Airbag Light - durametric 8016 fault "Pasenger Airbag OFF light op

[fp997]

Hi Everyone:

My airbag light remains on now. I hooked up the durametric, and the following fault is reported in the airbag module:

8016Pasenger Airbag OFF light open circuit/short circuit to ground

Has anybody ever encountered this before? I cannot clear it (it comes right back). My "passenger airbag off light" appears to be working - I was able to illuminate it by putting a light object on the seat.

Thanks

[Loren]

Exact model and year of your car please?

And, are you sure that is not 801B (rather 8016)?

[fp997]

Exact model and year of your car please?

And, are you sure that is not 801B (rather 8016)?

Hi Loren:

Thanks for the reply. It is a 2006 C2S Cabriolet. It appears to be 8016. (see attached).

I tried unplugging battery for 1 hr, and plugging it back. Same problem. (and cant reset it.)

Thank-you

[Loren]

Why does the Durametric readout show 997 GT3? 997 GT3 was not available until 2007 and your car is a 2006 C2S.

[JFP in PA]

Why does the Durametric readout show 997 GT3? 997 GT3 was not available until 2007 and your car is a 2006 C2S.

+1, I think he has the software set to the wrong vehicle description, which will yield strange and/or misleading information with the Durametric system.

[fp997]

Thanks for the help. I emailed durametric, and they said:

"The display at the top is not designed to display more specific information about the car. It is somewhat generic when it comes to details such as cabriolet / hard tops."

The Durametric automatically interrogates the vehicle. In my case, the Motronic version is correct under engine module. In either case, it does report an airbag fault.

Sometimes I can get it to clear and it shows it has been cleared, but refreshing the durametric display will always return 8016. So I suspect the fault is somewhat steady/consistent (as opposed to a glitch). There have been no changes to the car before the fault.

[JFP in PA]

Thanks for the help. I emailed durametric, and they said:

"The display at the top is not designed to display more specific information about the car. It is somewhat generic when it comes to details such as cabriolet / hard tops."

The Durametric automatically interrogates the vehicle. In my case, the Motronic version is correct under engine module. In either case, it does report an airbag fault.

Sometimes I can get it to clear and it shows it has been cleared, but refreshing the durametric display will always return 8016. So I suspect the fault is somewhat steady/consistent (as opposed to a glitch). There have been no changes to the car before the fault.

Try manually configuring the car using the Durametric instead of letting go on its own and see if the code is still there. When I do a manual configuration for your car on my system, my header (Pro system, version 6.3.1.7) reads "(2005-2012 Porsche 911 997)".

We have noticed that some cars with build dates late in one model year or very early in the next can do some strange things on the Durametric, which may have more to do with Porsche than Durametric. I just had a very late 2001 model year 986 Boxster (one owner car with complete service records, so we are sure it has not been modified) on the system, and if you let it self configure, you get a indication for an ABS system code. But the car is fine, and there are no MIL light illuminated, and a quick scan shows no codes. When we pulled up the car configuration chart, the system had selected ABS/DSC/PSM 5.3, which is correct for a 2001 986. Only problem is that the car appears to have a 5.7 version of the system in it (which would be correct for a 2002 year car), so when 5.3 is selected, Durametric says there is a problem. Change the selection, problem disappears. We don't see this frequently, but it is consistent to specific cars, and as long as you know it is there, it does not constitute any problems with diagnosing or clearing codes.

[fp997]

Thanks for the helpful ideas. I reselected the vehicle manually in Durametric (6.3.1.7). As a result, it read "2005-2012 Porsche 911 997" (screenshot attached). Airbag fault is still there, and it cannot be cleared permanently.

I popped out the "Passenger Airbag OFF" light out of the middle console, and took it apart (2 snaps) to observe the 2 LEDs directly. Even when the light is not illuminated, I do see the 2 LEDs illuminated VERY dimly (dim enough that you cannot see after putting it together). Not sure if there is perhaps a short somewhere which is causing some current to flow even though the light is off -- or whether this is just by design.

[JFP in PA]

It sounds like you have a low level current draw problem on the lights, perhaps a short to ground as described. I tried your technique on a similar car that is otherwise fine in a totally darkened bay, there was no illumination at all, and we could not detect any current draw on the light circuit.

[fp997]

It sounds like you have a low level current draw problem on the lights, perhaps a short to ground as described. I tried your technique on a similar car that is otherwise fine in a totally darkened bay, there was no illumination at all, and we could not detect any current draw on the light circuit.

Thanks for confirming this - I appreciate it. I would have expected the 2 LEDs to be either completely on or completely off. My garage wasn't even dark and I could still see the illumination (but could not when the "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" cover is back on the LEDs). When I get a chance, I will try to trace the wires. I looked in the wiring diagram, and it seems one of the leads hooks up to a contact of some sort which is shared with other units (seat sensor amongst others). Perhaps a leak is coming from one of those. I will report back with any findings.

Thanks again everybody.

[fp997]

It sounds like you have a low level current draw problem on the lights, perhaps a short to ground as described. I tried your technique on a similar car that is otherwise fine in a totally darkened bay, there was no illumination at all, and we could not detect any current draw on the light circuit.

Thanks for confirming this - I appreciate it. I would have expected the 2 LEDs to be either completely on or completely off. My garage wasn't even dark and I could still see the illumination (but could not when the "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" cover is back on the LEDs). When I get a chance, I will try to trace the wires. I looked in the wiring diagram, and it seems one of the leads hooks up to a contact of some sort which is shared with other units (seat sensor amongst others). Perhaps a leak is coming from one of those. I will report back with any findings.

Thanks again everybody.

I tried to get my garage as dark as it gets. There it noticeable draw. I put my camera on lowest light. I took 3 pictures so it shows relative brightness of the "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" light.

- First one is with key to off position.

- Second one is with key to on position after the light turns off (this is still observable with naked eye if garage is dark enough -- I had some light leaking in from under my garage door and it still was observable).

- Third one is with key to on position after the light turns off, and when a weight (my fist) is placed on passenger seat

If JFP in PA did not notice any current draw in dark garage, then something is probably amiss in my vehicle (the second picture should be same as first picture). As I mentioned previously, I will get to taking apart console and trying to trace this thing, and will report back.

Thank-you.

[fp997]

Just wanted to update everybody on this. I brought my car into the independent, and after trying to trace the light, doing a harness update on the plug that feeds the airbag computer, they determined it was the airbag computer at fault. Got a new computer, and fault gone. First time I had an airbag computer go for no reason!

Thanks all for the help.