We have had many customers complain about their airbag light coming on after the cars carpet was washed. So why is this happening?

There are several reasons why a day at the car wash can cost you big bucks. Car manufacturers are still installing several key components underneath the cars rug and front seats. For example, there are many vehicles that have the airbag module located under the left or right front seat. Now I am sorry, but the engineer who decided this does not have any kids. Raise your hand if your kids have accidently spilled a soda on the carpet of your car and how many of you immediately stop and cleaned up the mess. Of course not, your in a hurry to get the kids to little league game. Anyhow, by now you have guest it, the soda has run underneath the seat and the acid in the drink has penatrated the wiring harness or the connector of your airbag module and after a few days, the airbag light on your dash comes on. It amazes me why, even today, manufacturers are still installing key components of the airbag system underneath the rug or front seats.

Another reason the airbag light turned on could have to do with your seat belts. Who would have known that your seat belts are directly linked to your airbag system? Well the truth of the matter is that not to many people are aware of seat belt pretensioners. Seat belt pretensioners are loaded with gas and act just like airbags. They are designed to keep  you back in your seat so the airbags don’t use you as a punching bag. Therefore, they are linked to your airbag module and by now I think your getting the message, the wires from the seat belt run underneath the seats and attach to the airbag module. So as this article began, if you shampoo the rug of your car be very carfull not to overdue the water. It is better to use the foam based shampoo’s and stay away from under the seats. So in conclusion, if the airbag light on the dash is on it could mean that you have a serious issue with the airbags and that twenty dollar rug shampoo could have been the cause of it.

Author: Joe Ace

Sources:Airbag Replacement Center