I understand that Dodge trucks were fitted with driver airbags in 1993, and with dual airbags in 1998.
I am considering purchasing a very nice 2001 Ram which has the "airbag light" issue (light staying on).
The mechanic feels it's the "energy reserve module" under the dash that's faulty, rendering the airbags inoperable.
The replacement part is no longer available new from Dodge Chrysler (Discontinued).
The truck would fail safety inspection to not have the airbags functional.
So one is left to hunt around for a (hopefully) working used part.

Should I pass on this truck because of this issue, since it's hard for me to be fully confident that the airbags will work, even if a used part turns off the airbag light? And if the used part fails down the road, is it even safe to drive such a vehicle without airbags?

Any other electrical gremlins that could make life miserable with such a truck (ECM module, for example)?

Thanks.

 

Folks drove for decades before airbags became a thing, and the jury is still out on if they help more than they hurt.... but, expect that they are here to stay. Car-Part.com could likely find you a new-to-you SRS module, and it's easy to change. (right there on the trans tunnel, just below the dash.) It *might* need to be programmed to your vin though. Not sure on that. Dealer should be able to manage that. (might wanna call and have a chat with 'em, to verify they can indeed do that, or if its even necessary, before springin' for the truck though.) Might wanna see what else is out there first though, and just avoid the whole thing if possible. The guy might be selling it because he CAN'T get it fixed.....

 

Thank you for your reply. The indie mechanic who did the safety inspection for the seller diagnosed that module as faulty, and suggested ordering a used one.
I called the dealer and they were very unhelpful, saying the part was "discontinued" and not available anywhere in their parts network. They said the only recourse was to buy used.
Yes, the seller is aware of the situation and is starting to find a solution as they don't want to pass this on to the next owner. If I were to buy it and the problem persists, I'd be the one stuck with that issue.
I must admit having some issues about driving around with a used part of unknown condition (other than it turns off the light) controlling the air bag that may or may not save my life. Then again, the airbag parts in this vehicle are 20 years old. How reliable can they be to work properly after all those years...

(Anyway, a lot of these new electronic and computer-controlled features of new truck and cars are designed to make the vehicles safer (in theory), but as the vehicles age, they do lead to maintenance and repair issues, especially given that these parts evolve and are often unavailable, as in this case...)

 

Did you get the factory part # from the dealer? If not get it then do a google/ebay search for it. You can use it as a bargaining tool to get the price down if you choose to buy it.

 

I let the kid use my Furd Focus for a while until she plowed into another car. The bags didn't blow but the seat belts did. They have a charge to tighten them on later cars and I had them rebuilt. Afterward, the air bag light was still on. I had to have the air bag sensor rebuilt. There are several companies on Ebay who reset these. You might contact theme and see if they can help. I also looked for my truck and saw used ones running from $30 to $165.

BTW, Dodge trucks first got air bags in 1994 when the second gen trucks came out. This includes the Dakotas.

 

Yes, I did get the part number from the dealer, which allowed me to see some used ones for sale on ebay etc. I even found a mopar parts seller that seemed to indicate they had new one(s) in stock, but after the order, revealed that they couldn't get it, it was "discontinued" etc.
I realize the whole airbag issue is contentious (pros and cons), but for better or for worse it's part of the safety systems designed into the vehicle. And from some reading, I gather the faulty SRS module in this Ram (assuming the mechanic was right in diagnosing it as being the culprit) also controls the locking of the seatbelts in case of accident, so it's not just the airbag deployment that is jeapordized if it fails.
Bargaining tool to get the price down?
Well, for one thing the vehicle cannot pass the safety examination as is so couldn't be licenced in my name as is, which is a non starter.
Secondly, if I were to decide to sell it in a couple of years, I would be stuck with the same problem as the seller is right now.

I put this message in the truck forum because I used to own a Gen2 Ram truck and knew there were very knowledgeable people here. The vehicle I am contemplating is actually a Ram Van (3500) converted to a camper. On a van, I would think there is even a greater need for working airbags given you don't have the full front engine and engine to protect you as in a Dodge truck...

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Focus.

I found this neat graphic that shows what year what truck came out with the airbags. Obviously, some of it was legislated.

 

Dodge did a major redesign on the full sized trucks in 1994 so they just changed across the board to cut costs. That's also when Chrysler went with R-134 refrigerant. I bought a '93 Dakota new and they told me if it needed a/c work it would be converted.

Before we all get tunnel vision, does the horn and cruise control work? If the clock spring goes bad, it will set the air bag light off too.

 

Thanks for all your thoughts. Decided to pass on the vehicle. It was nice overall but priced high and I didn't want to be saddled with an air bag issue, especially since the solution depends on essentially finding and putting a junkyard part in there, which wouldn't inspire me with great confidence in the SRS.

 

No air bags needed.