How to Turn off an Airbag Light with or without a Scanner

A comprehensive guide on how to reset airbag on or airbag off lights

Co-authored by Jason Shackelford and Eric McClure

Last Updated: December 23, 2024 Fact Checked

If you’ve got an airbag on or airbag off light that won’t go away, you may be wondering how to reset it. Rest assured, it’s actually pretty rare that the airbags are defective or damaged. In most instances, these lights won't turn off because the sensor that determines you have a passenger is acting up, the sensor is damaged, or your seatbelts are defective. Luckily, there are plenty of easy ways to diagnose and fix this yourself. In this article, we’ll cover the process to get that pesky airbag light off.

Things You Should Know

Turn your vehicle on and off a few times, then take it for a short test drive. This may fix a sensor malfunction causing the light to turn on.
Check your seatbelts. Damaged or malfunctioning seat belts can trigger the airbag lights to turn on.
Inspect your dashboard for an airbag button if you have an older vehicle and press it. You may have bumped it accidentally.
If you can’t get the light to turn off, take your vehicle to a mechanic to get the underlying problem fixed.

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1

Turn your ignition off and on.

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Give your vehicle a quick restart to see if that fixes it. Turn the ignition switch on, wait 10 seconds or so, and then turn it off. If the light goes away after a quick ignition check, you can safely write this off as a one-time anomaly.^{[1]
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- In some vehicles, the airbag on or airbag off light is designed to stay on momentarily after you start the electrical. If this is a brand-new vehicle for you, read the manual.
- The problems and solutions for a wayward airbag on or airbag off light are identical. Both lights are connected to the same systems.^{[2]
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2

Go for a short test drive.

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In some makes and models, an airbag light will go off if you drive around for a few minutes. Either the light is designed to stay on as the systems come online, or the sensor that determines if someone is in your passenger seat needs to cycle a few times to get an accurate reading.^{[3]
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3

Look for a passenger airbag switch.

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Older vehicles may have a switch for the passenger airbag. Look on the dashboard of your vehicle for a passenger airbag or airbag button. With your vehicle on and running, try pressing this button or flipping the switch. If the airbag light shuts off, you likely just bumped the airbag button accidentally.^{[4]
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- On most vehicles, this button is on the lower right-side of the steering wheel.

4

Check all seat belts to confirm they work.

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A broken seat belt can cause your airbag light to turn on. With your vehicle running, plug in each seat belt individually to confirm that it clicks and then press the button to release it. If any of the seat belts are broken or failing to lock correctly, it could make your vehicle think the seat is occupied and the light needs to stay on.
- The airbag sensor in most vehicles is triggered when a seatbelt is locked in, with the idea being that the vehicle is checking to see if there’s an adult sitting in the passenger side. If a seatbelt is busted, it could mess with the sensor.

5

Plug in the seatbelt if something is on the seat.

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A heavy item will trick the sensor into thinking the seat is occupied. Your vehicle thinks that something heavy on the seat is actually a person, but with a seatbelt off, the airbag may be disarmed (your vehicle may chime repeatedly as well). Plug the seatbelt in where you’re carrying the item and the light should disappear.^{[5]
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- Alternatively, you can just put whatever heavy item you’re transporting in the trunk.^{[6]
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6

Reset the codes with an OBD II scanner.

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Plug your OBD II scanner into the diagnostic link connector (DLC) beneath your steering wheel. Run a scan and read the code on the screen to identify the underlying error. If you know how to fix the problem, great! Otherwise, try resetting the computer in your vehicle to see if the error comes back.^{[7]
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7

Take your vehicle to a mechanic.

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If you still cannot get the airbag light to go off, see a mechanic. In rare instances, your airbag may actually need to be serviced.^{[8]
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Research source} In most cases, the culprit will be a worn-out clock spring inside of your airbag’s control module, a dead backup airbag battery, or a corroded terminal inside the airbag system. It could be that the sensors need to be replaced. In any case, hire a mechanic to take a look and fix it.^{[9]
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- Unless you’re a serious amateur mechanic, this is not a DIY job. It requires diagnosing and adjusting delicate electrical systems that are responsible for life-saving emergency systems.

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Tips

Your airbags should be off if there’s a young child riding shotgun. Front airbags can seriously injure younger kids (or pets) when they sit up front.^{[10]
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Trustworthy Source

HealthyChildren.org
Health information from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Go to source} If you have someone sitting up front who doesn’t weigh very much, that airbag off light should be on.^{[11]
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