I have a 1996 Volvo 850GLT. It’s a great car, however, I had to remove the top dash (which involves removing the passenger side airbag). I put it all back, but now the SRS light won’t go out. I double and triple checked to make sure I got the airbag plugged back in. It’s fine. I’ve been told that unplugging it probably just logged in a trouble code, and I just need to reset this SRS trouble code. I can’t find out how you do that (without a trip to the dealer, and I refuse to do that. I want to do it myself. What kind of man would I be if I ran to the dealer with every problem?). I’ve seen (and read) how you apparently do it on earlier 850’s with the AB block under the hood, but a 1996 no longer has that. How do you reset, and read the codes, on a 1996? I have a code reader that plugs in the port under the ashtray, but it shows no codes – all clear. Apparently you have to read and reset the SRS differently. Can anyone help? Does anyone know how? Any help would be appreciated!

 

I have a mechanic that did my evaporator and he has just about every piece of equipment imaginable. He had to take it to the dealer and pay $117 to have the SRS light reset. Took them all of about fifteen minutes and that was the driving time to and from the Dealer.

 

Thanks, but I just can't believe that no one - except a dealer - knows how to do this.

 

SRS malfunction reset is not something you would want to be opening to the public if you are a car manufacturer. This is probably a secret command in the Volvo communication protocol.

 

Possibly, but they have to release it to mechanics and dealer world wide, so it’s out there. Even if they didn’t want it out there, you know someone would let it out. Look at everything imaginable – someone figures out how to deal with it, and shares the knowledge. Plus, it’s my car. I ought to be able to reset anything on my own car. Why wouldn’t they let you reset it – especially if you knew what you did to cause the trouble (removed the dash), and had it plugged back in, and ready to go? It’s just hard for me to believe that no one out there knows how to reset it. After all, the info is even out there on resetting the earlier 850 models. It’s just this 1996 and up that no one seems to know about. If anyone out there has any info, it would be appreciated. Surely this isn’t the question that stumps all the people of Volvo Forums!

 

My bet is that the software used to turn the light out is so expensive that only shops that specialize in Volvo's is willing to spend the money necessary to purchase the package required.

 

The software is embedded inside a Volvo Scan Tool which costs a small fortune.