In article >, Joe
> wrote:

> (Mike R) wrote in
> :
>
> > In article >, Joe
> > > wrote:
> >
> >> (Mike R) wrote in
> >> :
> >>
> >> > In article >, Joe
> >> > > wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> OK, here's a good one. Just got the LX back from the body shop
> >> >> (more front end body work) and now the air bag light is
> >> >> blinking. However, there's a catch. It only blinks when I'm not
> >> >> giving it gas. If it's idling, cruising, or decelerating, it
> >> >> blinks. If I accelerate, it stops.
> >> >>
> >> >> My first guess is something vacuum-related. Any ideas? TIA.
> >> >>
> >> >> Joe
> >> >> Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies
> >> >> Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC
> >> >
> >> > I don't see how the Supplemental Air Bag system could be vacuum
> >> > related. It's all pretty much electrics and mechanics.
> >>
> >> I thought as much, but I wonder why it stops blinking when I give
> >> it gas..
> >>
> >> > With front
> >> > end body work recently done, I'd check around the
> >> > right/center/left crash sensors and associated wiring and harness
> >> > connectors. The RH and LH sensors are located at their respective
> >> > sides of the upper radiator support, behind the headlamps and the
> >> > center sensor at the middle upper radiator support...
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Mike
> >> > 93 Cobra
> >>
> >> I will certainly do that. Thanks for the tip, Mike.
> >>
> >> Joe
> >> Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies
> >> Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC
> >
> > Joe, are you having battery charging issues of late??? The
> > diagnostic monitor may be flashing a code 12 for low battery. This
> > might also explain reving of the engine causing the lamp to
> > extinguish. Make sense??? Maybe a bad regulator or alternator. Also,
> > if you haven't done so yet, check fuse #7 (15amp).
> >
> > --
> > Mike
> > 93 Cobra
>
> Yes, in fact, I am having battery charging issues. The underdrives on
> the car are killing the battery - at idle it's constantly discharging.
> Forget about it if the a/c or lights are on.
>
> The alternator (stock replacement) is only about 18 months old give or
> take, and the battery is less than a year. Since I bought the car
> (I'm the original owner) I've never ever seen the air bag light go on
> except for start up and key-on-engine-off. The bag has never popped,
> either.
>
> So does the air-bag light flash codes? I've never heard of that.

Yeah, the Diagnostic Monitor will display a DTC representing a two digit
number when detecting a fault. No memory mind you after the key is turned
off. You got to do it on the fly. So, for instance DTC 12 (low battery
voltage) would be:

Flash (one second pause) - flash flash (three second pause) and then it repeats.

This particular code caught my attention after thinking about your
original post. More so now than the front crash sensors with recent body
work, but don't count those out. Right now, it's important to pull the
code to narrow this down.
The D/M monitors (among other things) battery voltage via fuse # 7. Don't
forget to check this fuse. If it's blown, we need to figure why. If you
have a voltmeter, measure the battery directly while the engine idles vs
reving and note any voltage swing. Obviously, you've got a charging
problem here. BTW, anything lower than 9 volts will trigger the D/M to
flash a DTC 12.

>But the discharging is certainly an issue.

It certainly is. Fix that first and maybe the air bag issue will resolve itself.

> Again, thanks for the tip. All good stuff to check out.

Yep, good luck with it...

> Joe
> Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies
> Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

Mike
93 Cobra