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Test Notes



Fault Code 24-LH Cowl Side Panel Air Bag Senor Diagnostic Circuit Open Or Low Resistance in Center Air Bag or Front Air Bag

Normal Operation

The center air bag sensor and bracket and RH cowl side air bag sensor and bracket have an internal resistor. The air bag diagnostic monitor uses the resistor in the center air bag sensor and bracket and RH cowl side air bag sensor and bracket in combination with the two resistors inside the air bag diagnostic monitor to create a tightly controlled diagnostic voltage at pin 11 (circuit 614, GY/O). The sensors are tied together inside the air bag diagnostic monitor at pins 17 (circuit 617, PK/O) and 18 (circuit 619, PK/W). Therefore, the resistors in the sensors are connected in parallel. The parallel combination of all the sensor resistors should be equal to 393 ohms.

The resistors inside the air bag diagnostic monitor are connected to pins 11 (circuit 614, GY/O) and 12 (circuit 623, P/W) and are equal in value. Note that circuits 614 and 623 are tied together inside the LH cowl side air bag sensor and bracket. Therefore, the two resistors inside the air bag diagnostic monitor are connected in parallel and will function the same as one resistor of half the original value. Current flows from the battery positive voltage within the air bag diagnostic monitor, through the resistors, out to circuits 614 (GY/O) and 623 (P/W) on pins 11 and 12, through the LH cowl side panel air bag sensor bracket and out to the driver side air bag module. Current flows through the driver side air bag and into pin 10 (circuit 615, GY/W).






Current then flows from pin 10 through the diode inside the air bag diagnostic monitor and out to the center air bag sensor and bracket and RH cowl side air bag sensor and bracket through pins 17 and 18. The current flows through each sensor resistor and terminates at the case ground of each sensor. Pin 11 is the midpoint of the resistor network and voltage at pin 11 will change with vehicle charging system voltage. The expected voltage at pin 11 is shown in the table. The air bag diagnostic monitor measures the vehicle charging system voltage at pin 13 (battery input). By measuring the voltage at pin 13, the air bag diagnostic monitor can accurately predict what the voltage at pin 11 should be in a normal functioning system.

If the connection between circuits 614 (GY/O) and 623 (P/W) inside the air bag diagnostic monitor is broken, then the resistor on pin 12 is no longer in the diagnostic circuit explained above. Both resistors are needed to pull up the diagnostic voltage to the correct value. In this situation, the resistor on pin 11 is the only resistor inside the air bag diagnostic monitor pulling up the voltage. Therefore, the voltage on pin 11 will be half of the normal expected voltage and the voltage on pin 12 will be approximately equal to the vehicle charging system voltage.

The air bag diagnostic monitor does not measure the voltage on pin 12, so the monitor bases its decision strictly on the voltage at pin 11. If the voltage at pin 11 is lower than it should be, the monitor will flash code 24.

Another situation that can cause low voltage at pin 11 is a decrease in air bag sensor resistance (resistance is too low). If this occurs, the voltage at pin 11 will be pulled down to a lower than normal value because the parallel combination resistance of center air bag sensor and bracket and RH cowl side air bag sensor and bracket will be less than 390 ohms. In this situation, the voltage at pins 11 and 12 will be identical, but the air bag diagnostic monitor does not measure the voltage at pin 12. Therefore, a center air bag sensor and bracket or RH cowl side air bag sensor and bracket with low resistance may cause low voltage at pin 11 and the air bag diagnostic monitor will flash code 24 on the air bag indicator.

Possible Causes

Low voltage at pin 11 and high voltage at pin 12 can be caused by:

1. An open circuit or high resistance in the wiring harness in circuit 614 (GY/O) or 623 (P/W).
2. An open circuit or high resistance inside the RH cowl side air bag sensor and bracket across the GY/O and P/W wires.

Low voltage on both pins 11 and 12 can be caused by:

3. Resistance to ground on circuit 614 or 623. Circuits 614 and 623 should be open circuits to ground when the air bag diagnostic monitor is disconnected from main wiring. Resistance to ground on these circuits can cause a drop in the diagnostic voltage on both circuits.
4. Low resistance in one or more of center air bag sensor and bracket and RH cowl side air bag sensor and bracket. If the resistance of one or more of the center air bag sensor and bracket and RH cowl side air bag sensor and bracket is lower than normal, the voltage on pin 11 will be pulled down too low.
5. A poor ground on pin 3 of the air bag diagnostic monitor may cause voltage to appear on the diagnostic monitor ground reference. Any voltage on the ground reference will cause the air bag diagnostic monitor to measure the voltage at pin 11 as low, even though the voltage on pin 11 with respect to sheet metal is normal.
6. Intermittent battery voltage at pin 13 can cause the reference voltage inside the air bag diagnostic monitor to fluctuate and can cause diagnostic trouble code 24 in some circumstances.

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