Possible Causes
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2002 Ford Escape. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Driver-side air bag low resistance could be caused by short circuit in clockspring windings, short circuit in wiring harness, low resistance in driver-side air bag module, worn or damaged shorting bar, worn or damaged camming beam or RCM internal fault.
- Check for hard or intermittent DTC
Turn ignition switch to OFF position. Connect scan tool to Data Link Connector (DLC). See USING SCAN TOOL under DIAGNOSTICS. Turn ignition switch to RUN position. Retrieve and record any continuous DTCs. See RETRIEVING FAULT CODES under DIAGNOSTICS. Perform on-demand self-test. See ON-DEMAND SELF-TEST under DIAGNOSTICS. If DTC B1934 was retrieved during on-demand self-test, fault is hard. Go to next step. If DTC B1934 was not retrieved, fault is intermittent. Go to step 5 . - Check driver-side air bag module
Turn ignition switch to OFF position. Disable air bag system. See DISABLING SYSTEM under DISABLING & ACTIVATING AIR BAG SYSTEM. Turn ignition switch to RUN position. Perform on-demand self-test. See ON-DEMAND SELF-TEST under DIAGNOSTICS. If DTC B1934 is retrieved, go to next step. If DTC B1934 is not retrieved, replace driver-side air bag module. See DRIVER-SIDE AIR BAG MODULE under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Go to step 6 . - Check driver-side air bag circuit
Turn ignition switch to OFF position. Disconnect driver-side air bag simulator from harness connector. Zero ohmmeter. Measure resistance between Gray/Orange and Gray/White wires on harness side of upper clockspring connector. See WIRING DIAGRAMS . If resistance is more than 10 k/ohms, go to next step. If resistance is less than 10 k/ohms, replace RCM. See RESTRAINTS CONTROL MODULE (RCM) . Go to step 6 . - Check clockspring
Disconnect lower clockspring connector located at base of steering column. Zero ohmmeter. Measure resistance between Gray/Orange and Gray/White wires on vehicle harness side of lower clockspring connector. If resistance is less 10 k/ohms, repair short between Gray/Orange and Gray/White wires. Go to step 6 . If resistance is more than 10 k/ohms, replace clockspring assembly. See CLOCKSPRING under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Go to step 6 . - Check for intermittent fault
Refer to continuous DTCs recorded in step 1 . If DTC retrieved in step 1 was an intermittent fault, check for cause of intermittent low resistance in Gray/Orange wire, Gray/White wire and clockspring. See WIRING DIAGRAMS . Attempt to recreate fault by flexing wire harness and cycling ignition switch frequently. Repair any intermittent problems found. Go to next step. If DTC retrieved in step 1 was not an intermittent fault, go to next step. - Check for additional DTCs
Refer to continuous DTCs recorded in step 1 . If any continuous DTCs were retrieved, go to diagnostic trouble code identification table for direction to appropriate test. DO NOT clear any DTCs until all DTCs have been resolved. See DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) IDENTIFICATION table. If no continuous DTCs were retrieved, reconnect air bag system. Activate air bag system. See ACTIVATING SYSTEM under DISABLING & ACTIVATING AIR BAG SYSTEM. Clear all DTCs. See CLEARING FAULT CODES under DIAGNOSTICS.