Airbag and strange noise
01-26-2011, 07:08 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AZ
Posts: 6
Airbag and strange noise
Hey all,
I just arrived in Arizona and deceided to buy a 1997 3.8 mustang dual exhaust with a manual gearbox. Now the owner told me and I noticed it that when starting the car it gives 3 beepes pauses and then 3x more. He says it had to do with the airbags. Now i notice that the air bag light is NOT on. Even when just putting the power on the light never lits up. Any ideas?
Now the second problem is that just in neutral it gives somethimes a strange noise comming out of the gearbox and i can feel it on the shifter. It's hard to hear if you don't pay attention to it. It sound and feels like a spring under tention. It's just 1 sec and it's gone for 1 min or something.
Thirth and last is just for info. The 99 mustang has an updated Ford essex V6. What are the updates (I read it has split port cylinder heads) and is it wise to update my older essex?
Does anyone knows by chanse a good unofficial ford garage in Mesa or Phoenix?
Regards
I just arrived in Arizona and deceided to buy a 1997 3.8 mustang dual exhaust with a manual gearbox. Now the owner told me and I noticed it that when starting the car it gives 3 beepes pauses and then 3x more. He says it had to do with the airbags. Now i notice that the air bag light is NOT on. Even when just putting the power on the light never lits up. Any ideas?
Now the second problem is that just in neutral it gives somethimes a strange noise comming out of the gearbox and i can feel it on the shifter. It's hard to hear if you don't pay attention to it. It sound and feels like a spring under tention. It's just 1 sec and it's gone for 1 min or something.
Thirth and last is just for info. The 99 mustang has an updated Ford essex V6. What are the updates (I read it has split port cylinder heads) and is it wise to update my older essex?
Does anyone knows by chanse a good unofficial ford garage in Mesa or Phoenix?
Regards
01-26-2011, 07:34 PM
#2
Resident Ginger
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Cali
Posts: 4,624
The first point about the 3 beeps sounds like something to do with the alarm (provided it has one). I get 3 beeps out of my car when I turn it off but that is the detachable radio faceplate "reminding" me that I didnt take it off.
The 2nd point could be that your trans needs a flush (dont quote me as I dont drive an auto).
3rd - yes the 99+ does have splitport intakes that allow more air into the engine producing rouphly 50 more HP. You can upgrade, as many pre 99 owners have done for about 2 grand (if I remember correctly) by going to someplace like SuperSixMotorsports.com, or Justing from VMP (they both sell full kits to convert over out "singleports" to 99+ "splitports"....any other questions please let us know!
Matthew
The 2nd point could be that your trans needs a flush (dont quote me as I dont drive an auto).
3rd - yes the 99+ does have splitport intakes that allow more air into the engine producing rouphly 50 more HP. You can upgrade, as many pre 99 owners have done for about 2 grand (if I remember correctly) by going to someplace like SuperSixMotorsports.com, or Justing from VMP (they both sell full kits to convert over out "singleports" to 99+ "splitports"....any other questions please let us know!
Matthew
01-26-2011, 08:30 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AZ
Posts: 6
I don't have an alarm and just the standard radio. The noise starts on start up it gives 3 beeps in a serie of 5x then it stops for about an hour.
For the transmission all try to do the flush. At higher RPM's i have a hissing sound aswel. I read aswel that this can be related to the Airco?
For car service (since i'm European i don't really know mutch about american cars) where is the best place to go?
For the transmission all try to do the flush. At higher RPM's i have a hissing sound aswel. I read aswel that this can be related to the Airco?
For car service (since i'm European i don't really know mutch about american cars) where is the best place to go?
01-26-2011, 10:50 PM
#4
You will pay more but going to the dealership is just about the best way to go when it comes to routine service unless you can find a shop that deals with Mustangs or Fords more than others.
As for the beep, my wifes 96' has the drivers side air bag unhooked because she has an issue with air bags and would rather not have them at all.
Anyways, hers does the same thing but less often. Probably about once every 50 or so times the key is put in.
While I cant say that I know what it is, maybe the fact that we have the drives side air bag unhooked could have something to do with it.
You might want to ask the dealership about it and have them check out the air bags, CCRM and impact sensors.
Another thing too is if the air bag light fails then a beeping will chime in to let you know that there is a fault in the system.
As for the beep, my wifes 96' has the drivers side air bag unhooked because she has an issue with air bags and would rather not have them at all.
Anyways, hers does the same thing but less often. Probably about once every 50 or so times the key is put in.
While I cant say that I know what it is, maybe the fact that we have the drives side air bag unhooked could have something to do with it.
You might want to ask the dealership about it and have them check out the air bags, CCRM and impact sensors.
Another thing too is if the air bag light fails then a beeping will chime in to let you know that there is a fault in the system.
01-27-2011, 02:46 AM
#5
Some info I found.
You might want to spend some time google searching to try to find more about it.
Normal Operation
The AIR BAG indicator is designed to light for six (+/-2) seconds when the ignition switch is turned to the RUN position. This initial six seconds of air bag indicator illumination is considered normal operation and is called prove out of the air bag indicator. If the air bag diagnostic monitor has detected any faults in the air bag system, it will flash the AIR BAG indicator a series of times to indicate the highest priority lamp fault code stored in memory. When the New Generation Star (NGS) tester 007-00500 or equivalent is used to retrieve DTCs, the two digit lamp fault code is transferred to a standard DTC by the air bag diagnostic monitor.
After the lamp fault code has flashed completely five times, the AIR BAG indicator will light continuously until the ignition switch is cycled. If the AIR BAG indicator comes on when the ignition switch is turned to RUN and immediately stays on for more than eight seconds continuously, then a fault exists in the air bag indicator circuit.
