“SRS Airbag – Service Urgent” in Your Volvo – What’s Wrong?

Volvo is one of the safest brands in the market today. The carmaker has invested heavily in driver and passenger safety and this has persuaded many people to be loyal customers of the brand. Your Volvo car has a host of systems that work harmoniously to ensure your safety remains paramount.

SRS airbag, service urgent message highlights

• Common reasons:SRS module failure, low voltage, sensors failure
• How to fix:charge the battery, read the codes
• Possible consequences:safety system may not be functioning
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Carefully
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$150-$1,000

Understanding the SRS Airbag system

SRS Airbag stands for Supplemental Restraint System. It is an airbag that is designed to supplement the seatbelt system. This system improves car occupant protection when involved in certain types of crushes. These airbags deploy within 0.03 seconds and then deflate in about 0.1 seconds. These features make the SRS the occupants of a Volvo safe even when their car is involved in an accident.

The SRS Airbag system is quite complex and relies on many sensors which are designed to detect whenever someone sits in the car seat. The sensors send messages when you are braking or accelerating and when the car is involved in an accident. That's why you will find the safety belt won't work when the car is driving on a bumpy road because the seatbelt pre-tensioners have already been activated.

Once the sensors have sent signals to the SRS system, the computer sends a signal to the airbags. It is this electrical signal that ignites chemicals inside the airbag inflator which then releases pressurized nitrogen gas. The deployment of an airbag as stated earlier is 0.03 seconds and interestingly, a person's blink takes as long. This is why many people say they never saw the airbag popping out. The airbag will then deflate very fast after it has absorbed the impact of the crush.

For side impact and when a car rolls over, the side airbags don't deflate fast. They stay inflated longer and this cushions you from injuries. The SRS airbags play a crucial role in the safety of the occupants of a Volvo.  Volvo has synced the airbag system with the instrument screen and you get alerted every time there is an issue with the system. A rather common problem is the 'SRS Airbag - Service Urgent' message.

What does the "SRS Airbag - Service Urgent" message mean?

The SRS Airbag system is connected to the instrument panel to let you know if and when anything goes wrong. When the internal computer detects a problem with the SRS system, a message appears on the dash.

The SRS Airbag - Service Urgent message will appear for several reasons. Since the SRS system is crucial to the overall safety of the car, you should immediately look for a way to resolve this issue. The good thing about such an error is that you can use a diagnostic machine to know what is wrong.

What causes SRS Airbag - Service Urgent error message?

• A previous accident

Whenever a Volvo is involved in an accident, the chances of the airbag getting deployed are very high. Even if the accident is minor. When the airbag is deployed, the SRS module stores such data. This would then mean that even if you replace the seat belt tensioners and the airbags, the accident data is still stored. You need to either replace the SRS module or reset it so that the SRS system remains optimally tuned for your safety.

• A dead battery

If the battery of your car dies and you are forced to replace or jumpstart it, you might find the SRS Airbag - Service Urgent message popping up. The SRS module is designed to operate when the voltage is above a certain level. When the voltage falls below the said level, it module will malfunction.

When the battery dies, the car's computer will be forced to store a low-voltage fault code. The SRS module will then trigger the SRS airbag service urgent message. Though this is not a serious issue, the error code is not good since the SRS system will not be at its optimal as you drive.

• Disconnecting Airbag wires

When solving an electrical issue that relates to the stereo, the seat of any other component that requires disconnecting SRS cables should be handled with care. This is because, if you disconnect the stereo cables without disconnecting the battery, the SRS Airbag - Service Urgent message will appear.

You should first disconnect the battery whenever you are working on the car's electrical system. This is to ensure the SRS module doesn't get messed up and start giving the wrong error codes. To correct this problem, you will need to visit a Volvo dealer to erase the faulty error codes.

• A software issue

Once in a while, the SRS software needs to be updated. Such updates can only be done by a Volvo-authorised dealer. This being the case, you need to visit your local dealership and have the SRS airbag system updated. At times, the update will be free and at other times you be charged depending on the year of make and model of your vehicle.

• SRS module failure

The SRS control module which is found under the center console right behind the shifter can fail. The failure of this critical component means that the SRS airbag - service urgent message will appear. Its failure can lead to further damage to other parts of the system and the vehicle. The main reason why the SRS control module can malfunction is if it is exposed to liquids.

• Instrument cluster issue

There have been instances when drivers have come forward to report an SRS airbag issue only for the instrument cluster to be the one with a fault. The Driver Information Module (DIM) as Volvo calls it has been reported to have previously caused the SRS Airbag-service urgent error message. Some of the cars affected include the V70, V50, S40, S70, and XC60. When the instrument cluster fails or malfunctions, light gauges fail, the speedometer will act weirdly and all manner of warning lights will appear.

• The seat occupant weight sensor (OWS) failure

You might have noticed that the safety belt alarm comes on when a passenger sits on the seat. The alarm sound and light will also come on when you place a relatively heavy box on the passenger seat. There is a sensor installed in the passenger seat cushion. The SRS Airbag error message may appear because of a faulty OWS sensor. Cut, damaged or unplugged wires to the sensor will also make the error message pop up.

• A seat belt buckle issue

Volvo has installed a small sensor on the buckle which detects when the seat belt is worn or not. If the sensor which is more like a micro switch gets damaged or disconnected, the SRS Airbag - Service Urgent error message will show.

How to solve the SRS Airbag - Service Urgent error message

As we have seen above, there are many reasons why the error message can appear on your instrument cluster. To solve this problem, you will need to start by using a diagnostic machine.

Use an OBD-II scanner to locate the error code. There are instances where a generic OBD-II scanner will not work on a Volvo. In other instances, a generic OBD-II scanner will be unable to retrieve the correct codes from the vehicle's PCM. This is why you should invest in a Volvo diagnostic scanner. Using the scanner will give you the right error code that is causing the SRS Airbag - Service urgent message to appear.

Using the diagnostic scanner will come in handy as error codes caused by a dead battery can be easily removed. The OBD-II scanner will tell you whether your Volvo was previously involved in an accident. You will trace a disconnected OWS sensor or an SRS module. Using the OBD-II scanner involves turning the vehicle's ignition to ON and then switching the scanner to ON.

A multimeter is another tool you can use to solve the said issue. A multimeter can be used to test whether the seat belt buckle sensor is working or not. Of course, taking the car to a Volvo dealership is something you should consider if you don't have a diagnostic scanner.

Conclusion

The SRS Airbag - Service Urgent is an error message that can nag you especially if you don't know where to start. In the article, we have looked at several factors that can lead to your vehicle displaying this message. There are times when the problem can be much harder to locate. The electrical wires can corrode making the tracing of the issue problematic. When this happens, visit a Volvo dealer and have an expert help you.

The cost to solve this issue will depend on the cause. The cost of resolving this problem can be as little as zero like in the instances when the error message appears after replacing the battery. All you will need to do is use a diagnostic scanner and erase the errors. The cost can also be as high as $1,000 or more if you will be forced to replace the SRS module which acts more like the vehicle's black box.