Possible Causes
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2002 Lincoln Blackwood. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
A driver-side air bag module circuit short to battery or ignition could be caused by a short to battery or ignition in Gray/Orange wire (circuit No. 614), short to battery or ignition in Gray/White wire (circuit No. 615), short to battery or ignition in clockspring or short to battery or ignition in driver-side air bag module.
- 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 DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS) under DIAGNOSTICS. Perform on-demand self-test. See ON-DEMAND SELF-TEST under DIAGNOSTICS. If DTC C1916 was retrieved during on-demand self-test, fault is hard. Go to next step. If DTC C1916 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 RUN position. Perform on-demand self-test. If DTC B1916 is retrieved, go to next step. If DTC B1916 is not retrieved, replace driver-side air bag module. Go to step 6 .NOTE: Do not remove or separate shorting bars from RCM harness connector C2041A. - Check air bag module circuit
Turn ignition switch to OFF position. Disconnect driver-side air bag simulator from harness connector. Access RCM and disconnect harness connector C2041A. See RESTRAINTS CONTROL MODULE (RCM) under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Turn ignition switch to RUN position. Measure voltage between ground and harness side of RCM connector C2041A, terminal No. 3 (Gray/Orange wire). See Figure . Measure voltage between ground and harness side of RCM connector C2041A, terminal No. 4 (Gray/White wire). If voltage is more than 0.2 volt in either circuit, go to next step. If voltage is less than 0.2 volt in both circuits, replace RCM. Go to step 6 . - Check air bag module wiring & clockspring
Disconnect lower clockspring connector. Inspect all crimps, terminals, wires and connectors in circuit No. 614 (Gray/Orange wire) feeding RCM connector C2041A, terminal No. 3. See WIRING DIAGRAMS . Inspect all crimps, terminals, wires and connectors in circuit No. 615 (Gray/White wire) feeding RCM connector C2041A, terminal No. 4. Inspect all crimps, terminals, wires and connectors of clockspring. Check for pinched wires and damaged connector pin terminals. If any damage is found, repair as necessary. Go to step 6 . If no damage is found, go to step 6 . - Check for intermittent fault
If DTC retrieved in step 1 was an intermittent fault, check for cause of intermittent short to battery or ignition in Gray/Orange and Gray/White wires. 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. See DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) IDENTIFICATION table. DO NOT clear any DTCs until all DTCs have been resolved. If no 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.