Possible Causes
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2004 Ford Ranger. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
A driver-side air bag circuit shorted to ground could be caused by damaged wiring, connectors or terminals, short to ground in clockspring, short to ground in driver-side air bag module or RCM internal fault.
- Check for hard or intermittent DTC
Turn ignition switch to OFF position. Connect scan tool to Data Link Connector (DLC). Turn ignition switch to ON 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 B1887 was retrieved during on-demand self-test, fault is hard. Go to next step. If DTC B1887 was not retrieved, fault is intermittent. Go to step 5 . - Check driver-side air bag
Turn ignition switch to OFF position. Disable air bag system. See DISABLING SYSTEM under DISABLING & ACTIVATING AIR BAG SYSTEM. Turn ignition switch to ON position. Perform on-demand self-test. If DTC B1887 is retrieved, go to next step. If DTC B1887 is not retrieved, replace driver-side air bag module. See DRIVER-SIDE AIR BAG MODULE under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Go to step 6 .NOTE: Do not remove or separate shorting bars from RCM harness connector. - Check driver-side air bag circuit
Turn ignition switch to OFF position. Access RCM and disconnect harness connector C2041. See RESTRAINTS CONTROL MODULE (RCM) under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Measure resistance between ground and RCM harness connector C2041, terminal No. 3 (Gray/Orange wire). See Figure . Measure resistance between ground and RCM harness connector C2041, terminal No. 4 (Gray/White wire). If resistance is less than one megohm in either circuit, go to next step. If resistance is more than one megohm in both circuits, replace RCM. Go to step 6 . - Check driver-side air bag wiring & clockspring
Disconnect lower clockspring connector. Measure resistance between ground and RCM harness connector C2041, terminal No. 3 (Gray/Orange wire). Measure resistance between ground and RCM harness connector C2041, terminal No. 4 (Gray/White wire). If resistance is less than one megohm in either circuit, repair short to ground in appropriate wire. If resistance is more than one megohm in both circuits, replace clockspring. See CLOCKSPRING under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Go to step 6 . - Check for intermittent fault
Turn ignition switch to OFF position. Disable air bag system. See DISABLING SYSTEM under DISABLING & ACTIVATING AIR BAG SYSTEM. Turn ignition switch to ON position. Perform on-demand self-test. If DTC B1887 was retrieved during on-demand self-test, check for intermittent fault in Gray/Orange or Gray/White wire. Repair any intermittent problems found. If intermittent problems are found and repaired, go to next step. If intermittent problems are not found, go to step 2 . If DTC B1887 was not retrieved, check for cause of intermittent fault. Attempt to recreate fault by flexing wire harness and cycling ignition switch frequently. Activate systems in same wire harness. See WIRING DIAGRAMS . Repair any intermittent problems found. 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. Perform system operation check. See SYSTEM OPERATION CHECK . Clear all DTCs. See CLEARING FAULT CODES under DIAGNOSTICS.