Airbag System Fault problem

[flt505]

Anyone else had anything like this?
Had the 300c washed at a carwash, When I got in to drive home there was a chime and the RED airbag light in the instrument cluster was on (lower right) and the Orange "passenger airbag off" indicator was illuminated (Center cluster).
When I got home I read the manual and it said this indicated an Airbag system fault, bring it to a dealer (I will). BUT, I experimented a little.
With engine running I sat in the passenger seat, both lights went off.
When I sat back in drivers seat they came back on.
I tunrned off the car awhile, got back in passenger seat, moved it back/forth, up/down and bounced in it a little.
Started the car again from drivers seat as normal and the Airbag fault lights no longer come on and stay on. I pushed down on the passenger seat with my palm and the "passenger airbag off" indicator illuminated as it should, when I released the pressure it went off.
I know they normally come on when starting the car and go off after about 5 seconds, but my problem was they then stayed on AND there was a chime that chimed twice.

[smitty]

nothing new you need your seat sensors re-calibrated by Dlr. Eprom flashed !
this is your seat out of calibration, usually done by a large person using pass seat. Your car turns off passenger air bag of for children under 60ish pounds. no big deal........

[flt505]

Airbag fault Solved.
The passenger seat has a weight sensor that decides whether to turn the passenger seat airbag on or off.
My lovely wife, known affectionately as De-Uh, likes to put her Kentwood water bottles on the floor when she’s finished instead of in the cup holder---see where I’m going?
There was a water bottle jammed in the power seat mechanism
under the seat and it was applying some kind of pressure to the weight sensor.
They charged me $20 to recalibrate the airbag sensor (as Smitty predicted) since I caused the problem.
Whew, I'll take that.
Beware, there is a pretty big opening leading under the front of the passenger seat.
Things can easily roll under there.

[badss]

Another thing you need to watch out for is pushing forward on the passenger seat ( like when you are reaching in trying to vacuum the rear floor, hand on back of front seat pushing forward). Throws the seat strain sensors into negative weight and confuses the system. I suggest doing this(vacuuming or anything else) with key off.

[indyCoder]

Originally Posted by flt505

Airbag fault Solved.
The passenger seat has a weight sensor that decides whether to turn the passenger seat airbag on or off.
My lovely wife, known affectionately as De-Uh, likes to put her Kentwood water bottles on the floor when she’s finished instead of in the cup holder---see where I’m going?
There was a water bottle jammed in the power seat mechanism
under the seat and it was applying some kind of pressure to the weight sensor.
They charged me $20 to recalibrate the airbag sensor (as Smitty predicted) since I caused the problem.
Whew, I'll take that.
Beware, there is a pretty big opening leading under the front of the passenger seat.
Things can easily roll under there.

LOL "De-Uh" I like that!