Crash Sensor Connector

Question: does someone know how to correctly disconnect the connectors on the crash sensors?

I'm busy checking the airbag system in an effort to get the dashboard Airbag Light to stop blinking. First step: spray electrical connector deoxidizer into all connectors in the system (crash sensors, passenger airbag switch, etc.). I don't want to break a connector (I've broken a few in other systems while fixing up this 1999 2.7 4x4).

Your help is always much appreciated.

 

Some people use a heat gun to soften the plastic .

 

Are you talking about the impact sensors in the fender wells in the engine bay?

 

before disconnecting everything and throwing parts at the truck, what is the code it is giving you? Did you check with a code reader?

You can also get the code by shorting together the Tc and E1 pins in the DIAGNOSIS port in the engine bay (diagram is inside the cover when you flip it open) and the light will blink in a pattern, telling you the code

 

Thanks for the responses, guys. Replies to each of your questions below.

Onakat:

B0106 Airbag (passenger)
B0136 Airbag (LH circuit) [Open in D-Side Seat Belt Pretensioner Squib (LH) Circuit]
B0105 Airbag (passenger)

Wyoming09: I'm figuring the idea is as follows. I gently heat up a connector and then immediately do the wiggling and pushing down of tab or whatever, then breakage probability lowers. Have I got that right? I've got a heatgun. So, this is something I can try.

BartMaster1234: yes, the impact sensors on the left and right front in engine bay. The passenger side airbag switch was easy; I was able to easily disconnect all the three plugs. But the engine bay ones aren't easy. I bet they haven't ever been taken apart. They're outside. Probably heavy corrosion.

 

Thanks for the response.

I'm figuring the idea is as follows. I gently heat up a connector and then immediately do the wiggling and pushing down of tab or whatever, then breakage probability lowers. Have I got that right? I've got a heatgun. So, this is something I can try.

 

Here's the info:

B0106 Airbag (passenger)
B0136 Airbag (LH circuit) [Open in D-Side Seat Belt Pretensioner Squib (LH) Circuit]
B0105 Airbag (passenger)

 

Yes, the impact sensors on the left and right front in engine bay. The passenger side airbag switch was easy; I was able to easily disconnect all the three plugs. But the engine bay ones aren't easy. I bet they haven't ever been taken apart. They're outside. Probably heavy corrosion.

 

If the crash sensors were bad, you'd get 1156/1157 for right sensor and 1158/1159 for left sensor

none of the codes you're having has a bad crash sensor as the cause, but common denominator is the airbag ON/OFF switch or wire harness. Airbag computer itself is also listed, but you would most probably get a code 31 if it was the culprit...

also, airbag connectors are failsafe connectors, meaning they have all sorts of tabs to prevent them from being disconnected easily. So if you really want to remove the crash sensors, try to unscrew them from the inner fender (bolts are on the sensor's little "ears"). It will be much easier to disconnect them and work on and that's even what the repair manual calls for

But random question, how are your battery and ground? Bad or malfunctioning batteries, as well as a bad battery ground can trigger random airbag codes. Disconnecting the battery with the keys in the ACC or ON position will also trigger random error codes

but anyway, I have included the test procedure for each code you're having, if you need it

 

Yes! I forgot about how all SRS connectors have failsafes. There may be another clip you have to remove to get the connector off.

 

Excellent. I've downloaded the test procedures.

I understand your emphasis on the passenger airbag on/off switch. I now understand that I don't need to deal with the crash sensors.

Answer to your question re/battery: the battery may be not very good, and the ground may not be great.

Re/battery. The very first repair on the truck was my putting in a new alternator after the charging light went on (while driving home from the seller's house!). I did get the battery tested before getting the alternator. It tested within acceptable spec. I've never had a problem starting the truck. But perhaps the battery itself is in some sense doing poorly. I'm thinking it's fine. Let me know if you think otherwise.

Re/Ground. The previous seller had a boom-boom-boom stereo, complete with amplifier, etc. So, he put a new battery clamp on the positive side of battery to accommodate one of those super thick amp power leads. Maybe he screwed something up (I wouldn’t doubt it, since the genius also managed to spill motor oil all over the passenger side carpet).

The help you've given me so far is very much appreciated.

 

You were right, onakat. The cause of the airbag light was an old negative battery terminal no longer small enough to properly grip the post. Problem solved.

No more airbag light!

A multitude of thanks to you, onakat. With a single comment, you've made my life much simpler.

[Thanks to all who chipped in with comments. Tacomaworld folks have never let me down.]

 

Update: after three driving cycles (ignition on, some driving, ignition off = 1 cycle) the airbag light came back on. (Still many thanks to onakat, since it was good to rule out a poor battery connection.) I then disconnected the battery, unplugged the three plugs in the front of the cab between the seats under the radio (two pretensioners and the main module), sprayed a crapload of deoxit on them, and worked them in and out of the receptacles. After nine drive cycles, still no airbag light. So, oxidation on at least one of those plugs was the culprit. I've since learned that even merely .5 ohm deviation from spec resistance will trigger the light.

 

@onakat I can't seem to get my drivers side engine bay sensor to plug in. I removed the old one and am trying to install the new one but I can't get it on. I pushed the inner part all the way down but the outer sleeve wont slide into place. I tried forcing it but there isn't much room to get any tools on it and it didn't seem to want to budge. Any suggestions? Perhaps I damaged something taking the old one off. I have a 2nd gen but figured they might be similar and can't find any other threads that discuss it.

The one I'm talking about looks like this one (not my picture but just and example):