AOL Autos Repair Blog

A question from one of our readers asks:

Q: "I have a '98 Z3 BMW. While city driving the air bag light came on. I ran the diagnostic and no codes came up. Is it dangerous to continue driving with light on? Would air bags deploy if necessary? The vehicle has never been in an accident to deploy the air bags. Is it absolutely necessary to take it an authorized BMW dealer for service or can it be checked out, somehow, at home? I have several mechanic connections and would prefer their expertise."

A: When the airbag is lit, the system is inactive. Should you get in a front end crash, the airbag/s will not deploy leaving you unprotected. I would call the dealer and ask them to run your vehicle's VIN through their system. It could be that there was a recall for the safety restraint system on your car in which case the repair will be free of charge to you. If there are no recalls and no warranty coverage for safety restraint systems, (sometimes there is extended coverage on such systems) then take it to a qualified shop if you're more comfortable with that. Just make sure before you go to the shop that they have the scan tool and software to tap into the safety restraint module for diagnostics. Usually a lit airbag can be attributed to faulty wiring, crash sensor behind the front bumper, bad connection between the airbag and lower part of the steering column, or a faulty airbag module. A qualified shop should be able to track this down for you. If you're not sure where to go to find such a shop, call AAA and ask them for a AAA Certified Repair Facility in your area that works on late model BMW's.

Another reader had a similar problem and inquired:

Q: "The airbag light came on in my 1999 Subaru Impreza a couple months ago, should this be something to worry about, Someone said I shouldn't worry about it. Then someone said maybe one of my air bags is disconnected. Is this common and should I take it to the dealer and pay a huge price to see what's up?"

A: Yes, be concerned. When the airbag light illuminates, it means that the safety restraint system is inoperative and the airbag will not deploy in the event of a collision. Common causes of this malady are: broken power wore to the airbag, faulty crash sensor or related wiring, broken connection in the steering wheel. A scan of the safety restraint computer will give the tech a direction to go with diagnostics. This may be covered under the safety restraint warranty, ask your dealer.