Fitting timer relay for Airbag light

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Robclav

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After much diagnostics today we have fallen defeat to the airbag module once again, getting replacement for this will take up to a month.

I have purchased a timer switch relay (pictured below), i have yet to take out the instrument cluster and im wondering how this relay will fit in, are there individual wires going to the airbag light specifically, or are they powered by one main cable connecting into the cluster? Will i need to get a aftermarket bulb along with this relay?

Thanks for any advice !

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Billwill

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Most of the cluster lamps are driven by a Serial PCI Bus line.....in your case you have no chance of fitting a Relay to turn Off your Airbag lamp!:rolleyes:

I will look through the logics but I think you would need to put a Sticker over the Lamp if it is a distraction!

Have you checked the Clockspring etc. as per my recent post?

Download the Service Manual for your year KJ here....Section 8W has the wiring diagrams and there is a section, 8J, describing the Cluster operation!

www.colorado4wheel.com/manuals/Jeep/KJ/

What year is your KJ? Where are you located?
If it is old and high mileage then there is a good chance that the Clockspring has worn out!

There is a post by User GitEmSteveDave on May 1st describing his mission in getting the Recall for the
Airbag Module done and section "Forums General Forums Technical Service Bulletins and Recalls" also has some info!

Basically if you read Section 8J you will see that you have to get the Dealers to use their DBIII reader to determine why and wherefrom the Air Bag light is coming ON......tell the Dealers that this is all you want them to do!....they must not touch anything, replace anything etc.....only tell you why the Lamp is ON!;)

Once you know which Airbag is complaining you can take things further...replacing the Clockspring if needed is no big deal!;)
 
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Robclav

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Most of the cluster lamps are driven by a Serial PCI Bus line.....in your case you have no chance of fitting a Relay to turn Off your Airbag lamp!:rolleyes:

I will look through the logics but I think you would need to put a Sticker over the Lamp if it is a distraction!

Have you checked the Clockspring etc. as per my recent post?

Download the Service Manual for your year KJ here....Section 8W has the wiring diagrams and there is a section, 8J, describing the Cluster operation!

www.colorado4wheel.com/manuals/Jeep/KJ/

What year is your KJ? Where are you located?
If it is old and high mileage then there is a good chance that the Clockspring has worn out!

There is a post by User GitEmSteveDave on May 1st describing his mission in getting the Recall for the

Airbag Module done and section "Forums General Forums Technical Service Bulletins and Recalls" also has some info!

Basically if you read Section 8J you will see that you
have to get the Dealers to use their DBIII reader to determine why and wherefrom the Air Bag light is coming ON......tell the Dealers that this is all you want them to do!....they must not touch anything, replace anything etc.....only tell you why the Lamp is ON!;)

Once you know which Airbag is complaining you can take things further...replacing the Clockspring if needed is no big deal!;)
Thanks for the reply, the reason is to pass the road test where i live so i am able to drive the Jeep! Sticker is no good. The jeep is a 2002 2.5 CRD KJ, RHD, location is Ireland, so parts are very hard to come by

Would the clockspring not throw a different code? The code is saying that its all within the Airbag module itself... The reader that the mechanic is using is a fairly top end one, he deals in very high end cars as well as anything and everything, he said he can read it no problem?

If the cluster is a PCI, i wonder is there anything i could take power off and put in a aftermarket bulb with + - terminals..?
 

Billwill

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Unfortunately I believe that the magic DBIII reader that the Dealers use is the only reader that can pull the correct codes in this instance....good Job Security for the Dealers!

That is why I suggest that you tell the Dealers to only use their Reader to see what is causing the Airbag Light to come ON.

These lamps on the Cluster are tiny LEDs soldered on the Cluster Motherboard....extremely difficult to work on!

Your Jeep is basically exactly what I have...2002 2.5 CRD RHD.
Mine is a manual, Trac Loc at the rear which needs correct Mopar additive at rear when changing rear Diff fluid.

My Jeep has Drums at the rear, no ABS, single viscous cooling fan. A few months later they came out with Disks at the rear, option of ABS and an Electric Cooling Fan in addition to the Viscous fan....if I knew this was coming I would have delayed my purchase by a few months!:rolleyes:
 

Robclav

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Unfortunately I believe that the magic DBIII reader that the Dealers use is the only reader that can pull the correct codes in this instance....good Job Security for the Dealers!