The air bag diagnostic monitor incorporates a solid state circuit that shorts the air bag indicator line (Circuit 608, BK/Y) to ground to turn on the AIR BAG indicator. When the black air bag diagnostic monitor harness connector C277 is disconnected from the air bag diagnostic monitor, a shorting bar within the harness connector shorts Pin C277-11, Circuit 608 (BK/Y) and Pin C277-10, Circuit 57 (BK) together, causing a continuous lamp. This shorting bar may be removed for servicing purposes by removing the black spacer (locking wedge) in the black air bag diagnostic monitor harness connector.
The air bag diagnostic monitor requires power at Pin C276-6, Circuit 298 (P/O) to energize the air bag indicator circuit properly. Loss of ignition voltage at Pin C276-6, Circuit 298 (P/O) due to open circuit or short to ground will result in a continuous AIR BAG indicator due to the ignition voltage applied to Pin C277-19, Circuit 640 (R/Y). An open or short to ground in the lamp circuit at Pin C277-11, Circuit 608 (BK/Y) will result in no AIR BAG indicator (refer to Pinpoint Test C, Normal Operation ).
Possible Causes
Continuous AIR BAG indicator illumination can be caused by:
* A diagnostic trouble code which has flashed five times after the ignition switch was turned to RUN (after prove out) and has timed out. Recycling the ignition switch will redisplay the DTCs by flashing the lamp. The DTCs can be retrieved using NGS tester 007-00500 or equivalent.
* A disconnected or poorly connected air bag diagnostic monitor which may not push the shorting bar between Pins C277-10, Circuit 57 (BK) and C277-11, Circuit 608 (BK/Y) into its fully retracted position. This shorts the air bag indicator line to ground and causes the AIR BAG indicator to glow continuously.
* A damaged air bag diagnostic monitor.
* Shorted air bag indicator wiring.
* Loss of ignition voltage at Pin C276-6, Circuit 298 (P/O) of the air bag diagnostic monitor.
You might want to spend some time google searching to try to find more about it.
Normal Operation
The AIR BAG indicator is designed to light for six (+/-2) seconds when the ignition switch is turned to the RUN position. This initial six seconds of air bag indicator illumination is considered normal operation and is called prove out of the air bag indicator. If the air bag diagnostic monitor has detected any faults in the air bag system, it will flash the AIR BAG indicator a series of times to indicate the highest priority lamp fault code stored in memory. When the New Generation Star (NGS) tester 007-00500 or equivalent is used to retrieve DTCs, the two digit lamp fault code is transferred to a standard DTC by the air bag diagnostic monitor.
After the lamp fault code has flashed completely five times, the AIR BAG indicator will light continuously until the ignition switch is cycled. If the AIR BAG indicator comes on when the ignition switch is turned to RUN and immediately stays on for more than eight seconds continuously, then a fault exists in the air bag indicator circuit.
The air bag diagnostic monitor incorporates a solid state circuit that shorts the air bag indicator line (Circuit 608, BK/Y) to ground to turn on the AIR BAG indicator. When the black air bag diagnostic monitor harness connector C277 is disconnected from the air bag diagnostic monitor, a shorting bar within the harness connector shorts Pin C277-11, Circuit 608 (BK/Y) and Pin C277-10, Circuit 57 (BK) together, causing a continuous lamp. This shorting bar may be removed for servicing purposes by removing the black spacer (locking wedge) in the black air bag diagnostic monitor harness connector.
The air bag diagnostic monitor requires power at Pin C276-6, Circuit 298 (P/O) to energize the air bag indicator circuit properly. Loss of ignition voltage at Pin C276-6, Circuit 298 (P/O) due to open circuit or short to ground will result in a continuous AIR BAG indicator due to the ignition voltage applied to Pin C277-19, Circuit 640 (R/Y). An open or short to ground in the lamp circuit at Pin C277-11, Circuit 608 (BK/Y) will result in no AIR BAG indicator (refer to Pinpoint Test C, Normal Operation ).
Possible Causes
Continuous AIR BAG indicator illumination can be caused by:
* A diagnostic trouble code which has flashed five times after the ignition switch was turned to RUN (after prove out) and has timed out. Recycling the ignition switch will redisplay the DTCs by flashing the lamp. The DTCs can be retrieved using NGS tester 007-00500 or equivalent.
* A disconnected or poorly connected air bag diagnostic monitor which may not push the shorting bar between Pins C277-10, Circuit 57 (BK) and C277-11, Circuit 608 (BK/Y) into its fully retracted position. This shorts the air bag indicator line to ground and causes the AIR BAG indicator to glow continuously.
* A damaged air bag diagnostic monitor.
* Shorted air bag indicator wiring.
* Loss of ignition voltage at Pin C276-6, Circuit 298 (P/O) of the air bag diagnostic monitor.
01-27-2011, 03:09 PM
#7
Lets hope its that.
But being that the last owner said it has something to do with the air bags I would be more inclined to think that the car has been in some kind of a front end accident and blew the bags but was repaired.
They probably only put new air bags in and didnt hook them up because they didnt replace anything else to keep them from blowing again and thus removed the air bag light to keep from brightly glowing in the face of possible buyers.
But lets hope thats not what is going on.
But being that the last owner said it has something to do with the air bags I would be more inclined to think that the car has been in some kind of a front end accident and blew the bags but was repaired.
They probably only put new air bags in and didnt hook them up because they didnt replace anything else to keep them from blowing again and thus removed the air bag light to keep from brightly glowing in the face of possible buyers.
But lets hope thats not what is going on.
02-05-2011, 05:21 AM
#10
You have no clue whats wrong with the system, do you really want these air bags possibly blowing up in your face while your driving or fail in the event of an accident?
You can use this thread as leverage against your case as well.