As my young son sat in the front seat while I turned the car on last night, I received a message that basically said that system was turning the passenger's side air bag off.


Now that he is not sitting in the front seat the passenger-air-bag-off light comes ON when I start the car but turns itself OFF quickly.


How can tell if the passenger-side-air-bag has NOT permanently turned itself OFF.

 

Not pretty sure about your question, but the OPDS, Occupant Position Detection System, used to tell your car who's sitting in the front seats, so your car would do the proper management to your air bag system, usually the passenger seat is more complicated.


Acura say: To prevent injury to a small child or small-stature adult, an innovative passenger position sensing system prevents side airbag deployment if the passenger is leaning into the side airbag deployment path. Many sensors in the passenger seatback determine the height and position of the occupant; this helps the system determine if it is safe to deploy the side airbag. When the passenger returns to an upright seating position, the side airbag will reactivate so it can deploy and protect the passenger in a side impact. Sensors under the seat gauge occupant weight and if the total weight on the passenger seat is less than the certain lbs, the airbag system will not deploy, minimizing the potential for injury to children.

 

The passenger airbag light comes on every time you start the car, I believe. At least mine does.

But it goes out quickly (as do most of the warning lights that activate). If you get a message in the Nav Display area, however, about your passenger airbag being off, then your child (or some weighty object) is on the seat.

If you get the "official" warning in the center display and nothing is ever on your passenger seat, there is a fault somewhere and you should have the dealer check it.

 

OK, thanks.

Based on the comments, I am assuming the passenger-side airbag is on and it was only turned off while my son sat in the chair.

I will be at the dealership on Tuesday and will get it varified.


Thanks again for taking the time to provide your comments!