That is why I suggest that you tell the Dealers to only use their Reader to see what is causing the Airbag Light to come ON.

These lamps on the Cluster are tiny LEDs soldered on the Cluster Motherboard....extremely difficult to work on!

Your Jeep is basically exactly what I have...2002 2.5 CRD RHD.
Mine is a manual, Trac Loc at the rear which needs correct Mopar additive at rear when changing rear Diff fluid.

My Jeep has Drums at the rear, no ABS, single viscous cooling fan. A few months later they came out with Disks at the rear, option of ABS and an Electric Cooling Fan in addition to the Viscous fan....if I knew this was coming I would have delayed my purchase by a few months!:rolleyes:
We have the exact same jeep from the sounds of it! Wish I had the discs aslo!

I'll have to think about bringing to main dealer, a lot of hassle as have to pay someone to drive it or get it trailered, this dam country won't let you insure it even to bring it to a mechanic....
 

Billwill

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We have the exact same jeep from the sounds of it! Wish I had the discs aslo!

I'll have to think about bringing to main dealer, a lot of hassle as have to pay someone to drive it or get it trailered, this dam country won't let you insure it even to bring it to a mechanic....
The 2002 KJs definitely cannot have codes read by any Code Reader other than the DBIII....I have been in this movie since I picked up my May 2002 Export CRD. This has a Bosch ECM so I drove into a Bosch Workshop here in SA and asked if they could read out codes from the ECM......the Technicians took one look at it and shook their heads and walked away!

The only way other that the DBIII reader to get codes is to use the "Key" method which has served me well over the past 19 years!

Without starting the engine rapidly turn the ignition ON/OFF 4 times. After this 4th ON action leave the ignition ON and the Odometer Display will display any stored codes from the oldest...which may no longer be vaild...to the newest.
The Codes cannot be erased with this method but the old codes seem to fade away over time!

Write the last few codes down and look them up.
Download the 2002 Jeep KJ Service Manual here for all you need to know about your Jeep. Section 8W has the Wiring Diagrams and there are other sections that tell you how to replace Clockspring etc.

Very Important: Also download the section "2.5_2.8 export_ diesel" as this has very important information on our early CRDs.

Once you have pulled the codes out look them up in this documentation to see what each code is complaining about!

www.colorado4wheel.com/manuals/Jeep/KJ/
 

Robclav

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The 2002 KJs definitely cannot have codes read by any Code Reader other than the DBIII....I have been in this movie since I picked up my May 2002 Export CRD. This has a Bosch ECM so I drove into a Bosch Workshop here in SA and asked if they could read out codes from the ECM......the Technicians took one look at it and shook their heads and walked away!

The only way other that the DBIII reader to get codes is to use the "Key" method which has served me well over the past 19 years!

Without starting the engine rapidly turn the ignition ON/OFF 4 times. After this 4th ON action leave the ignition ON and the Odometer Display will display any stored codes from the oldest...which may no longer be vaild...to the newest.
The Codes cannot be erased with this method but the old codes seem to fade away over time!

Write the last few codes down and look them up.
Download the 2002 Jeep KJ Service Manual here for all you need to know about your Jeep. Section 8W has the Wiring Diagrams and there are other sections that tell you how to replace Clockspring etc.

Very Important: Also download the section "2.5_2.8 export_ diesel" as this has very important information on our early CRDs.

Once you have pulled the codes out look them up in this documentation to see what each code is complaining about!

www.colorado4wheel.com/manuals/Jeep/KJ/
I have used the built in code reader with the method you say many times, but no codes show up relating to the airbag !
 

Billwill

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Then I would suggest that you carefully open up the Cluster as shown in the 2002 manuals and tape over the Airbag LED if you just want to hide the light for Inspection purposes.;)

Just be very careful to not mess with any of the pointers on the various gauges as they are difficult to get back into the correct positions.

Then when you have the time disconnect the battery and make use of the wiring diagrams and a Digital Multimeter to measure the lines in the Clockspring from end to end for continuity while rotating the steering wheel from side to side to see if there is any sudden break in continuity. Do the same with the passenger airbags and side airbags.
The Clockspring is the main suspect as it swings back and forth a lot...the other airbags are static!:(

Only use a Digital Multimeter when working on the Jeep Logics....old Analogue Multimeters can set off airbags!

