NoRider

I failed Safety inspection recently and had a few questions. First of all will i be failed if the red warning lights ( Airbag light, abs light, etc) Don't turn on when the car is being started? Reason I ask is one of the things that made me fail was my airbag light, if the light magically burns out, is that a safety issue?
Second of all the key I have for my rims only works on the lug nuts for 3 of the 4 wheels. Do they have to be able to remove all four wheels to check the brakes or just one in the front and one in the back? They can see the brakes through the rims, isn't that enough? I would appreciate any help, thanks.

89sihatch

the light magically burning out could work and they are only required to pull one front and one back but if they want to be an asshole they can pull all four.

sprack

nah...the light magically burning out could only work if the inspector is in a rush or something and doesnt notice. that air bag light needs to come on as a safety test and then go out like it should to pass state inspection.

as for the brakes...once again, depends on the inspector. i usually pull one front and one rear wheel off when i check for state inspections. you are supposed to measure the thickness of the rotor and take pad measurements which with most wheels you need to remove them.

NoRider

thanks for the help, now i need to find a way to fix it, im going to build this thing that can clear the code, but im scared its just gonna come right back on as soon as i clear it, removing power to the car didn't work, I dont see this working either...

TurboQuad4

Yes, you will fail if any of the red lights that are supposed to come on don't, and if any of them stay on.

Your light is on for a reason. You need to either, buy a code reader and find out what code(s) it has, or bring it to a shop to check it. Air bag codes reset and the diagnostics run every time you turn the car on to make sure the air bag system is working. Obviously if something is wrong the light stays on to tell you (and the air bags won't work).

Atlantis

ABS light staying on will cause you to fail also

NoRider

i dont have ABS so thats not a problem so if I reset the ecu by disconnecting the battery, no matter what the problem with the air bag is it'll come back on as soon as I connect the car and turn it back on???

Atlantis

umm i would actually recomend going to rpracing's website and look at their ECU page and see what it says about resetting it. Theres a fuse in the fuse box under the hood that you can pull

NoRider

I've pulled the fuse that turns the air bag light off and according to other MR2 members the it also turns the airbags off. I pull that keep it out for a while then put it back in, but as soon as I put it back in the light is on as if I hadn't done anything at all. No hestitation, just back on. I know if you reset other codes it shuts off, is that not the case for airbag codes?

TurboQuad4

No it won't, ABS is an amber light. Amber warning lights don't fail VA inspection. Your brake system will operate normally (like a non-ABS equipped car) if the ABS is inop.

That's right, it's not the same for a the air bag system. The diagnostics run everytime the ignition is turned on, and if there's a problem the light comes on. No matter what, unless you fix the problem. RESETTING ANYTHING/EVERYTHING WILL NOT HELP. Taking the fuse out doesn't make the problem go away either. If the inspector is competent then he will notice the light didn't come on/flash/go out and fail you.

The engine "ECU" doesn't control the airbags either, they have they're own computer module.