03EXL

I have an interesting issue with the SRS light in my 03 Accord EX-L. The light comes on normally when starting the car, and goes out as it should. However, it comes on about 10-20 minutes into a drive and then stays on until the car is turned off and restarted. When I turn the car off and back on, the light will be off until 10-20 minutes into a drive. The light never stays on after starting the car.

I have had my driver's side seat belt tensioner and buckle replaced under warranty.

The light usually comes on as I am braking, especially on a downhill segment of road.

The car has never been in an accident and the airbags have never deployed before. The battery was recently replaced with a new one before winter.

The code that I'm getting is shown below. When I reset the code, the light will come on during the next drive, and it is the same code.

Do I need to replace the airbag computer? Or can this intermittent issue be a wiring problem of some kind?

GoLowDrew

http://www.honda.com/newsandviews/ar...spx?id=6425-en

Airbag recall, maybe ?

I had my sensors replaced.

BLKFLSH

The only thing I can think of that would be affected by braking or downhill, would be the seat belt tensioner, but if that's the problem it should give the code for retractor. I don't know of any recalls on the airbags for 03 models. Maybe you could get the dealership to recheck their work, and check for any recalls that may apply. I had that same code before, along with the buckle code, but when I reset the light months ago it never came back on. The SRS computer is not cheap, but it would be a better price from an online dealership, I'm sure.

GoLowDrew

I reread the recall, 03 Accords are not included.

BLKFLSH

Yes, I think the 03 models included were not Accords. I know I haven't received any notices for airbags. A few for other things, like the power steering hose, and wiper motor, but nothing on airbags.

03EXL

Dealership never even mentioned the 5-3 code the 2 times I was there, even though the code has been present for several months. I even asked them about other codes and they said they have only seen the seat belt code.

Before I had the seat belt and the seat belt buckle replaced, the car was throwing 5-3 and 6-1 codes, with the 6-1 being for the seat belt buckle. Now the 6-1 code is gone but the 5-3 code remains.

I should add that the SRS light comes on even when I am not braking very hard. In fact, I almost never brake hard enough to make the seat belts lock. I can be braking lightly to prevent the car from accelerating on a downhill part of road, and that will sometimes trigger the SRS light.

A few times, the light has come on even when I'm not braking, but this is rare. It's frustrating trying to troubleshoot an intermittent problem like this one

BLKFLSH

Quite a dilemma. I would probably give the dealership another shot at diagnosis, before springing for the SRS unit. Or just assume the SRS unit is bad, and replace it. Seems like if any other part, or the wires leading to it were bad, it would throw a code for that part. The SRS computer costs about $260, from online dealerships.

03EXL

It's actually a bit less than that from College Hills or Bernardi. About $200-210 shipped for the 2003 EX-L I4. Not cheap, but not ridiculously expensive either.

I think I might give another Honda dealership a try before spending the money on a new SRS computer.

Just seems strange that I'm getting this SRS computer failure code and the car has 1) never been in an accident and 2) been meticulously maintained.

BLKFLSH

Computers go bad. The transmission computer went bad on my 92 Accord, and that one cost me more than $500. It would only malfunction when the temperature inside the car was pretty high, so the dealership took a while to diagnose it. It would not act up, if they kept the car inside the shop in the shade, so they had to park it outside in the summer heat, with the windows closed, for it to act up. That experience with the lazy idiots at the dealership caused me to start buying service manuals, and work on my own cars.

NightHawk92

same here man I just cant deal with some of the service advisors and overall technicians at the dealerships. but anyways I'm guessing it could be his cable reel could be messed up. causing the Airbag SRS light to come on.

03EXL

Do you know how to go about troubleshooting the cable reel to see if it's the cause?

BLKFLSH

You would think if there were a problem with the cable reel, it would throw a code for the steering wheel airbag. But I'm no expert on this stuff. Since the internal failure is your only code, I think it (the SRS unit) is your problem. I would probably open it up, just to see if I could find something apparently wrong with it. The thing is, are YOU confident enough to buy an SRS unit? Not much chance of returning something like that.

NightHawk92

well how i diagnosed it my cable reel. was kind of a lengthily processes difficult to do if you don't have a HDS (MVCI) and the software. or scanner that tells you whats pacifically wrong. I guess i got lucky one day my audio remote stopped working along with cruise buttons. then theRed SRS Airbag Light the little bubble man came on.
And figured since i needed new audio buttons and cruise buttons testing the resistance on them. Figured why not install a New Cable reel with the Sub reel cable harness. installed parts following the factory manual. reset the code using the SRS Honda Harness. And then code went away. im still going to take it to the dealership to HAVE and only have that checked to see. if the code is still stored. or if a Friend has a (MVCI). but like i said i got guessed on this one.

NightHawk92

it could be a variety of things it could be the inflator inside the drivers airbag or passengers. the cable reel. SRS module or impact sensor or a simple cable connection.