Passenger airbag light VS seatbelt. Do we understand correctly?

The check airbag light has come on and been cleared once (and is back on).

My mechanic says the diagnostics state that it is the passenger seat buckle. He says there is a diode in there and the fix is to replace the buckle - not sure what that involves at this point.

Is there another solution that doesn't involve transplanting yet another part of my car.

MY2000 base.

Happy Boxstering!

Andrew

But replacing the seat belt buckle does not sound like a huge project.

That said, I am not sure how the buckle interacts with the airbag exactly. I know we have a "baby seat" bar in my car which deactivates the airbag. I still use it even though my kids are teens, because my youngest is relatively small and could still have an adverse impact.
I might disconnect at some point though.

In other words, I know there is an interface for the airbag under the passenger seat. Whether that directly implcates the seat belt buckle I do not know. THIS problem might be worth a stealership (ugh) visit unless your indy has all of the updated p-specific computers.
Alternative B might be an auto-electrician.

Airbag faults can be deadly. IMHO this is one repair to do belt and suspenders to be certain it is correct.

Periodically in the past few years my 13 Boxster S has had its seatbelt warning light come on, even though the detente made a distinct click. After engaging/disengaging the buckle a few times the light would stay off for a few months.
When it came back a couple months ago, I gingerly squirted WD-40 into the receptacle and did a few engagements/disingagements. So far, so good. Perhaps doing this will clear a contact issue that involves your airbag light.

over time it becomes sticky & no longer a good lubricant & what has been treated becomes a magnet for dust & dirt to stick. Pedro's recommendation to use electrical contact cleaner is the ticket IMO. Also, I think clear silicone aerosol spray should work as well.

JB/SE SoDak
1997 986 - Wolfi
Yankton, SD

"Wisdom is the most perfect knowledge of the most important truths in the right order of emphasis, accompanied by a total, permanent disposition to live accordingly.

-- Br. Francis Maluf, M.I.C.M.

"(School is to be a factory) in which raw products, children, are to be shaped and formed into finished products . . .(m)anufactured like nails, and the specifications for manufacturing will come from government and industry."

-- Elwood P. Cubberley, Dean of School of Education, Stanford University, 1905

"The creatures that want to live a life of their own, we call wild. If wild, then no matter how harmless, we treat them as outlaws, and those of us who are 'specially well brought up shoot them for fun."

-- Clarence Day, This Simian World

Good point, but I had worried that a pure contact cleaner might wash off any lubricant that should be there. Perhaps clear silicone might be sticky, too, and the dry type, after using contact cleaner, would be better.

inside the seatbelt latches, you need clean contacts so that the ECU doesn't see a voltage variance and declare an error code.
Contact cleaner is all that's needed.
Sincerely,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

As the Monkeys so wisely once pointed out, "I'm a Believer", Pedro! Contact cleaner it is . . .





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/2023 08:25AM by John Brown of SE SoDak. (view changes)

I have found that with time and use, the inside of the buckles get very grimy.
When I see the light come on, I liberally spray electrical contact cleaner into the buckle using the little red straw that comes with the spray can.
While spraying the cleaner I quickly and repeatedly depress the release button.
This action seems to wash away any contaminants and usually turns off the light.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2023 05:27PM by Pedro (Odessa, FL). (view changes)

I note the OP mentioned an airbag warning light - NOT a seatbelt light.

Are we certain the follow ups are dealing with the same issue as reported?

Clearly, a seatbelt light could be triggered by scutch in the buckle. Does that translate to an airbag light?
Those strike me as a different kettle of fish - and less margin for error.

Just checking.

Yes, it is the airbag light which is on.

The circled light on this graphic is the light which is on: [www.google.com]

are we all talking about the same light and the same solution?

I've sprayed the buckle and will spray again - the light is still on.

Question: What's the least expensive ODB2 device (autel or any other brand) which will reset the airbag light? I have a $20 Amazon reader which reset my check engine light for a bad gas cap / small leak i had fixed, but it doesn't see the airbag (it's not Porsche specific in any way). I don't really want to spend $100 to clear a light (is there a $50 box that does the trick?). I'm not a fixer, so I won't ever be doing any actual repairs on any of my cars.

Andrew

There is somewhat greater concern with that light. Clearly, you would know whether the belt is fastened or not, so you could visually ID that you were safe.

The airbag light is different. There are a number of things that could set that off. For instance, I have heard that diving with the passenger seat disconnected for the car will trigger that code.
Similarly, wiring problems can impact the light.

You could be tracing wiring gremlins at some point soon. If you are not extremely comfortable that you can do that without energizing the bag - DO NOT GO THERE yourself.

More importantly, your airbag is currently not working correctly. If there is a collision, there is a fair likelihood the bag will not deploy. There is a much lower likelihood the bag will deploy without a collision - although I have never heard of that happening from a reliable source.

Either way, I submit a professional consult is indicated IMHO. Maybe not a dealer, but someone who has done this before.

There are life and death issues and no margin for error. Further, there is a risk that in doing a repair, you could injure yourself or others.
I am an incorrigible DIY'er. But this one I submit you should defer.

My mechanic indicated from his Porsche tester that the seat belt passenger side was causing the error (yes, for the airbag light).

Apparently not uncommon: [986forum.com]

Andrew



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/2023 12:59PM by AndyInNYC. (view changes)

Hopefully, it will be corrected and all will be well.

I still need an ODB2 that can clear the code. Likely going to be $100 and not $50.

Hate to buy something to use once.

Andrew

Many techs have them as well as DIY'ers.

You are not far from CT - I know there are folks around here who have them. I saw them with my own eyes.
Post on the various boards, you will get a connection.

Sprayed the passenger seat belt buckle with the suggested contact cleaner and “click it in” over a day or so. My mechanic recleared the code while doing other work for me and the light has remained off after a few dozen start-stop engine cycles over the past few weeks. Yay! Problem solved.

But don’t ask me about the sad relationship between me, nails, tires and AAA.


Andrew

I use the spray versions of these products in the ignition as part of my annual maintenance regimen. Sounds like they would be good for the seat belt buckle issue. Note they sell both contact cleaner and contact lubricant.

[caig.com]

[caig.com]

Gary

2003 Boxster Base - Midnight Blue Metallic, Savanna Beige, Metropol Blue