Our specialty
Airbag & SRS
diagnosis and repair
An SRS light is not a nuisance light. It usually means part of your restraint system has switched itself off and won’t deploy in a crash. We diagnose the actual fault, repair it, and verify the system is live again before the vehicle leaves.
Why this one matters
A lit SRS light
means the airbag
may not fire.
The supplemental restraint system runs a self-test every time you start the vehicle. If it finds a fault it can’t work around, it stores a code, turns on the warning light, and disables the affected part of the system rather than risk firing it at the wrong moment.
What we work on
SRS faults are electrical faults with a safety consequence — which is exactly the overlap we’re built for.
Diagnosis
- SRS / airbag warning light diagnosis on any system that will talk to a scan tool
- Stored and live SRS codes, read and interpreted properly
- Circuit testing — resistance, continuity and connector integrity through the system
- Passenger occupancy sensors and the “passenger airbag off” light that won’t behave
Repair
- Clock springs — the spiral cable behind the steering wheel, a very common failure
- Crash and impact sensors
- Seat belt pretensioners and retractors
- SRS control modules and their wiring
- Connectors under the seats — knocked loose by cargo, cleaning or seat movement
- Post-collision restraint repair, alongside the body work
Worth saying plainly
We won’t just
turn the light off.
People do ask. There are tools that clear an SRS code, and shops that will do it for a small fee. The light goes out, the customer leaves happy, and the restraint system is exactly as broken as it was before — except now there’s nothing on the dash to say so.
Airbag & SRS questions
Is it safe to drive with the SRS light on?
The vehicle will drive normally — the light doesn’t affect how it runs. What it affects is what happens in a collision: the part of the restraint system that reported the fault is likely disabled and may not deploy. Everything else still works, including your seat belts, so wear them. But get it looked at rather than living with it.
Can you just clear the code?
No. Clearing the code without repairing the fault either results in the light returning at the next self-test, or worse, a system that appears fine while remaining disabled. We diagnose first, then repair, then verify. You’re free to decline the repair once you know what it is.
Will an SRS light fail an Alberta inspection?
An illuminated airbag warning lamp is an inspection failure item. Since we’re a licensed inspection facility as well as an SRS shop, we can diagnose it, repair it and re-inspect in the same visit rather than sending you elsewhere and back.
What’s a clock spring and why does it fail?
It’s a coiled ribbon cable behind the steering wheel that keeps electrical contact with the airbag, horn and wheel controls while the wheel turns. It winds and unwinds every time you steer, so it eventually wears through. The tell is the horn, the cruise buttons and the SRS light all going wrong at once.
My airbags deployed. Can you repair the car?
Yes — that’s a job for the body shop and the SRS side together, which is why having both here helps. We assess the restraint components and sensors, do the collision repair, and work directly with your insurer on the claim. Whether repair makes sense depends on the vehicle and the extent of the damage, and we’ll be straight with you about that.
The passenger airbag says “off” with someone sitting there.
That’s the occupancy classification system — a sensor mat or weight sensor in the passenger seat that decides whether an adult is present. When it fails or its connector is disturbed, it defaults to off. It’s a fixable fault and a common one, particularly on vehicles where the front seats have been out.
Related services
SRS light on? Let’s find out why.
We’ll diagnose the fault and tell you what the repair involves. What you do next is your decision — but you’ll be making it with the facts.