Are you driving a Honda and have an illuminated SRS light? Not sure what it means but it’s bugging you?
When an SRS light comes on a Honda Civic, Accord, or Odyssey, it means one thing – there is a problem with your vehicle’s airbag system. The common causes can be the same and the repair procedure is not really different.
Let’s look at what forces the SRS light on a Honda to come up and how much it would cost to fix it.
Common issues causing SRS light on Honda
Here are some of the common issues you might have that are causing the SRS light on Honda to come on:
- Depleted Airbag Backup Battery
- Faulty SRS Sensors
- Damaged Airbag Clock Spring
- Wet Airbag Module
Depleted airbag backup battery
Honda vehicles have a small backup battery for the airbag system to deploy that gets its charge from the car’s main battery. If the main battery has drained, you will have a depleted airbag backup battery too.
To ensure that your airbag battery is up and running, charge your main battery or replace them. The backup battery should start charging.
In older vehicles, you might still have the SRS light illuminated. To shut it off, you would need to do a hard reset.
Faulty airbag sensors
In the SRS system, airbags get deployed when the airbag sensor sends data to the control unit upon impact.
With many sensors in your Honda car, there are chances that any one of them could require replacement. Faulty sensors are one of the leading causes for the SRS light to come on. Car owners should check these sensors for any fault and do a system reset.
Replacing faulty sensors is a relatively easy task. However, you would need to know where the sensors are. Usually, they are in the front and back bumper. In modern vehicles, there may be many sensors.
To replace faulty sensors, here is what you should do:
- Locate the sensors using your vehicle’s manual.
- Once done, keep the engine off and disconnect the battery.
- Use your tools to unplug the wires and remove bolts.
- Replace the sensors with new ones.
- Plug back the wires and screw the bolts.
- And you’re done!
Replacing faulty airbag sensors can cost you up to $311, depending on the vehicle you own. If you let the mechanic do the replacement for you, add around $60 to $70 labor costs to the total.
Damaged airbag clock spring
The airbag clock spring is a component placed inside the steering wheel to protect the electrical wires on the airbag system when turning the vehicle.
Over time, the clock spring can get worn out which can lead to the SRS light illuminating. Replacing the clock spring should cost you $30 to $35.
To replace the clock spring, you need to take out the control module, the steering wheel, and other components. It is a labor-intensive task and I recommend letting a mechanic do it for you.
Wet airbag module
The airbag module is under the driver or passenger seat. When it gets wet, the module starts to corrode or short out. A wet airbag module will illuminate the SRS light.
Replacing an airbag module will cost you up to $600 for parts alone. Having a mechanic do it for you will add another $100 to $130 to your bill.
If you’re a DIY enthusiast and have a bit of experience in replacing parts yourself, you may get tempted to do this one yourself. However, I personally recommend letting professionals deal with SRS components since this helps protect your life. You need them working in case of accidents.
How to reset SRS light on any Honda vehicles
We understand having additional lights on your dashboard can get annoying to some. However, before you think about resetting the SRS light, you need to know that resetting the light will not make the problem disappear.
Airbags are a technological blessing during a car accident. You must make it a priority to fix the underlying problems to ensure your safety and your family.
There are two simple ways of doing this:
● Using an SRS scanner
● Step-by-step inspection and then disconnect the battery
Using an SRS scanner
Getting an SRS scanner is the easiest way to reset your SRS light. It can clear the fault codes and make the SRS light go away. It can also read fault codes and help you determine the problem.
Once you know where the underlying problem lies, you can start fixing it yourself or take it to the local mechanic.
Here is how you can use an SRS scanner to remove the light:
- Find the OBD2 connector and connect the device to it. The port is usually under the dashboard.
- Turn the key to the ignition but do not start the engine. It should power up the scan tool.
- Once the SRS scanner is on, click on read fault codes.
- The scan tool will check for SRS codes as well.
- Based on the codes, navigate and fix the problem.
- Finally, delete the codes.
Your vehicle should stop showing the SRS light after you turn the ignition off and then back on.
Step-by-step inspection and then disconnect the battery
The second way you can reset the SRS battery is through step-by-step inspection. You would need to check out each of the common issues to figure out the problem.
Now disconnect the main battery for about 50 minutes before reconnecting it. If the SRS light goes off, then you’ve solved the issue but if it still remains on, go on to diagnosing the next common cause. Keep doing this until the issue gets fixed.
This is a conventional way of resetting the light and it is definitely time-consuming. If you’re not sure what you’re doing or looking for, an SRS scanner can help point you in the right direction. It helps save a lot of time and is also a fantastic investment.
SRS scanners are a step above cheaper code readers and help detect faults in other systems like the engine, brakes, and more. Owning one of these can save you a lot of money down the road.
Is it safe to drive a car with an SRS light on?
Distracted driving is the leading cause of death in the United States and having a working airbag reduces the chances of it or any injuries in a car accident.
Driving with a faulty airbag system can put you and your family at risk. I highly advise that you fix your airbag system or head to a professional auto technician to do it for you.
Conclusion
There are a few common causes that cause the SRS light on a Honda to come up. Avoid resetting the light and fix the main problem immediately.
You can go about doing it the old-fashioned way, through trial and error checking each common cause, fixing it, and resetting the battery. However, the best way to do it is by using an SRS scanner.
A decent scan tool can cost a few hundred bucks. However, it’ll help you maintain your vehicle and save thousands of dollars in repair and replacement costs in the long run.