Your KJ is the same age as my KJ and my Clockspring failed probably in about 2015. The new Clocksprings come with a plastic shipping wedge which keeps the spring wound up in its correct position until fitted.

So if your measurements with a Digital Multimeter points to a break in the Clockspring I can help you with the replacement.

I personally feel a lot more secure knowing that my airbags in theory should work in the event of an accident although there is a lot of chatter that airbags should be replaced every few years!:oops:
 

Robclav

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Then I would suggest that you carefully open up the Cluster as shown in the 2002 manuals and tape over the Airbag LED if you just want to hide the light for Inspection purposes.;)

Just be very careful to not mess with any of the pointers on the various gauges as they are difficult to get back into the correct positions.

Then when you have the time disconnect the battery and make use of the wiring diagrams and a Digital Multimeter to measure the lines in the Clockspring from end to end for continuity while rotating the steering wheel from side to side to see if there is any sudden break in continuity. Do the same with the passenger airbags and side airbags.
The Clockspring is the main suspect as it swings back and forth a lot...the other airbags are static!:(

Only use a Digital Multimeter when working on the Jeep Logics....old Analogue Multimeters can set off airbags!

Your KJ is the same age as my KJ and my Clockspring failed probably in about 2015. The new Clocksprings come with a plastic shipping wedge which keeps the spring wound up in its correct position until fitted.

So if your measurements with a Digital Multimeter points to a break in the Clockspring I can help you with the replacement.

I personally feel a lot more secure knowing that my airbags in theory should work in the event of an accident although there is a lot of chatter that airbags should be replaced every few yeWill
Will check reading of this when next up at mechanics, i have heard the same, guy who is dealing with the Jeep reckons the airbags wouldn't even deploy, the jeep has been sitting for the past 6 years, and never had airbags replaced !

I dont think taping over the light will do me any good, they look to see all the dash lights turn on before starting test
 

Robclav

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Will check reading of this when next up at mechanics, i have heard the same, guy who is dealing with the Jeep reckons the airbags wouldn't even deploy, the jeep has been sitting for the past 6 years, and never had airbags replaced !

I dont think taping over the light will do me any good, they look to see all the dash lights turn on before starting test
@Billwill : As we have the same jeep, would you know which is the 'k-line' Airbag specialist is asking which pin corresponds with that. Its so he can hook it up in his shop and do a full check
 

Billwill

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You will have to go through the 2002 Service Manual that I gave you a link to...section 8W will give you the logics so you should be able to see how the airbags are connected.

You must have a good look for those cables that I said you should find behind the "knee" panel on the Driver's side. This cable comes direct from the Clockspring connector up at the steering wheel, has male/female connector and then goes off somewhere probably to the Airbag Module. That male/female connector interupting that cable gives a lot of problems.

When you pull that connector apart you will note that inside the one connector there is a small flat shiny piece of metal that swings back to short all the wires on that plug together as the plug is pulled apart!

This is to stop any back EMF shooting up the cable towards the Steering Airbag which may set of the bags. Make sure that metal plate is not damaged and is perhaps shorting some of the plugs out. When I removed that connector completely and joined the wires straight through then of course that metal plate got ditched with the connector!

You may also consider removing that connector altogether and solder the wires straight through...that metal plate may cause problems and the whole structure of that plug combination is very feeble hence the bad connection I kept getting through it!

Make sure that the extra section that I advised you to download namely "2.5_2.8_diesel" is always handy.....It shows how to use the DBIII reader....I doubt too many of the Jeep Dealer Technicians are too clued up on how to us it for these old 2.5 CRDs of ours!
The Error codes are also in this section....I could not find any Codes refering to AirBags!:rolleyes:
 

ZachA2008

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After much diagnostics today we have fallen defeat to the airbag module once again, getting replacement for this will take up to a month.

I have purchased a timer switch relay (pictured below), i have yet to take out the instrument cluster and im wondering how this relay will fit in, are there individual wires going to the airbag light specifically, or are they powered by one main cable connecting into the cluster? Will i need to get a aftermarket bulb along with this relay?

Thanks for any advice !

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I had a airbag light that stayed all the time on my 2008 Liberty I ended up replacing the clockspring and all codes cleared on the dash haven’t had the problem since
 

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