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Air Bag Light Coming Code B1801

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by cheeba, Sep 2, 2023.

  1. cheeba

    cheeba Junior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    A few weeks ago our driver's side air bag light started coming on in our 07. The light doesn't always stay on, sometimes it's off and will come on when driving. We scanned for a code and got B1801. The day the code came on I did vacuum the car and specifically under the driver's side seat. I initially thought that maybe I bumped something under there that caused the light to come on so I inspected it and wiggled some wires but it's still coming on. We are planning on making a cross country trip back home next week. Is this something I need to be worried about right away? Is the care safe to drive in this state? And how do I go about fixing this?
     
    #1 cheeba, Sep 2, 2023
  2. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    B1801/51 | Open in Driver Side Squib Circuit

    DESCRIPTION

    The driver-side squib circuit consists of the center airbag sensor, the spiral cable, and the steering pad. The circuit instructs the SRS to deploy when deployment conditions are met.

    These DTCs are recorded when a malfunction is detected in the driver-side squib circuit.

    DTC Detection Condition

    The center airbag sensor receives a line short signal 5 times from the driver-side squib circuit during the primary check.

    Trouble Areas
    • Instrument panel wire
    • Spiral cable
    • Steering pad (Driver side squib)
    • Center airbag sensor
    The repair manual (more info on where to find that here) will show you how to diagnose the fault and decide which one of the trouble areas is at fault.

    Is it safe to drive? Maybe, if you don't care for your airbag going off in the (unfortunate) event of a collision on your trip.
     
    #2 dolj, Sep 3, 2023
  3. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    That code means that the airbag ecu has detected an open circuit (broken wire or bad connection) for the driver's airbag in the steering wheel. When that happens the airbag can't inflate if there's a crash.

    There could be a number of things that can cause, but the most common is that the "clockspring" assembly has broken. This is a spiral cable that connects the steering wheel to the car.

    If that's what has happened, repair is to remove the airbag & steering wheel then replace the clockspring. You have to follow the repair procedure in the service manual carefully.

    A new part from Toyota is the most reliable repair as some have reported short lifespan of aftermarket parts.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #3 mr_guy_mann, Sep 3, 2023
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