Air bag light glowing

[BoxsterSenior]

Seeking technical advice. I'm in negotiations to purchase a 98 Boxster with 86,000 miles. Car runs great but the air bag light is glowing. Owner tells me the battery was just change and the light has stayed on since the new battery was installed. Question: Does something need to be re-set to get the light to go off after start up? Can this be done with out having to take it to a Porsche dealer? Or, am I being handed a bull s story and there is a problem with the air bag circuitry?
Please advise. Thanks!

[rick3000]

I don't think the owner knows what he's talking about. Airbag lights can get triggered (it's probably not the circuitry), but unfortunately only a Porsche dealer can reset an airbag light, unless you know someone with the software. It's a safety issue so you can't reset with an OBC reader from autozone. I would recommend you get the Porsche dealer to do a PPI, and check the light while there at it, just to make sure.

[Cloudsurfer]

Sounds more like the latter than the former. Disconnecting the battery would not trigger the airbag light, and it cannot just be re-set by most shops. You need a PST (Porsche specific computer) to re-set it, so you're going to have to either to go the dealer or find an independent Porsche shop.

If you haven't already, have a shop do a PPI on the car before you even consider buying it.

Patrick

[edevlin]

Will the durametric software reset the airbag light?

Ed

[derb]

Ed,
Durametric will reset the airbag light.

[Burg Boxster]

Yes, Durametric will reset the airbag light.

Yes, get a PPI done.

Yes, airbag light being on could have simply been triggered by changing of battery IF key was left in the ignition when disconnected and then reconnected.

[rdancd816]

It's also possible the seatbelt receptacle contacts are bad. This is common on earlier Boxsters. It requires new receptacles with redesigned contacts to be installed. Easy DIY but a dealer will charge over$700.00. PPI wil confirm.

[RandallNeighbour]

spraying the slot of each seatbelt receptacle with electronics contact cleaner can often fix them right up without replacement.

BTW, these are about $30 each from Sunset in Oregon... and very easy to replace yourself with a few hand tools.

[BoxsterSenior]

Thank you to .....rrk3000, bmwm750, edevlin, BurgBoxster, rdancd816 & RandallNeighbour for your valuable input regarding the air bag light. I have requested the seller to have the vehicle inspected at the Porsche facility and resolve the glowing air bag light as a condition of sale.

[Joji]

If you spray the contacts with a cleaner will the airbag light go off if the connection is back to normal?

[rdancd816]

Nope, the airbag light will need to be reset with a durometric tool or at the dealership.

[Joji]

Is the Duremetric tool scan the whole porsche boxster for other errors codes example check engine light. can you rent one or buy one and how much.

Also how would I know then if I fixed the seat belt connector if the light does not go out?
thank

[Lil bastard]

Originally Posted by Joji

Is the Duremetric tool scan the whole porsche boxster for other errors codes example check engine light. can you rent one or buy one and how much.

Also how would I know then if I fixed the seat belt connector if the light does not go out?
thank

Durametric - Durametric is essentially software that you load onto a laptop. It is more thorough than an ordinary OBDII scan tool. Through a USB interface adapter attached to the OBDII diagnostic port in the car, it can read the DME for stored codes and clear/reset them when the fault condition is corrected, including the airbag warning light. It will not read/reset alarm codes, program keys, etc. though.

The seatbelt connector is a switch. Once clean and the contacts complete the circuit, the unit is fixed (you only need a DMM - multimeter to know that it is fixed, but, this will not turn off the airbag warning light), the Durametric will.