I have a 2004 escape 5 speed 4 cylinder. I bought it with deployed airbags, it wasnt wrecked, it was a driveway accident, you can see the cracked bumper. It was hard enough however for the sensor to deploy the airbags. Do i need to replace the sensors or can they be reset? Do they reset themselves? I found a steering wheel with airbag and passenger airbag on ebay but need advice with these sensors. Please Help!!!!!

 

I'm pretty sure the sensors are fine, but you would need to replace the airbag module as well. It is suggested to replace the module and bags as a set. I'm just going off of memory, but someone else should pipe in soon.

 

Thanks, i was just unsure, ill keep that in mind and hope someone who has done this leaves a reply. Appreciate the comment

 

"When any deployable device or combination of devices are deployed and/or the restraints control module (RCM) has the DTC B1231 (Event Threshold Exceeded) in memory, the repair of the vehicle's SRS is to include the removal of all deployed devices and the installation of new deployable devices, the removal and installation of new impact sensors, and the removal and installation of a new RCM. DTCs must cleared from all required modules after repairs are carried out."

"When the driver air bag module has deployed, a new clockspring must be installed."

"New driver and/or front passenger safety belt systems (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be installed if the vehicle is involved in a collision that results in deployment of the driver and/or front passenger safety belt pretensioners."

 

the sensors are a one time only item and most be replaced after a crash along with the crash computer
the sensors inside is like a ball bearing on a ramp set to a certain force rating to break loose the inside retainer, then making the contact to set off the bag. after a crash the ball or slide will not properly return and keep throwing a sensor fault till replaced.

 

man you are dead on correct.

 

Is this obvious when it has happened?

 

On the later fords, I remember reading something somewhere about if you can see the label coming out of the retractor on the bottom of the belt, it needs to be replaced.

 

The deployed retractors (when equipped) are not at all noticeable from the outside, but if the rest of the system is repaired then the new RCM will see the deployed retractor and set a code. Unless you had a car like I had a couple of weeks ago that came in from a used car lot. The airbag light came on occasionally and the customer brought it to us to have it looked at. After checking a few things, I found the used car dealership had wired a resistor into the retractor circuit to fool the RCM into thinking the retractor was still live. In fact, it had been deployed. They put the resistor in just to get the airbag light to go off. The car had been in a major wreck, totaled, bought by the used car dealer, and pieced back together and sold. The title was branded, but the customer didn't fully understand what this meant and was not at all happy when it was made clear to him.

The pretensioners, which are part of the buckle, will cause the rubber boot below the buckle to accordion when they deploy. This is somewhat obvious if you look closely. A casual glance may reveal nothing out of the ordinary, as the buckle only shortens a couple of inches.

 

thanks i appreciate all the comments. i have a new steering wheel with airbag and passenger airbag. So if i install new sensors and a new module along with the airbags it should be good? Or is there something i should do?

 

Um, no not good. What I typed above is what you need to do, which includes replacing the clockspring and inspecting/replacing the rest of the deployable devices. The new RCM also needs to be programmed after it is installed.

 

jeez i didnt realize what i was getting myself into haha, well thanks for the comments, i appreciate the help. Now i just need help installing this mess of parts lol

 

changing the parts is not that hard, the costs are very hard on the pocket book. it means the 2 bags. clock spring under the steering wheel bag as the plug melts from the heat, both seat belts, the air bag crash sensors. air bag control unit and reprograming to your vin by a dealer to set it up.

this is something I've done a lot from being a dealer mechanic for 42 years before retiring, and something I'm sure you would have walked away from if you had known of the costs.

drive way hit. darn how fast were they driving? and what did they hit?

 

He said his wife crashed into his boat trailer lol very possible there is very minimal damage to the car, just a cracked bumper really. And the seatbelts seem fine. slowly ill get it done over the summer i suppose.

 

drive way into a boat trailer? get the control unit read, it' has a built in black box like a air plane and it will tell you how fast she was driving and how many g's of force it recorded and to what side. av air bag blow off I saw took 3 g's and over 25mph