If your Honda Civic’s airbag light turns on, it means that some component of your vehicle’s airbag system—be it the sensors, deployment device, or the airbag itself—is not working properly, which means the airbags may not deploy if you are involved in an accident or collision.
There are a lot of lights on your Honda’s dashboard and making sense of what each one means—as well as how serious they are—can be a monumental task. That’s why, for your convenience, we’ve put together the following guide breaking down what the airbag light in a Honda Civic means and whether it’s safe to drive with it on.
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What does the airbag light in a Honda Civic mean?
If your Honda Civic’s airbag light—which looks like a person wearing a seatbelt with a circle in front of them and is better known as the supplemental restraint system (SRS) light—turns on, it means there is something wrong with your airbag system, seat belt sensors, or seat belt pretensioners.
Of those three potential problem locations, your airbag system is the most likely—and usually the most serious. Common airbag system problems include:
Wiring problems: Your Civic’s airbag system relies on a complicated wiring setup to connect the airbag sensors to the control module—in the event that these wires fail, it can trigger the SRS light on your dash.
Faulty sensors: In order to know when to deploy the front and side airbags, your vehicle’s airbag system utilizes several crash sensors
. These work in tandem with seat sensors, which tell the airbag control module
whether the driver’s and front passenger seats are occupied. Should these sensors fail or burn out, the SRS light will turn on. Damaged airbag clock spring: Located inside your Civic’s steering wheel, the airbag clock spring expands and contracts as the wheel is turned from side to side in order to maintain the driver’s side airbag’s electrical connection. Over time, this spring can wear down and malfunction, which may trigger the SRS light.
Drained airbag backup battery: As with any other electrical-based system, the airbag system relies on your Honda’s main battery for power—if this battery starts to fail, the airbag’s backup battery may kick in to supply power, at which point the airbag light may start to flash.
Keep in mind, however, that this is not an exhaustive list—there are plenty of other components that can fail or wear down over time and cause the airbag light to illuminate. In order to know for sure where the fault lies, you’ll need to have a mechanic diagnose the issue for you or head to your local AutoZone and use their free On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) scanner to check your engine computer’s error codes
. What you need to know about the 2001 - 2005 Honda airbag recall
Some Honda vehicles produced between 2001 and 2005—including the Honda Civic—may be affected by an ongoing recall due to the use of defective Takata airbag inflators, which have been known to rupture when deployed, sending metal shrapnel through the airbag cushion.
These defective airbag inflators have resulted in both injuries and deaths, so it is important that you have the issue remedied as soon as possible—if you believe your Honda Civic may be affected by the recall, enter your vehicle identification number
(VIN) here
to find out. In the event that your Honda Civic is part of one of these recalls, Honda will repair the problem free of charge. MORE: The Takata airbag recall: Everything you need to know
How to reset the airbag warning light on a Honda Civic
While it is generally not recommended that you reset your Honda Civic’s airbag warning light yourself, it may become necessary to do so if the light does not switch off automatically after the problem that triggered it is remedied.
To manually reset the airbag warning light on a Honda Civic, follow the instructions below:
Find and remove the yellow plug plugged into the fuse panel underneath your dashboard. Insert a jumper wire (or a bent paperclip) into the two plug holes to short the wires.
Switch the ignition to the “ON” position, at which point the SRS light will shut off. Within 4 seconds of this, unplug one side of the jumper wire.
Once the SRS light comes back on, plug the jumper wire back in within 4 seconds. The light should blink twice and then turn off.
Completely unplug the jumper wire and switch the ignition off. Wait for at least 15 seconds and then start your Honda. This should reset the SRS memory.
As long as you follow these instructions, your Honda Civic’s airbag light should reset, though you may have to try a few times for it to work. Keep in mind, however, that this method only works if the original issue has been addressed. If the light remains on, bring your vehicle to a trusted mechanic and have them inspect the airbag system for faults.
Is it OK to drive with the Honda Civic airbag light on?
No, it is not safe to drive if your Honda Civic’s airbag light comes on. While it may not pose an imminent danger, the airbag light in your Honda signals that something is wrong with the airbag, airbag sensors, or airbag deployment system—if you get into an accident while this light is on, your airbags may not deploy, resulting in serious injury or even the death of yourself and/or your passengers.
For this reason, it is always recommended that you take your Honda Civic to a mechanic as soon as possible should the airbag light turn on so that the problem can be properly diagnosed and repaired.
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