Chevrolet Caprice WM airbag control unit repair

What is a Chevrolet Caprice WM airbag control unit?

The Chevrolet Caprice WM airbag control unit is the central control unit of the restraint system (SRS). It evaluates the signals from the crash sensors, decides within milliseconds in an accident whether to deploy airbags and seatbelt pretensioners, and reports faults via the airbag warning light.

The unit runs a self-test every time the ignition is switched on: it checks its own electronics, the sensors and the squib circuits. As long as everything is in order, the warning light goes out after a few moments. If it stays on, however, a fault has been detected. The control unit is installed in the Chevrolet Caprice WM (2011 to 2017).

In operation it therefore works continuously in the background. Only in an impact does its main task come into play, and afterwards it stores crash data and locks itself.

Why is the Chevrolet Caprice WM airbag control unit defective?

Most often the cause is crash data that an accident has left in memory, even if no airbag was deployed. Other causes are aged electronic components, cold solder joints, moisture and corrosion on the connectors, or voltage spikes.

Stored crash data cannot be removed with a standard diagnostic tool. The unit therefore stays in a fault state, even if nothing unusual can be seen on the vehicle. If moisture gets into the connectors, corrosion develops and communication with the control unit can be lost.

Signs of a defect are an airbag warning light that stays on permanently, a fault memory that cannot be reset, or a diagnostic tool that cannot connect. Voltage spikes, for example from a weak battery or from jump-starting, also damage the electronics.

Common error codes for Chevrolet Caprice WM airbag control unit repair

The codes point to different areas of the restraint system: internal unit problems, configuration deviations, faulty squib circuits and stored crash data.

On this vehicle, the following codes, among others, occur in connection with the airbag control unit:

• B1000 → Internal fault in the airbag control unit
• B1001 → Configuration error: data does not match the vehicle equipment
• B1019 → Configuration deviation in the restraint components
• B0052 → Deployment commanded, crash data record stored
• B0012 → Driver airbag, squib circuit stage one faulty
• B0013 → Driver airbag, squib circuit stage two faulty
• B0019 → Passenger airbag, squib circuit stage one faulty
• B0020 → Passenger airbag, squib circuit stage two faulty

Error codes are read out with a diagnostic tool. A single code cannot reliably tell you whether the control unit is really defective, as connectors, wiring or an airbag module may equally be the cause. Only an inspection brings clarity.

What part numbers are available for the Chevrolet Caprice WM airbag control unit repair?

You will find the part number on the label of the control unit; it defines the exact version. Depending on equipment and year of manufacture, the numbers differ within a model series.

The following numbers are known to us for this vehicle, although there may be others:

• 13518048

Compare the number on your label with the list. This only ensures that you have the right unit in front of you. Whether it is defective only becomes clear from reading out the fault memory or from the inspection at Airbag24.

The route to repair: first have the fault memory read out, then disconnect the battery and remove the control unit. After that, create a repair order online and send the unit to us. Checking, repairing and testing usually take 3–4 working days at Airbag24. 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.