Porsche 996 Airbag Light: Known Causes & Real Fixes

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2003 Porsche 911 (and previously owned a Boxster too). I've got some experience working with cars, but I'm not a pro mechanic. Funny enough, I had this exact problem and got lucky, turned out it was just a faulty sensor connection under the passenger seat. My regular Porsche specialist cleaned and reseated the connections for free during a routine service check. The warning light disappeared right away. Which 996 variant do you have, and have you had any recent work done near the seats or airbag components? Also, did this start happening suddenly or gradually? Let me know and I might be able to share more specific advice based on my experience.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Mine's at 84312 KM and just had its service last month. The warning light actually popped up about a week ago, completely out of the blue, no work done on the seats or anything. Good to hear yours was just a simple fix with the sensor connection. Did your mechanic mention any other potential causes I should look out for? I'd rather avoid taking it to the dealership if it's something straightforward like what you experienced.

Hey again! Yeah, when my mechanic was working on my 911, he actually mentioned a few other common triggers for that warning light. In my case, the passenger seat connector was the culprit, but he said he often sees issues with the clockspring in the steering wheel (that's the spiral cable that connects the airbag to the system) on these cars. Since yours just had a service and the light popped up suddenly, it kind of reminds me of what happened to my old Boxster, turns out some wiring got disturbed during routine maintenance. But honestly, with airbag systems, it's better to get it checked properly. My mechanic uses a proper Porsche diagnostic tool (not just a basic OBD reader) to pinpoint the exact fault code. Here's a tip though, if you're in the same boat I was, don't let them sell you a whole new airbag module straight away. Often it's just connections or sensors acting up. My mechanic always starts with checking the simple stuff first, saved me a bunch of money that way! Have you noticed any other quirks along with the warning light? Like, does it flicker or stay solid?

Thanks, that's really helpful info! The light stays solid, no flickering at all. You know what, I'm going to call my independent Porsche specialist tomorrow and mention what you said about checking the connections and sensors first. Makes total sense that something might have been disturbed during the recent service. It's relieving to hear that these issues often have simple fixes. I'll definitely make sure they use a proper Porsche diagnostic tool too, great tip about not jumping straight to replacing the whole module. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. I'll update the thread once I get it sorted out!