C6-08 intermittent airbag warning light

[AV8R]

Well after buying a CarMax blessed 120 point inspection vette, a couple of weeks later I'm seeing the first issue...

The drivers dash has an air bag light that goes off intermittently. Anyone else see this also, and is there known remedies?

I've narrowed it down to the point where I can cause and stop it temporarily. If I adjust the drivers seat forward and back a few times it does affect this lamp.

So my theory is that its a sensor, cable, or connector, or combination thereof.
Being new to the Charlie-six, I'd like some experienced assistance.

My faith in CarMax techs is spotty and even less so in the local service manager who treats vettes like any other car and the customer as an idiot. So I'm not going there unless its a big ticket item.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Well after buying a CarMax blessed 120 point inspection vette, a couple of weeks later I'm seeing the first issue...

The drivers dash has an air bag light that goes off intermittently. Anyone else see this also, and is there known remedies?

I've narrowed it down to the point where I can cause and stop it temporarily. If I adjust the drivers seat forward and back a few times it does affect this lamp.

So my theory is that its a sensor, cable, or connector, or combination thereof.
Being new to the Charlie-six, I'd like some experienced assistance.

My faith in CarMax techs is spotty and even less so in the local service manager who treats vettes like any other car and the customer as an idiot. So I'm not going there unless its a big ticket item.

It's possible, the sensor, and/or it's associated wiring and connections, which tells the SIR you are sitting in the seat might have a problem so the first thing I'd do is inspect the wriring and connections which are under the seat. It is likely you'll need to partially disassemble the seat to do that. Beyond that, you can spend a lot of money very quickly trying to guess your way out of a problem with the car's electronics.

Once you get past a visual and tactile inspection of the underseat wiring and connections, if you're going to try and troubleshoot an intermittent SIR problem, you'll likely need two tools to start with

1) The factory service manual for its information on the SIR
2) A scan tester which supports SIR, such as GM TECH2 or equiv.

If it were me, I'd go back to CarMax and demand they fix the problem to your satisfaction. As for taking the car to a dealer, from the perspective of repairing of the SIR system, Corvettes are not much different than any other Chevrolet.

 

[AV8R]

Thanks for that Big Hal...

Regarding CarSmacks, I called in the issue to get it on the books before the 30 day warrantee expires. Still Ill want to see that connector and probably spray electrical connection cleaner into it (I'm a Sparky myself, electrical engineer, and for us we keep freeze spray and electrical connector spray on our belts at all times). Is it the connector right under the front of the seat, or is it somewheres else? Can you or someone post a screenshot of the manual that helps me know what Im doing with the seat and connector?

One of the reasons Ive lost faith in CarMax maintenance work, is that they won't do work to your/my satisfaction, rather to their satisfaction and is "in policy". For example, the other issue I have to deal with is that the front bumper has a license plate scuff into the paint that happened while on their site and driven by their employee. They want to paint it themselves and won't let me take it to the dealer for proper GM handling. This is not to my liking as once an OEM paint job is done, its a gamble that in time the repainted area may not match. So I either let them paint it or I find another way. Im seeing if my car insurance will cover it and make the fault on CarMax so I don't get the points.

Do you have all four of those vettes concurrently?
I have 3 (74, 90, 08) and I am torn to have to sell one… probably the 90. It kills me to think of it.

uggg

 

[AV8R]

Solved

Took the Vette to CarMax to solve the airbag warning lamp, which would come on intermittently or when I moved the seat fully forward. Told them to check the cable, the connectors and the sensors.

After 3 days, they gave up after having taken the seat out and check the cable for shorts and no scan codes. So they sent it on to the local Chevy/GM dealer.

After another 3 days, I'm told it was solved by the dealer's techs. It was a connector that wasn't connected or seated correctly. No replacement necessary.

So… after having told CarMax exactly what to look for they messed it up and made me wait long for my car to be fixed. I followed Hal's advice because he is right that they should fix it and because it is a critical system that needs to be done right (else the air bag system may not deploy).

Glad it solved, but my faith that CarMax technicians can work on high tech cars is completely shattered. They are good for finding cars, 5 day grace period to buy or return, 30 day warrantee to fix everything (and they do within "policy"); but I don't trust them with repairs and paint.

 

[Chevy Customer Service]

Took the Vette to CarMax to solve the airbag warning lamp, which would come on intermittently or when I moved the seat fully forward. Told them to check the cable, the connectors and the sensors.

After 3 days, they gave up after having taken the seat out and check the cable for shorts and no scan codes. So they sent it on to the local Chevy/GM dealer.

After another 3 days, I'm told it was solved by the dealer's techs. It was a connector that wasn't connected or seated correctly. No replacement necessary.

So… after having told CarMax exactly what to look for they messed it up and made me wait long for my car to be fixed. I followed Hal's advice because he is right that they should fix it and because it is a critical system that needs to be done right (else the air bag system may not deploy).

Glad it solved, but my faith that CarMax technicians can work on high tech cars is completely shattered. They are good for finding cars, 5 day grace period to buy or return, 30 day warrantee to fix everything (and they do within "policy"); but I don't trust them with repairs and paint.

I am glad to hear that everything got taken care of for you! If you ever need me to help and call a dealer on your behalf please let me know.

Kelly J.
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,

Hib was sitting in on our seminar at the BASH and we discussed this alot. Many wiring harnesses are misrouted under the seat and a simple test is simply to RAISE your seat height and see if the light does go out.

From there, move the seat rearward and validate that the wiring or connector is not being pinched or pulled.

Allthebest, Paul

 

[Frankyrealtor]

Took the Vette to CarMax to solve the airbag warning lamp, which would come on intermittently or when I moved the seat fully forward. Told them to check the cable, the connectors and the sensors.

After 3 days, they gave up after having taken the seat out and check the cable for shorts and no scan codes. So they sent it on to the local Chevy/GM dealer.

After another 3 days, I'm told it was solved by the dealer's techs. It was a connector that wasn't connected or seated correctly. No replacement necessary.

So… after having told CarMax exactly what to look for they messed it up and made me wait long for my car to be fixed. I followed Hal's advice because he is right that they should fix it and because it is a critical system that needs to be done right (else the air bag system may not deploy).

Glad it solved, but my faith that CarMax technicians can work on high tech cars is completely shattered. They are good for finding cars, 5 day grace period to buy or return, 30 day warrantee to fix everything (and they do within "policy"); but I don't trust them with repairs and paint.

Hahahaha


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