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Possible Causes

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2002 Mazda Tribute. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

A driver-side air bag ignitor circuit shorted to ground could be caused by a short to ground on Gray/Orange wire, short to ground on Gray/White wire, short to ground in clockspring, short to ground in air bag module or RCM internal fault.

  1. 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 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 .
  2. 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. 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 C2041A.
  3. Check driver-side air bag circuit

    Turn ignition switch to OFF position. Access RCM and disconnect harness connector. See RESTRAINTS CONTROL MODULE (RCM)  under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Measure resistance between RCM harness connector C2041A, terminals No. 3 (Gray/Orange wire, circuit No. 614) and No. 21 (Black wire, circuit No. 57). See Figure . If resistance is less than 10 k/ohms, go to next step. If resistance is more than 10 k/ohms, replace RCM. Go to step  6 .
  4. Check driver-side air bag wiring & clockspring

    Disconnect driver-side air bag module connector. Disconnect lower clockspring connector located at base of steering column. Inspect all crimps, terminals, fuses, wires and connectors feeding RCM harness connector C2041A, terminals No. 3 (Gray/Orange wire) and No. 4 (Gray/White wire, circuit No. 615), clockspring and clockspring connectors. See WIRING DIAGRAMS  . Also, check for pinched wires and damaged connector terminals. If any damage is found, repair/replace as necessary and go to step  6 . If no damage is found, go to step  6 .
  5. 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 short to ground on Gray/Orange wire (circuit No. 614), Gray/White wire (circuit No. 615) and clockspring assembly. 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.
  6. 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. Prove out system. See PROVE OUT SYSTEM  under DIAGNOSTICS. Clear all DTCs. See CLEARING FAULT CODES  under DIAGNOSTICS.