Ford Taurus 3 airbag control unit repair

What is a Ford Taurus 3 airbag control unit?

In the Ford Taurus 3, the airbag control unit is the central control unit of the restraint system (SRS). It evaluates what the crash sensors report and, in an accident, decides within milliseconds which airbags and seatbelt pretensioners fire. If an accident occurs, it stores crash data and locks itself.

The control unit is fitted in the Ford Taurus 3 (1996 to 1999). It also stays active during normal operation: it continuously monitors the whole system and indicates a detected fault via the airbag warning light in the instrument cluster.

As the driver of a Ford, you usually only notice the unit when this light comes on. From then on it is no longer certain whether airbags and seatbelt pretensioners will deploy in an emergency, so you should have the cause checked promptly.

Why is the Ford Taurus 3 airbag control unit defective?

Most often the cause is crash data that remains in the unit after an accident, even if no airbag has deployed. Other possible causes are aged electronic components, cold solder joints, moisture and corrosion at the connectors, or voltage spikes.

A standard diagnostic tool cannot remove such crash data. That is why the warning light stays on even if you reset the fault memory several times.

Electronic components age over the years, and solder joints can lose contact. If moisture gets into the connectors, corrosion develops. A weak battery or jump-starting can additionally cause voltage spikes that put a strain on the unit.

A defect usually shows itself like this: the airbag warning light stays on permanently, the fault memory cannot be cleared, or the diagnostic tool finds no connection to the control unit.

Common error codes for Ford Taurus 3 airbag control unit repair

The error codes show in which area the problem lies: in communication, inside the control unit, in a firing circuit or in stored crash data. Which entries occur in the Ford Taurus 3 depends on the equipment and condition of the vehicle.

In connection with the repair of this control unit, you will mainly come across the following codes:

• B1342 → Internal fault in the airbag control unit
• U2017 → Memory error in the restraint system control unit
• B1231 → Crash data stored, event memory locked
• U0151 → Communication with the control unit interrupted
• B0001 → Driver front airbag stage 1, firing circuit interrupted
• B0002 → Driver front airbag stage 2, firing circuit interrupted
• B0010 → Passenger front airbag stage 1, firing circuit interrupted
• B0011 → Passenger front airbag stage 2, firing circuit interrupted

Error codes are read out with a diagnostic tool. A code alone cannot reliably tell you whether the control unit itself is defective, because connectors, wiring or an airbag module can also be the cause. Only the inspection provides clarity.

What part numbers are available for the Ford Taurus 3 airbag control unit repair?

You will find the part number on the label on the unit. It determines the exact version, because depending on equipment and year of manufacture, different numbers are in circulation within one model series. Several are known for the Ford Taurus 3.

These part numbers are known for the Ford Taurus 3, although the list need not be complete:

• F8DB-14B321-AA
• F8DZ-14B321-AA

Hold the number of your own unit next to this list. This only makes sure that it is the right unit. Whether it is actually defective only becomes clear when the fault memory is read out or during the inspection.

The path to repair begins with having the fault memory read out. Next, you disconnect the battery from the vehicle electrical system, then you remove the control unit. Afterwards you create a repair order online, and finally you send the unit to us. At Airbag24, processing usually takes 3–4 working days. 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.