What to do if Your SRS Light is On

If you own a Honda that was made between the years of 1998 and 2002 and the SRS (or “Supplemental Restraining System”) light comes on, there is no need to panic. There is a simple process that you can do yourself to fix it. You can save yourself a trip to the mechanic, and the fees that go along with it, by simply employing a little of your own elbow grease. See the instructions below for a guide on how to fix this problem.

Directions

1

Finding the MES Plug

The first thing you must do is find the MES (or "Memory Erase Signal") plug. You should be able to locate the MES plug near the driver’s side fuse panel. The driver’s side fuse panel is underneath the dashboard and can be opened by pushing the tabs as directed on the box. You will know the MES plug is the correct plug because its harness is yellow, and it contains two wires. It will also say "MES" on or near it.

2

Insert the Speaker Wire

Once you are sure you have the MES plug, unplug it. Now that the MES plug is unplugged, place one speaker wire into each contact in the MES plug. You will know a speaker wire because it is often two colors – one standard color (black or grey) with a colored stripe, which can be anything from red to blue to brown to grey, depending on the speakers you have installed in your Honda.

3

Shorting the Leads

Short and hold the leads. This is done by holding them together with your thumb, but do it in such a way so as to be able to remove your thumb quickly. At the same time, turn the ignition to "on." This will cause the SRS light to come on for a few seconds. It will then turn off.

4

Unshort the Wires

As soon as you notice that the SRS light has turned off, unshort the wires (let go). This will cause the SRS light to come back on.

5

Short the Wires Again

Proceed to, once again, short and hold the wires. This will cause the SRS light to turn off again.

6

Unshort the Wires Again

When the SRS light goes off again, unshort the wires again. This will cause the SRS light to blink twice.

7

Turn Off the Ignition

Proceed to turn the ignition off.

8

Start Your Engine

Turn on your engine, as per normal. The SRS light should come on for a few seconds, as is normal, and then promptly turn off again. The problem should now be fixed. This overall process should take about 15 seconds in total. Please note that the shorting/unshorting process must take place over a period of 4 seconds for this to work.

9

Still Not Fixed? Check Your Seatbelt

Another reason why the SRS light is turned on may have to do with your seat belt. Issues with seat belts have been known to cause this problem, and this is often a process covered by a warranty. Some other causes for the SRS light to come on involve the unplugging of such parts as the gauge cluster, the SRS harness or harnesses (when the seats are removed), or if any other SRS plugs are unplugged when you turn on the ignition.

10

Still Not Fixed? See a Mechanic

It’s a process you tried to avoid by doing it yourself, but the SRS light is still coming on. You’ve already checked the seat belt and found no problems. Sad to say, but now it’s time to take the car to the mechanic. There may be another electrical issue at play here that you will not be able to diagnose without a professional’s help.

The SRS light can come on for a multitude of reasons, but the two most common reasons are if you have removed either a seat or an instrument cluster. If you are able to fix this problem yourself, you can save oodles of time and money at the mechanic. You won’t even have to plan for an appointment, and the process itself is quite simple to execute. However, if you’ve tried all of this and you are still having no luck, it is time to see your mechanic.