I am having my rear drivers side door worked on (removal of dent) on the rx-8. When they were putting the door and wiring together the airbag light flashes and the mechanics tell me that the computer is sensing a cut in one of the wires.

They want to charge 60 bucks for the part. Their explanation is that because of the hit that caused the dent the wiring was cut. However the airbag light did not flash before until the car went into the shop and they started putting things together.

So something tells me the cut happened due to the mechanics. Could I be wrong? Could the cut have been there but it did not register on the computer before and only registers now that they are re-attaching the wires?

Thanks,
Bodi

 

It could've been hanging by a "thread" and the computer couldn't tell and when they went to take it apart it completely tore. Either way, if you can't prove it, you just have to go by what they say : /

 

did they try clearing it with a scanner? Often the code has to be reset if the wiring is disconnected, I'm not accusing them of being unethical but unfortunately there are a few shops who might like to make an easy $60 that way

 

I called them again and they say that the wiring is visibly damaged - that I find hard to believe given the nature of the dent - but I'll see it myself when I go to pick up the car tomorrow.

They did try to clear the code by taking the battery out but that did not help.

Anyway no biggies - I am not going to raise a ruckus over $60 when the repair costs $1k - I just want the car back pronto

Thanks for your info..

Bodi

 

undoing the battery will not clear the code, it requires an OBD2 scanner to perform this