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2003 Suburban "Service Air Bag" on DIC - and B1000 code ?


calsdad

Question

The problem is with a 2003 Chevy Suburban 2500 4x4:

 

I've had the DIC on the dashboard putting out a "Service Air Bag" message for a the last couple of months.

 

Now that inspection time is coming around - I've got to fix it or it's going to flunk.

 

I just got the Autoenginuity scanner software and hooked it up - and it's saying that the code is a "B1000" air bag module fault. So I did a little bit of searching and saw that sometimes this can be a faulty front sensor. The truck also recently got a bad leak in the power steering system (cooler line rotted thru) - and power steering fluid was all over the bottom of the core support. - so I figured this might have gotten into and contaminated the impact sensors.

 

But after changing them - the code is still there.

 

I also saw it mentioned in a couple of places that if the airbag module is just throwing a history code - then that history code will clear after cycling the truck thru either 100 or 250 cycles of turning the ignition on, so I tried that - and that was also a no-go.

 

The code is still there.

 

I should also add that I have tried clearing the code using Autoenginuity a number of times - I see the dash light and the DIC message go away for a few seconds - and then they come right back.

 

So the next thing to try is replacing or repairing the air bag module , but I've looked in the manual - and I can't seem to figure out where the module is.

 

Does anybody know which module would correspond to the B1000 code - and where that module is located?

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Ok - so Alldata seems to confirm what I suspected : That the module itself is bad:

 

 

CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION

The internal fault detection is handled inside the control module. No external circuits are involved.CONDITIONS FOR RUNNING THE DTC

The module runs the program to detect an internal fault when power up is commanded. The only requirements are voltage and ground. This program runs even if the voltage is out of the valid operating range.CONDITIONS FOR SETTING THE DTC

The module has detected an internal malfunction.

 

 

I have the factory manual - and it's unclear where the module is physically located.

 

The manual shows an " Inflatable Restraint Sensing and Diagnosis Module (SDM) " - which is located under the front (drivers) seat, and it also lists and shows the locations for all of the other impact and sensing modules in the SIR system.

 

When Alldata and the B1000 code info refer to "control module" or "air bag module" - are they actually referring to this SDM module that the printed manual details?

Yes

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A lot of those modules located under carpets are subject to moisture intrusion. Then the corrosion sets in. Just ran into this with my sons 1999 Grand Prix. He gave it to my grand-daughter and 2 days before she was to take her driving test with it the Air Bag light came on. She didn't want to take her test in another car because she learned to drive with the Grand Prix. Any way hooked up the scanner and no communication. The scanner doesn't see the air bag system. I thought it might be my scanner so I called a friend to hook up his scanner. Same thing no communication. Long story short we pulled the module and it was all corroded. Went to junk yard and pulled one with the same part number and everything went back to normal. Hooked up my scanner and it recognized the system. So the communication problem was with the module not the compatibility of the scanner.

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A lot of those modules located under carpets are subject to moisture intrusion. Then the corrosion sets in. Just ran into this with my sons 1999 Grand Prix. He gave it to my grand-daughter and 2 days before she was to take her driving test with it the Air Bag light came on. She didn't want to take her test in another car because she learned to drive with the Grand Prix. Any way hooked up the scanner and no communication. The scanner doesn't see the air bag system. I thought it might be my scanner so I called a friend to hook up his scanner. Same thing no communication. Long story short we pulled the module and it was all corroded. Went to junk yard and pulled one with the same part number and everything went back to normal. Hooked up my scanner and it recognized the system. So the communication problem was with the module not the compatibility of the scanner.

 

I suspect that might be what's wrong with this one too.

 

I had already had this repaired just a couple of years ago - and it was the module under the front driver's seat. The mechanic gave me the module - and the outside was all corroded. While working on this instance of the problem - I noticed that the rug on the driver's side was damp when I pulled up the WeatherTec floor mat.

 

I thought I had taken care of the leaks - but I guess not. When the air bag light went on again - I figured I would try to take care of this myself this time -the last time it put a $700 hole in my wallet.

 

Looks like I'm going to have to go back and figure out where the water leak is coming from too.

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So I disconnected the power, and removed the front seat.

 

Sure enough - the module under the front seat has some pretty serious corrosion all over a good part of it's outer metal case.

 

It looks like what is happening - is that the jute padding underneath the carpet - is wicking water up and then because the jute is saturated it's basically laying there wet right on top of the SDM module. That's corroding the heck out of the module's case.

 

The part of the module that faces the rear of the truck - where the wiring harness plugs in - was clean. It's only the part of the case facing forward that is corroded.

 

I don't know why this would cause the module to throw an error unless the corrosion has actually gotten thru the case itself into the electronics inside, but this is exactly what appears to have happened the last time I had an airbag problem with this truck - the mechanic replaced the SDM module - and it all worked fine for a while. He gave me back the old module - and it was corroded - very similarly to this one I just took out.

 

I took a box cutter and cut away all the jute carpet underlayment from around the SDM module - before I button this up I'll put something over the module to protect it from moisture so this doesn't happen again.

 

I went looking for a new SDM module found a number of GM parts places that had it listedl. In previous searching I had also found myairbags.com and they had a "reset" SDM module listed on ebay for a decent price - so I ordered on and I 'll try that to see if it fixes the problem.

 

I tried re-installing the old module that the mechanic had given back to me that last time I had this issue - and the DIC message (Service Air Bag) - has gone away, but the dash warning light for the airbags is lit solid and the Autoenginuity scanner is reporting no communication with the SIR module.

 

When I get the replacement SIR module - does anything need to be done besides just physically installing the module? Any programming needed after installing the new module.?

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Ok - so Alldata seems to confirm what I suspected : That the module itself is bad:

 

 

CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION
The internal fault detection is handled inside the control module. No external circuits are involved.

CONDITIONS FOR RUNNING THE DTC
The module runs the program to detect an internal fault when power up is commanded. The only requirements are voltage and ground. This program runs even if the voltage is out of the valid operating range.

CONDITIONS FOR SETTING THE DTC
The module has detected an internal malfunction.

 

 

I have the factory manual - and it's unclear where the module is physically located.

 

The manual shows an " Inflatable Restraint Sensing and Diagnosis Module (SDM) " - which is located under the front (drivers) seat, and it also lists and shows the locations for all of the other impact and sensing modules in the SIR system.

 

When Alldata and the B1000 code info refer to "control module" or "air bag module" - are they actually referring to this SDM module that the printed manual details?

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