A fault code doesn’t yet mean the unit or sensor itself is faulty: often it’s the plug and connector leading to it.
Possible causes
- The sensor wire is pinched in the seat trim
- The connector of the sensor mat in the passenger seat has worked loose from people getting in and out
- A wet seat or electronic items on the seat
- The passenger presence sensor module (PPS)
What you can do yourself
- The passenger airbag may switch off (“Passenger Airbag Off” lights up), and the seat belt reminder sounds for an empty seat. You can drive, but don’t put off the check.
- Remove phones, tablets, laptops and other electronics from the passenger seat: the sensor feels them and can turn on the airbag lamp and the seat belt reminder.
- If the passenger seat is wet (spilled water, interior cleaning), dry it: the sensor makes mistakes on a wet seat.
- If the seat was removed or repaired, check the passenger sensor connector under the seat and that its wire isn’t pinched (only with the terminal disconnected).
- Don’t test squibs or airbags with a multimeter and don’t take them apart: the airbag can deploy and injure you. Touch the connectors only with the battery terminal disconnected and after waiting several minutes. Don’t fit airbag “emulators”: there will be no protection in a crash.
- After the repair the code won’t go away by itself: it is cleared with a scan tool.
OOleg’s tip: check the connector
Often the cause is simple — there is no contact in the connector (plug). Look at the connector from the back: remove the rubber seal and you will see whether a wire is corroded or has come off completely. Corrosion shows up as green deposits. Ideally, gently pull each wire towards you one at a time: a sound wire stays in place, while a corroded one simply comes off — it needs to be repaired.
Unplug and inspect connectors with the ignition off.
PPS is the passenger presence system: a sensor in the seat decides whether to enable the passenger airbag. This is the GM meaning (Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC). On other makes this number means something else: if your car isn’t made by GM, change the make at the top.
Source: GM N182188910, 08-09-41-007 (static.nhtsa.gov)
The explanation comes from the error code reference in the AvtoElektrik PRO app.