Why The SRS Light is On in Your RV or Tow Vehicle

By Frank Wisner 

The SRS Light lets you know if the Supplement Restraint System in your RV or Tow Vehicle will deploy in an accident

SRS is the Supplement Restraint System for your RV or Tow Vehicle. Call it that, or call it the airbag system. Vehicle manufacturers design the SRS to deploy the airbag in the vehicle whenever there is a serious impact, or accident. 

The SRS light will come on and go away after a few seconds when you start your RV. If it doesn't go off, the airbag may not deploy in case of an accident. 

This article will explain how you can legitimately turn off the SRS light in your RV or Tow Vehicle.  

Let's get started! 

What the SRS system includes

The Supplement Restraint System is a system of interconnected functions that work together for the airbag to function effectively. In case any of these elements fail, the SRS lights will stay on. This system is made up of:

The clock spring

The clock spring is part of the airbag system. It enables the steering wheel to turn while transmitting electrical connection between it, the airbag, horn, and the rest of the vehicle's electrical system.

Impact sensors

Impact sensors are fitted at the front of cars since this is where most collisions happen. This sensor quickly detects an impact and sends a signal to the airbag module to release the airbag.

SRS module

This is the brain of the car's airbag system. It controls the deployment of the airbag, stores crash data, and links with the RV engine.

Airbag inflator

The airbag inflator uses sodium azide (NaN3) together with sodium nitrate (KNO3). When there is an impulse, these chemicals get ignited, and together they release nitrogen gas that inflates the airbag.

Airbag

The airbag inflates during a collision or an impact by being filled with nitrogen gas. After the impact, it self deflates.

Why SRS lights come on

When you turn on your RV’s engine, the SRS light, like all the other lights, should only show for a few seconds before dying out. When it persists, you should park that RV or tow vehicle and get it some help. 

Driving with these lights on is a sign of a glitch with the airbag system. And when the airbag is needed, it will fail to deploy.

Let us understand why SRS lights come on.

A damaged clock spring 

Your RV has an electronic asset known as the clock spring. It is a spiral device that allows your vehicle to steer while still deploying electric transmissions to the airbag, horn, and other electricals. When this tool fails, many electric transmissions stop.

When this happens, your airbag won't inflate whenever you happen to need it. So should not drive with a damaged clock spring, and the worst may happen. When you try, you will notice a lot of difficulties while driving. 

Defective sensors

Like we humans, RVs and tow vehicles have sensors too. So whenever you start your RV or tow vehicle, and the SRS lights stay on, you may be running on defective airbag sensors that should be replaced.

A worn-out airbag battery

The airbag runs on its own backup battery apart from the RV's or tow vehicles. When it becomes worn out, either due to lifespan, overuse, or depletion of the main battery, the airbag will not respond to an emergency. As a result, you will see the SRS lights on our dashboard blink. 

Moisturized Airbag module

When the airbag module comes into contact with moisture, either due to washing your RV or driving on flooded roads, the airbag module becomes moisturized and starts to corrode. The airbag module, therefore, won't work correctly. 

How to reset the SRS light

Lights that flash tend to become annoying. Don't get annoyed while driving. It is simple, find where the problem is and fix it.

Alright, to reset the SRS lights, try out these simple methods.

Take a test drive

This one may work if you are lucky. Your RV may just be experiencing a power glitch, and test driving could be the way out. Try this method to see whether the lights shut off.

Use an SRS scanner 

Talk about technology. An SRS OBDII Scanner will help you perform this task effectively. Instead of inspecting each potential cause one by one, this tool will show you the specific problems right away. 

The bad news is that all of the code readers on the market can not access your SRS module. You need to look for at least $100 to read SRS fault codes. But trust me, it will pay for itself in the long term. 

When you search Google for the fault codes, the results will give you:

- What the problems are

- How to fix (if that's easy)

- How much it will cost  

Note: Resetting these lights without fixing the problems is useless. It's not different from covering the SRS light with tape. Fix all of the issues before you reset the light 

Conclusion

The SRS warning lights call you to action. It may be quite expensive to get it fixed, but no one enjoys driving a defective vehicle. 

Get rid of that SRS light on in your RV or Tow Vehicle and enjoy your trip. 

About The Author

Frank Wisner 

You’re standing in the presence of Frank of house Wisner, first of his name, the auto mechanic, the crazy writer, breaker of 10mm, and father of two.

More articles written by Frank on OBD planet.