Airbag light, B1620, and ghetto mechanics

Hi people.

So remember about a month ago I wrote about my battery + brake lights
being on and needing a new alternator.

Well, today, I finally picked up my car from this so-called alternator
shop. I've never known an "alternator shop" to take 1 month with
anything, but with hesitation I picked it up free of charge.

Hesitation you say?

Yes, hesitation. As soon as I turned on the car I noticed the air-bag
light was on. Naturally, I flipped the hell out. The guy's had the
mechanic for a month, in a shop in the 'hood', with a bunch of hoodrat
mechanics, and now all of a sudden I've got my airbag light on?

I've seen 20/20. I know what that can mean. I know that when I
dropped off my car there was no airbag light. I know that when I
dropped off my car, there was a "gap" on the driver side ABS cover (in
the steering wheel) that the plastic wasn't sitting down right and now
it's lying flat. I know enough to be concerned.

I took it to the Hyundai shop tonight right away. They scanned and
got B1620: SRSCM Internal Failure.

They say this is an airbag module. They say that the module is in the
center console and costs $500 installed at the dealer.

So...three questions...

1.) How would I check to see if my car actually has it's airbags. I'm
naturally concerned. I know that no consumer advocacy group can do a
thing because despite it taking a month to get the alternator fixed in
this alternator shop, I still got it fixed for free in warranty. But
if I can find out that this guy or one of his goons stole my airbag, I
would be happy to do whatever I can to him.

2.) Where, exactly, is the SRSCM? They say center console but I know
that depending on who you ask that could be under the storage
compartment or it could be behind the HVAC controls.

3.) IF it is a blown module, is it safe to get a replacement from a
junkyard...even if the car has been in a wreck (my car hasn't).

I know what you're going to say about driving with used safety parts.
And I know I'm a cheapass, and you probably all know this buy now as
well. But between the SRSCM, the 120,000 mile maintenance it's coming
due for, and the coilpack that this car all needs are totaling over
$1300, and that's if I install the coilpack myself. I'm not seeing
where it's going to be worth it to drop that much money on this car at
this point.

It's a 2000 Sonata V6.

Fred.

 

They probably stole your airbags and control module and stuck some bogus
ones in there.

Only way to tell would be to remove them and see if the bagging material is
still ok.

Why'd you go to a ghetto shop anwyays?

 

Did you file a police report????? That should have been the first thing you
did. Go on record that there's a problem with the shop and get them put on
notice. Next the BBB for your city. Next get a reputable (if you can find
one) shop to verify that the airbags are either gone or replaced with bogus
ones. Next (I hate to say it) it is lawyer time. Obama is a lawyer and
come November he won't have anything to do so he can relate to his ghetto
friends.

 

There's a near zero chance someone stole any of your air bags. Mos
likely, someone with no clue read the code and tried to check for th
problem.

If your air bag(s) were stolen, you'd have a code for an open circuit fo
that air bag (or a short depending on the location of the safety shortin
bar) unless the thief was clever and able enough to insert the appropriat
resistance into the air bag connector. Furthermore, this wouldn't caus
the B1620, indicating an internal failure in the SRSCM (SRS contro
module).

The only possible relationship I can fathom between a B1620 and a
alternator is that too high a voltage can damage electronic components.
Since you state the air bag lamp wasn't on when the car was dropped off
and we know the alternator wasn't charging at that time, it seem
reasonable to conclude that the air bag lamp has nothing to do with th
alternator failure (or repair). My money is on coincedence at thi
point.

You're safe to use *exactly the same part number module* from anothe
vehicle. If an air bag has deployed, the module will have a nonclearabl
code, and the module won't work anymore.

 

Oops, forgot. The SRSCM is located under the fron portion of the console.
It'll be directly below the shift cable sandwiched between the heate
ductwork for distributing air under the front seats