U0151 to U0154 and U0170 to U0179: airbag modules and crash sensors
A module stopped receiving messages from the airbag control module, a side airbag module, the occupant sensing module or one of the crash sensors A to J.
SeverityHighCarrying on can cause expensive damage, so deal with it now.
Can you keep driving?Only as far as the workshopWhat does U0151 mean?
The airbag system, called the restraints system in the code names, has a central module, often extra modules for the side airbags, a module that senses who is in the passenger seat, and crash sensors around the car. They talk to each other and to the rest of the car over the network. If any of them goes silent, the system cannot be sure it will fire the right airbags in a crash, so it lights the airbag warning and may disable some or all of the airbags.
What causes U0151?
- A loose or corroded connector under a front seat, strained over time as the seat moves
- A crash sensor damaged or disconnected after body or bumper repairs
- Water in a door or under the carpet reaching a side sensor or module
- A failed occupant sensing module or mat in the passenger seat
- An airbag module that has failed or has stored crash data and must be replaced
What to check first for U0151
- Leave the airbag connectors to a workshop: airbag work has its own safety procedure
- Ask whether the seats, doors or bumpers were recently removed or repaired
- Have the airbag module read to see which sensor or module is missing
- Check for water in the doors and footwells, where sensors and modules sit
Can you drive with U0151?
The car drives normally, but the airbags may not work in a crash, so drive only as much as you must until it is repaired. Keep children and smaller passengers out of the front seat meanwhile, and do not try to clear or repair the system yourself.
In states with an OBD-II emissions inspection, a car with the check engine light on fails the test until the fault is fixed.
Codes on this page
14
- U0151Lost Communication With Restraints Control Module
- U0152Lost Communication With Side Restraints Control ModuleLeft
- U0153Lost Communication With Side Restraints Control ModuleRight
- U0154Lost Communication With Restraints Occupant Sensing Control Module
- U0170Lost Communication With Restraints System Sensor "A"
- U0171Lost Communication With Restraints System Sensor "B"
- U0172Lost Communication With Restraints System Sensor "C"
- U0173Lost Communication With Restraints System Sensor "D"
- U0174Lost Communication With Restraints System Sensor "E"
- U0175Lost Communication With Restraints System Sensor "F"
- U0176Lost Communication With Restraints System Sensor "G"
- U0177Lost Communication With Restraints System Sensor "H"
- U0178Lost Communication With Restraints System Sensor "I"
- U0179Lost Communication With Restraints System Sensor "J"
Related codes
Checked on · Rafael Soares
These are the generic meanings every manufacturer shares. Each brand adds its own detail, so your car's handbook, its service information and a qualified mechanic have the last word. OdoKeep has no connection with any manufacturer, and the app does not read codes from the car.
