flashing light
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Jackson, MS
flashing light
My '94 F-150 with the EFI inline 6 runs like a top with 104,000 miles on her. But lately the little light (left side of the column) that I THINK indicates the airbag has been flashing, as if it's flashing me a code. I believe the pattern is three flashes, then two flashes. At any rate, I have no idea what this means. Truck is running fine, and I'm broke (!) so I haven't taken it in to get it checked. Any ideas? By the way, I used to visit this site a lot, but haven't in I guess a year. I've missed it, and think I'll start coming around more often. Thanks in advance.
Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2003
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flashing light
My air bag light flashes cause I pulled the fuse. I dont think its flashing any codes out of that bulb. If its the check engine givin you a 32 while running then itll be egr pressure feedback fault.
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Jackson, MS
flashing light
Mayaania,
I'm pretty sure it's not the check engine light. that's what's so strange about it. I can't imagine why it would be flashing a code, but it sure seems like it is. It's three quick flashes, then a pause, then two quick flashes then a pause, over and over. It's the light with the dude sitting sideways with what sure looks like an airbag coming out to hit him in the face! I'm clueless.
I'm pretty sure it's not the check engine light. that's what's so strange about it. I can't imagine why it would be flashing a code, but it sure seems like it is. It's three quick flashes, then a pause, then two quick flashes then a pause, over and over. It's the light with the dude sitting sideways with what sure looks like an airbag coming out to hit him in the face! I'm clueless.
Junior User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 96
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From: Glendale, Arizona
flashing light
Call me nuts but when the air bag light flashes just like your describing in my Ford Taurus, it's telling me the alternator is on the way out. IT's done it three times since the car was new (1990) and all three times it turned out to be a crapped out alternator.
Maybe your situation is different....just my $.02
Elwood
Maybe your situation is different....just my $.02
Elwood
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,987
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From: Memphis, TN
flashing light
It IS flashing out a code, and 32 says that the clock spring between the column and steering wheel is bad. They're ~$90 from Ford and they're easy to replace yourself with common tools. This site tells how, but don't believe the BS about the airbag - it's 200% safe, and you'll never set it off by working on the column.
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Jackson, MS
flashing light
What exactly does a clock spring do, and how important is it? My funds are pretty low at the moment (wife's off on maternity leave!! 
) and I need to wait a while to fix this if I can. It's running fine. I just never knew there WAS a clock spring, so I don't know what it does.
) and I need to wait a while to fix this if I can. It's running fine. I just never knew there WAS a clock spring, so I don't know what it does.
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flashing light
If it is the yellow symbol with the pic of a airbag in front of a passenger and it is flashing. THen that is it. It started flashing for me when I pulled the airbag fuse. It does not flash codes though. Then I pulled the bulb from the cluster then the airbag module started enoyingly beeping so I pulled the module out. The module is right under the strearing coloumn. It is lightblue and white and has ywo connectors, Pop off the two connect and undo the two bolts holding it in and chuck it in the can. If you want to stop the flash then you still must pull the bulb though. It is labelled on the back of the cluster.
Hope that helps!
I dont talk bs Steve 83 I only speak from experience. rotorhead get back to me and let us know what the verdict was.
Hope that helps!
I dont talk bs Steve 83 I only speak from experience. rotorhead get back to me and let us know what the verdict was.
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FTE Chapter Leader
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From: Fraziers Bottom, WV
flashing light
The Air Bag system may have flashing codes for failures. One of the most common failures would be the "clock spring" This is a flat electrical strip that is wraped in a circle an winds or unwinds when you turn the stearing wheel. Usually the light will stay on all the time. The clock spring is easy to change with some precautions and tools. If it is the clock spring, the horn and if the cruse is in the horn pad, they will not work.
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FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2002
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From: Fraziers Bottom, WV
flashing light
I found information in a service manual and a OBDII code book that listed the following code for:
unknown year Lincoln Mark VIII
and 1992 F-150
Code Description
32 Driver side air bag high resistance or open in circuit
unknown year Lincoln Mark VIII
and 1992 F-150
Code Description
32 Driver side air bag high resistance or open in circuit
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Jackson, MS
flashing light
5-labs,
I hadn't even put it together, but my horn DID quit working a while back, and I guess now that I think about it, it was about the time the light started flashing. That's why I like this place so much! I love it when a plan comes together! Thanks everybody!
I hadn't even put it together, but my horn DID quit working a while back, and I guess now that I think about it, it was about the time the light started flashing. That's why I like this place so much! I love it when a plan comes together! Thanks everybody!
Junior User
Joined: May 2003
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flashing light
Trust me it's the clock spring as others have said. The airbag light will flash 32. I put tape over it for a year to keep it from driving me crazy. Then the horn and cruise went out. You can do it yourself. The bag will not deploy. I replaced mine 2 weekends ago. You need a good steering wheel puller. Good luck.....Van
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From: Jackson, MS
flashing light
I'm ready to put some tape over the light too. It's like Water Torture or something...makes me crazy. And I get a crick in my neck from trying to slump down so that the steering wheel blocks it. lol
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2003
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flashing light
I had the same problem in my 96'. It ended up being one of the Air bag sensors. Ford said that they put two sensors in and both must be triggered to set off the air bag. For some reason one of the sensors had failed and that caused the light to flash. Sometimes one sensor can be triggered when you are in a slight fender bender, causing the air bag system to fail and the light to flash. In my case, the sensor just had a wiring problem and started to flash. Because the sensor is part of the air bag system you are supose to take it to the dealer, but if carfull you can pull one from the bone yard and repalce yourself. Since the air bag system is failing, your truck automatically turns off the air bag system. I placed tape over the light just like eveyone else, and 3 weeks later was in an accident! Air Bag didn't work!
Good luck with the fix.
Good luck with the fix.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,987
Likes: 7
From: Memphis, TN
flashing light
The airbag diagnostic monitor doesn't EVER interfere with the airbag operation - it just lets you know if it thinks the airbag MIGHT not deploy. Even if it detects a problem, the impact sensors aren't "disabled", and the ADM doesn't provide backup power to deploy the airbag, either.
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