Airbag Blink Code 31

[mweinst]

I got the dreaded airbag light recently, and have followed the instructions at Clark's Garage to read the blink codes.

I got one error code
Group 1
Line 1
Column 4

Which I interpret to be code 31. The problem is that I don't understand what the fix is. Can someone please translate what this means?

The ! Light is on, the seat belt light is on, and the airbag light is on. The info on Clark's seems to imply that one of these lights is out, but that isn't the case. Maybe I'm missing something that one of you could enlighten me about. I want to get my dark instrument panel back again!

Thanks

[fiily]

Clarks has the fix, but it did it too with just a couple of wires.

RED Exclamation mark in center of Dash ?????

[mweinst]

Filly - I see what Clark's says, but I don't really understand what it's trying to say. I mean specifically about error 31. Maybe I'm just thick skulled, but what is it telling me to look at?

In regards to your link, I've done the reset a few times. It turns off the lights for a second, and then they come back on again. There is an issue, but I don't get what Clark's is telling me to fix.

[fiily]

Originally Posted by mweinst

Filly - I see what Clark's says, but I don't really understand what it's trying to say. I mean specifically about error 31. Maybe I'm just thick skulled, but what is it telling me to look at?

In regards to your link, I've done the reset a few times. It turns off the lights for a second, and then they come back on again. There is an issue, but I don't get what Clark's is telling me to fix.

Did you do it exactly as prescribed 5sec ground wires etc etc? It took me multiple times until I pulled out my phones stopwatch and timed it pretty close to that 5s rule.

Don't go to deep into whatever code 31 means, your getting wrapped up on it. I thought I had some horrible issue with my car having the same issue. Do the reset and lights should go out on the dash again.

[mweinst]

I get what you mean about not getting fixated on the code. I've done the reset multiple times with a stopwatch and my son helping me. The lights go out for a few seconds after doing it, but then immediately come back on.

I just don't know where to start troubleshooting. Clark's says to check the wiring harness. I have a multimeter, but am not that good at electrical. I've done a lot of online searches, and haven't come up with too much. I checked all of the items in the thread that you posted and everything looks good.

[fiily]

Understood, the only thing I can tell you is my experience. If your wiring harness has a break in it somewhere causing the ! , seatbelt, and airbag to come on, it could be quite a while until you can trace everything.

Did the battery die before this happened, were you working on the car, did the 3 lights come on randomly before this, or just a sudden illuminate of all 3 one day?

I would consider bringing it to a porsche shop if you don't want to deal with the hassle, pay the $90-110/hr for diags and fix it yourself after. My gut still tells me it's the airbag reset that will fix it, since all 3 came on. If it was just your seatbelt light, then I would say look at your seatbelt buckle/harness, and replace it, but if all 3 came on all together one day, my money is still on the Clarks Garge reset as plenty of people have run into this issue.

If you do a quick search here on pelican or rennlist, one person couldn't get the lights off after 10-20x's of doing the airbag reset, so he brought it to the porsche dealer and they did what Clark's said to do and it fixed it without any other diags.

[mweinst]

You know, the more I read about this, the more I think that maybe I didn't have a good enough ground while doing the reset. I used the door strap, but there is some corrosion there, and it appears that the reset is very sensitive to bad grounds. I will try it again this afternoon using a ground directly to the negative battery terminal. We'll see if that makes a difference. I'll get back to you after I try this about a dozen or so times.

[fiily]

Originally Posted by mweinst

You know, the more I read about this, the more I think that maybe I didn't have a good enough ground while doing the reset. I used the door strap, but there is some corrosion there, and it appears that the reset is very sensitive to bad grounds. I will try it again this afternoon using a ground directly to the negative battery terminal. We'll see if that makes a difference. I'll get back to you after I try this about a dozen or so times.

I used the door strap also, good luck and hope to hear it solves your issue. Let us know.

My reset was done sitting in the passenger seat, and running the wire to the pass. door strap.

[mweinst]

Ok, I ran the ground to the negative post and the battery AND... the lights are all out! Thanks, Fiily, for sticking with me and talking me through this. I'm sure that I'll be posting many more times as I work my way through all of the issues that my car has. Glad to get this one taken care of, though.

[fiily]

Glad to know you fixed it, I knew you could do it!

We all think to far ahead sometimes, awesome job rethinking it and everything is cleared up.

[jclanin]

does anyone have a picture of where this elusive Molex Connector? I been on my head under the passenger side dash/glove box many times no with no luck. I have an '87 944 Turbo.

thanks,

Jim

[944 Ecology]