BYD e6 1st generation airbag control unit repair

What is a BYD e6 1st generation airbag control unit?

The airbag control unit is the central control unit of the restraint system in the BYD e6 1st generation. It evaluates the signals from the crash sensors and, in an accident, decides within milliseconds which airbags and seatbelt pretensioners to deploy. After an accident it stores crash data and locks itself.

In the 2011 to 2017 model series, the control unit is fitted in the BYD e6 1st generation at the factory. It continuously monitors the system, that is, sensors, squib circuits and wiring. If it finds a fault, it reports it via the airbag warning light.

The function of the unit is clearly defined: it detects an impact and deploys the appropriate restraints at the right moment. If it fails, the entire system stops working.

Why is the BYD e6 1st generation airbag control unit defective?

The most common cause is crash data stored after an accident, even if no airbag deployed. Other causes are aged electronic components, cold solder joints, moisture and corrosion on connectors, and voltage spikes.

Stored crash data cannot be deleted with an ordinary diagnostic tool.

The unit can also fail without an accident. Electronic components age, solder joints become cold and cracked over time, and moisture causes corrosion on the connectors. Voltage spikes, for example from a weak battery or jump-starting, put additional strain on the electronics.

Typical signs in the BYD e6 1st generation are a permanently lit airbag warning light, a fault memory that cannot be cleared, or a diagnostic tool that cannot connect to the control unit.

Common error codes for BYD e6 1st generation airbag control unit repair

On the BYD e6 1st generation, you read the error codes from the fault memory with a diagnostic tool. They indicate communication errors, internal control unit faults, power supply problems, and messages about squib circuits or stored crash data.

Only once the entries have been read out can you work out what they mean. The following codes occur on the BYD e6 1st generation:

• B16AE00 → Fault in the SRS control unit
• B17A000 → Internal control unit fault
• B17A200 → Stored crash data block recording
• B17A600 → Frontal impact detected in the crash data
• B17A800 → CAN bus communication interrupted
• B1694 → Supply voltage too low
• B1695 → Supply voltage too high
• B1600 → Driver front airbag not connected

A code on its own does not prove a fault in the control unit. Connectors, wiring or an airbag module can also be the cause. Only testing shows where the fault lies.

What part numbers are available for the BYD e6 1st generation airbag control unit repair?

The part number is printed on the label of the control unit in the BYD e6 1st generation. It determines the exact version, because within a model series there are different numbers depending on equipment and year of manufacture.

Read the number from the label on your unit and enter it in the repair order. This ensures that it is the correct unit.

Whether the control unit is defective is only shown by reading out the fault memory or by testing. The route to repair is short: have the fault memory read out, disconnect the battery and remove the control unit. Then create a repair order online and send in the unit.

Processing at Airbag24 usually takes 3–4 working days, during which the unit is tested, repaired and checked. The repaired control unit comes back with all vehicle data and is ready for use as soon as it is refitted — no coding or programming is required.