I have a 2006 Saturn Vue that I bought from my aging parents. The fabric seats were in really bad shape so I replaced them with leather seats that I bought from a person parting out a 2008. They look great and the color works perfectly. Problem is that once I installed them and hooked up the wiring for the airbags, the dash airbag light is illuminated and the light that indicates that the passenger seat airbag is off, also is illuminated. No matter what I do these lights stay illuminated. Are the airbags really not functional (as is obvious there is no really good way to test this)? And, if they are functional is there any way to shut these warning lights off?
Dean

 

2008 is from the newer design of the Vue.

The airbag is probably not wired the same (different sensor) OR the airbag is simply not being recognized by the SRS control module. I don't know if it needs to be "initialized" or something like that to be recognized.

There is of course the possibility the that the pass seat airbag is defective.

You'll have to research the difference between sensors and wiring between the last gen vue (2008-2010) and the previous gen vue (2006).

 

Thank you Derf.

Would you happen to know any resources where I might be able to research the difference in sensors and wiring .

 

I use rockauto.com to compare part numbers and GM Parts Direct - Genuine GM Parts Wholesale Distributor (not com) for the exploded diagrams.

then there's chasing down wiring diagrams.

Just find a Chevy dealer and ask them to look up the two parts and see if they are identical. And if the overall airbag systems are controlled differently
.

If you are lucky they will dig out a wiring diagram or two

 

I just came from a Chevy dealer where I have purchased parts on an as needed basis for the last 20 some odd years. And once again they were pleasant enough to not only look up what I asked about but printed parts diagrams out and verified whether they were actually available or no longer supported by GM. Hint: a lot of them aren't surprise! But I have to give them credit, they may have made a mistake in handling the Saturn line of vehicles overall, but for those of us who have owned them, they have stood tall on parts long after I would have expected them to.

 

Sometimes I get the urge to buy up spares of things I know I will need, like CV joints (255K on original), headlight and taillight housings, side running lights, special relays, a multifunction switch, upper torque axis mounts, spare struts (actually could use them now).

But then I realize doing so would cost twice the value of my ride.

Money is not everything in this world.

There seems to be a certain different type of pride that drives owners of old Saturns to keep them on the road --- indefinitely.....until they are no longer safely roadworthy, self destruct, or get totaled in an accident (= bump into ANYTHING and your insurance finds out).

Provided I continue regular AND preventative maintenance, aside from mechanical failure, idiot moves on my part, or idiot moves on someone else's part, my 97SC2 should run to at least 180K on the engine --78K on the rebuilt one, so the engine is good --- but will the body hold up?

If not, I'll have some "scarce" parts to sell......

 

After I achieved the goal of painting my 94 (the thing was reupholstered including the head liner in about 2003 or so) and it had not been driven much in the last 10 years the head lights (they were supposed to pop out of the body) did not pop and the windshield wipers wouldn't wipe either. I surmised that the contacts on the steering column stalk mounted switches had become oxidized and a little use would restore operation and surprise! Last week the final in-operable function became operable. This coincided though with discovering that Rock Auto still carried GM parts for replacement so $200.00 later one is on order and has been shipped. It will enter my parts stash for the car and I now have to locate a source for Airbag repair for the steering wheel so I can remove it to replace the headlight/windshield wiper/cruise control switch assembly. The rubber covering for the air bag is one step shy of falling apart and I am going to have to figure out how to deal with it. I guess this, the switches for the control of the moon roof, and repair parts for the moon roof are still unknown entities in the "round tuit" scheduled repairs list of things to do. A list of things that started out with obtaining parts to repair the odometers which quit working about 8 years ago. Oh well! It runs well and the "economy/performance" automatic transmission switch works correctly and the thing stays with traffic.
And it is using less oil between oil changes than my 1 year old Dodge Caravan is which might be an indicator of a new trend.
To paraphrase an advertising head line belonging to Chrysler about their 1959 product line of "Suddenly it is 1960" changing it to Suddenly it is 1948 to reflect the kind of oil mileage which seems to be becoming the "New" expectations since the universally applied trend of using a winter grade oil viscosity year around. As reported by owners of a very high number of well known European and American brands of automobiles. And when owners have complained to their manufacturers the answer that is seemingly coming back is. "Oh yes, 1000 miles to a quart of oil is well with in the design expectations. "
This on vehicles that I am used to not having to add oil to between oil changes at 4000 mile intervals.