Clearing a stored airbag SRS code

February 25, 2008 4:17 PM

ODB2Filter: Hyundai airbag light is on. Can I clear it?

2002 Hyundai Elantra GT. Voltage regulator went bad, causing high system voltage, triggering the "check engine" and "air bag" lights on the dash. Instrument panel went screwy, and battery overbubbled a little.

ODB2 code was P0563, I believe. Replacing the alternator cleared the check engine light, and car has been running fine since. However, the airbag light has remained lit (it's been over a month).

Let's assume the airbag system is fine, but just has the overvoltage stored code. Can I clear the code in the SRS control module somehow?

Sure, I could bring the car to the local Hyundai dealer, but they want a $60 "diagnostic fee" to even look at it. This is a Nissan dealership which just started selling Hyundai as well; their mechanics are mostly versed in Nissan, not Hyundai.

Thanks!

posted by Perplexer to Travel & Transportation (7 answers total)

AutoZone will read and clear OBDII codes for free, so you might give them a try if you have one local to you.

You can also try the discussion forum located here: http://www.obdii.com/, but I am getting an error at the moment and can't link to their forum directly.
posted by mosk at 4:33 PM on February 25, 2008 [1 favorite]

IIRC, in most cars, disconnecting the battery for over a minute will clear all the OBD codes, but may require a trip to the dealership to turn the airbag light off. I would imagine that whatever you did while replacing the alternator may have had the same effect.
posted by rossmik at 7:32 PM on February 25, 2008

Response by poster: Yeah, OBDII is easy (I have a scan tool), but the SRS code is the obstacle. I know that Hyundai's "Hyscan" is used at the dealership, but I had hoped that a PC-to-OBDII interface and some appropriate software could do the trick.
posted by Perplexer at 9:36 PM on February 25, 2008

Best answer: AutoZone cannot clear OBDII codes; they only ready them. Also, removing the battery will not clear the codes. I think you will need to go to the dealer, and the overvoltage may have damaged an airbag component. The best-informed second, third and fourth opinions you can get are at ElantraClub.com. It is a very active Elantra forum. My best advice is that once your account is approved, send a PM to a guy with the username Equus. Tell him I sent ya.
posted by Doohickie at 9:36 PM on February 25, 2008 [1 favorite]

read them, not ready them. Duh.
posted by Doohickie at 9:37 PM on February 25, 2008

Oh... one other thing: I had an Air Bag issue on my 05 Elantra. It has the Occupant Classification System pad in the passenger seat to turn off the air bag on that side unless there is a full-grown adult in that seat. The pad went bad to the extent that whenever someone sat there, the Air Bag light went on. When no one sat there, though, the Air Bag light stayed off. That's why I think the overvoltage messed up something in your Air Bag system; in my case, when the fault was not evident (i.e., no one in the seat), the light went off. It only went on when there was a problem sensed.

Can your tool read what the SRS code is? When my pad went bad, the code clearly pointed to that component.
posted by Doohickie at 9:44 PM on February 25, 2008

One last thing: If your car has less than 60,000 miles AND has been on the road for less than 5 years, you are still under factory warranty, even if you are not the original owner.
posted by Doohickie at 9:45 PM on February 25, 2008