that is willing to let you try to save yourself some money. The markup on modules is HUGE, so they definitely have a lot to gain from selling you a brand-new module. Normal retail price on my ABS module was about $1500. The employee pricing (usually cost + 10%) was about $750, so the dealer would have made about $750 profit on that part.

Situations like this is when your own diagnostic computer (or a friend with one) comes in really handy.

[325iT2004E46]

There are a couple of shops I use in my area, and know them fairly well. I just need to get my act together and go spend some time at the shop.

Thanks!

[palomino]

No problem. Hope my experience helps some. I'd rather waste $100 with the good possibility of saving $1400, than blindly spend $1500.

[325iT2004E46]

Problem solved! Just went to one of the shops and they found an airbag module with the exact part number. Plugged it in and cleared the 1 stored code (in the "new" module) and voila! No more warning light. Better yet, since they know me, they gave me a discount on the part and didn't charge for the reset.

Should have done this a LONG time ago...

[palomino]

Nice. Good to know it didn't actually need to be "coded". I wonder if its because it was used, and a brand-new one would have needed coding? Or if coding really just means plugging the car into a computer while the tech checks his facebook.

[325iT2004E46]

Nice. Good to know it didn't actually need to be "coded". I wonder if its because it was used, and a brand-new one would have needed coding? Or if coding really just means plugging the car into a computer while the tech checks his facebook.

Or takes a few bites of his sandwich, which is what the guy that was helping me yesterday did.

No idea about the need for coding. The module does have a warning label (in several languages even!) saying something like the unit is only for the car it's installed in, and "prohibits" the use in others...

Anyway, all is well!

[Gulf]

Excuse me. Do you have the PN?
I need to change it as well
Thanks

[palomino]

You should use www.realoem.com and find it according to your car's specs and build date.

It will be under Brakes, Control Systems.

[325iT2004E46]

Excuse me. Do you have the PN?
I need to change it as well
Thanks

Or look at the one that's in your car. It's under the rear seat bottom cushion, in the middle.

[palomino]

Or look at the one that's in your car. It's under the rear seat bottom cushion, in the middle.

haha yeah, matching to the existing one is probably best.