I just got my 2007 S2000 about a month ago and just I realized that the little Passenger Airbag light under the radio never stays lit. It comes on when I first start the car but after a few seconds it turns off. I know that the system is supposed to determine if the airbag should be on based upon passenger weight but the light turns off regardless of whether I have a passenger in the car or not.

Does anyone else have experience with this? Does it work differnetly for others? Any advice will be helpful before I go into the dealer with this question to avoid the "it is supposed to work like that" response.

Thanks,

Adam Campion

 

you are correct, it only "arms" when a certain weight is applied to it. The light during start up is a confirmation/system cycle only. The only time it stays on/lit, is when a noticable weight is sensed but not enough to activate the airbag incase of emergency.

 

Yea the 06+ have sensors. If you have no one sitting in the set it'll stay off. If someones there it's go on.

 

If nobody is in the seat, or if a normal sized person is in the seat, the light shouldn't be on. Driving to an autocross event this weekend, I had a gym bag full of stuff sitting on the seat, which triggered the sensor and the light came on.

 

I just went out to the garage and tested it out with a 20 lb weight and it looks like it is working as described.

I'm assuming now that when their is zero weight in the seat and the "Passenger Airbag Off" light goes out that this does not imply that the Passenger Airbag is on. right?

 

I don't know.....maybe if nothing is on the seat at all and the light is off, the airbag defaults to on. A sort of fail-safe in case a sensor goes bad? Better the airbag to go off and not need it than needing it and it doesn't go off. Liability reasons.

Here's what I do: nothing in the seat, but buckle the passenger's belt. That will trigger the "off" light. That way you're sure it's off and won't deploy needlessly God forbid you get in an accident.