Subaru Outback Airbag light Fix

[Trav]

This applies to Outback/Legacy, Impreza and possibly others thru 2012 and possibly later.
If the airbag light is on and the airbag codes are FB, 26, 29 this will fix it. Look at the airbag LED's in the map light console, with the key on engine off the red seatbelt led should be on (only momentarily if the seat belt chime is disabled), the passengers airbag off led should on and the passengers airbag on led should be on when someone is in the seat. If not the solder joints are loose on this little led board.

They use a lead free solder that has a higher melting point and these joints are brittle and loose contact. Simple remove the map light console, it is held in with 2 or 4 screws, unplug the connectors, remove the 2 screws holding the cover over the led board then the 2 screws holding the board in.
This solder takes considerably more heat than regular 60/40 solder so re-flowing it takes a bit of heat, I set the iron on 375c and added a little 60/40 rosin core solder to it. This a quick and easy job that cost almost nothing.
Re-solder the wires and 3 resistors.

 

[Wheel]

They had a similar issue on the Legacys from 05-09. Bad solder on the board by the airbag light. Same easy fix. What I recall from forums was folks paying for a part replacement, if they didn't DIY.
Shouldn't this be under the 10 year airbag warranty ?

 

[Lubener]

I have to add if you solder one resistor at a time, allow sufficicient cooling time after each resistor joint is soldered before applying heat to the other end of the resistor. Otherwise these little "fleas" will come off the board and will be on the tip of your soldering iron. Worse yet, they will get lost. Best bet is to solder the top joints then the bottom ones afterward.

 

[Trav]

They had a similar issue on the Legacys from 05-09. Bad solder on the board by the airbag light. Same easy fix. What I recall from forums was folks paying for a part replacement, if they didn't DIY.
Shouldn't this be under the 10 year airbag warranty ?

Even if it was the warranty would be up in 2019 on an 09 and this year for a 12.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

That's awesome

 

[zzyzzx]

Reminds me of the roof console clocks that frequently failed on older Subaru's where a SMD resistor would literally come loose!

 

[Touring5]

Yes! I experienced this problem a few years ago and fixed it by "touching up" the solder connections on the board. Quick and easy.

 

[wpod]

I appreciate all the industry professionals we have on board.