Air Bag Control Module

I have a 1996 Tacoma 2WD with 50K miles. The air bag control module has failed and I can not buy a new one. P/N is 89170-35010.

I have purchased a used one but do not know it's condition. Am I asking for trouble by installing it? I don't like driving without fuctional air bags, but don't know the risks in installing a used one of unknown condition.

Thanks,

Tom Larson

 

Did you try a search? I believe there was a member within the last few months with a similar year truck and similar issue. I believe he sent the module off to be rebuilt.

 

Just went through this myself. $60 for a used one off a junkyard truck I’m guessing from ebay. Went in easy have torx bits took ~30min start to finish. I yanked the battery had a beer then started to make sure everything was drained out.

simple from start to finish, no airbag codes since and it actually tests well.

 

Out of curiosity how much did u pay for that used one.....

 

$102 from LKQ March of last year

 

50K!? I need to see your truck.

 

I'm thinking about disabling mine......I've had experts say that depending on a nearly 30yr airbag system is crazy....

So mine is coming out.......we'll see if I really do drive like an old lady.......

Most likely sell that module......with good luck and free prayers.....

And my year doesnt have abs.....I'm really screwed......

 

Give me a few minutes. I'll post a couple.

No, it's not for sale. My youngest is a Navy pilot and he's just waiting for me to croak so he can claim it......

 

Hmmm...I've been driving like an old man since my 30's. No ABS on this one either, but it's the crazies I'm worried about, not my own driving. If I don't install the used one, I'll toss it. Don't really want to sell something this important to someone else.

 

Well actually someone might need that part......
.....but mines been with me for thousands of miles.....not sitting in a junk yard rusting....

I've kept most of the other bits....even the whole intake system when I stuck in CAI....
but that one system.....I can safely say....I will never go there again.....

And yeah have to eat a lot of crow in that outside slow lane.....you know the one the bus is in.....
a left of center is gonna have to hit a lot of other people before they reach me.....
and it is coming, just the times we live in......
In my city someone gets hit almost every other nite.......just walking in middle the highway.....


Most of us here on this forum will not lose their trucks to mechanical failure.....
it will either be death of the owner, the truck, or both.......at same time....

 

I get offers to buy mine all the time........kinda tired of saying 'NO'.........I bet you get way more than I do......

Sure that isnt a photo-shopped 20yr photo....

 

How do you know your airbag module is out?

I have SR5 airbag module light on so also going through I imagine a similar debug -
- replaced clockspring since cruise was also broken
- next step is checking if there is a circuit discontinuity (some other member mentioned this another potential root cause)

 

It's a photo taken about 10 minutes ago. This old man bought it from another old man (original owner) 10 years ago when it had 30K on it. It was posted on Craig's list and there was a bit of a feeding frenzy, as you might expect. A couple buyers nearly got physical. I was very lucky to get it.....

I'm in a small community and most of the locals leave me alone now about buying it. But, a few tourists will corner me in a parking lot at times. I'm ok with it....I'd do the same thing if I saw it.

 

Man, look at that ol’ girl!! Looks like she rolled off the assembly line yesterday….

 

@tJlarson Super nice truck!

 

What is the symptom? Does your airbag light stay on constantly? Were you able to read SRS/airbag codes through an OBD II scanner?

Next - what are your choices if you don't replace it. Where you live, are there annual safety inspections? If you're not comfortable driving without an airbag, would you be comfortable selling the truck that way?

I would say your gambles with a used module include - has your used module already been subjected to an impact force - either by coming from a truck that was wrecked, or has that module been mishandled/dropped since it was removed from the vehicle? That may have triggered its' internal impact sensor.

Also, the '96 Tacoma only has a driver's airbag, so the module needs to come from the same year and model, unless you can find interchange information showing what other years and models it fits.

Finally, I have no information on how to test a used module, or what would happen if you install a faulty one.

I too have a '96 Tacoma, though it doesn't look as nice as yours and already has 83K miles on it.
However, most of my airbag experience comes from my '98 Nissan Altima, where I decided to go ahead and replace the airbag system a few years ago, after it deployed during a minor accident. Like you, i don't like driving without functional airbags. But I figured if I could find a 'used' - not deployed - system, I would be no worse off than I was with the 'used' system that was in my car before the accident. Either that, or junk the car!

I was lucky to find everything at a Pick-N-Pull salvage-yard that only keeps vehicles for 30 days, from two non-wrecked vehicles where the glass was intact so the interior wasn't directly exposed to the weather. I even found airbags that matched my interior color. Also, my Pick-N-Pull has interchange information on their computer. At the time they had 4 Gen-2 Altimas, So I wound up with airbags from a '99 and a 2000, but a module from a '98. The gen-2 Altima System has just the two airbags and the module with internal impact sensor in the center-console. There is no external impact sensor.

Next day, I disconnected my battery and spent the afternoon installing the system.
Then I crossed my fingers and reconnected the battery. No explosions!
Then I crossed my fingers, got in the car, and turned on the ignition. No explosions!
The airbag light came on, then went out after several seconds. Perfect!
It has continued operating that way now for four years.

That Pick-N-Pull also contributed the right-hand steel bumper-bracket, the fiberglass sub-bumper reinforcement, and the right-side headlight. The passenger airbag also cracked the windsheild, requiring replacement at a glass shop. My total repair cost was just under $500.

I hope some of this information helps. Good luck.

Mark D.
Retired auto repair tech.

 

Thank you, Mark....

Light stays on all the time, regardless of key position, engine running, or key removed. The only way the light goes out is to pull 15amp fuse #26 (ECU-B) in the cab fuse box. This truck has no daytime running lights, cruise control or anti-lock brakes, so this fuse only affects the airbag light. If I leave the fuse in place, the battery drains in a day or so.

My scan tool can't read SRS codes so I took it to a local shop. Their comments after running full diagnostics: "Could not communicate with the module. The module has good power and grounds, but is not communicating with the diagnostic tool. The module will need to be replaced and the system will need to be retested."

The replacement I purchased has the exact same part number and other codes on the label.

We have no annual inspections where I live, so driving without the airbag is an option, but not my first choice.

Thanks, again

TL

 

If you put the fuse back in and unplug the SRS ECU. Does the light go out?

 

First, I did find a wiring diagram. Unfortunately, due to a glitch, I can't post it here for now.
However, in addition to the 15A ECU-B, There is also a 15A CIG fuse and 7.5A IGN fuse connected to the SRS control unit. With the ECU-B fuse connected and the light on, I don't know if you want to try pulling those too. Also, your '96 Tacoma airbag system is very basic - just a driver's airbag, SRS control unit containing the impact sensor, the SRS-light, and 3 fuses.

Anyway, assuming your replacement SRS control is good, would you be attempting to install it yourself?

WARNING!!! While checking/replacing parts of the SRS system, there remains the possibility that something might go BANG!

My Haynes manual states to first point the wheels/steering straight ahead, disconnect the negative battery cable, then wait at least 2 minutes before working on the airbag system. (I'd wait longer) This also goes for any time I'd need to reconnect, then disconnect the battery during this procedure.

What I would do is first turn off the ignition & remove the key.
Everything else, except when neccessary, is with the ignition off.
Put the ECU-B fuse back in. Observe that the SRS light is staying on.
Disconnect the battery. Remove the lower center console in front of the gearshift.
Unplug the airbag control harness. Reconnect the battery. Then see if the SRS light is now off.

If it comes on, I'd stop there. I wouldn't think the problem is just the control unit.

If it stays off, disconnect the battery and unbolt the old control unit.
Bolt on the replacement control unit and plug in the harness.
Reconnect the battery. Hopefully, nothing goes BANG.
If no BANG, I'd get in the passenger side.
Check the SRS light to see if it now stays off with the ignition off.
(I might want to wear hearing protection for the next step.)
From the passenger side, turn on the ignition. Hopefully, nothing goes BANG.
Observe that the SRS light comes on, then goes out in several seconds.
If it goes out, reinstall the lower console. Done!
If the SRS light comes on and stays on now, there's another problem in the airbag system.
Hopefully a scan tool would work now.

Happy Motoring, Mark D.