I've got a '98 S-10 with an intermittent airbag light. A mechanic told me the code is B1036. Can anyone tell me what and where is the Discr. Sensor? Thank to anyone who can help me with this one.

 

They are the sensors located under the front of the truck that set off the airbags in the event of collision. There are 2, one left side and one right side.

 

Thanks for the reply LRV31. I've found both the crash sensors and cleaned the contacts in the connector harnesses. I thought these were the crash sensors and that the discr. (discriminating) sensor might be something else; like an under the seat sensor. I cleaned the passenger crash sensor this morning for the first time and haven't driven the Blazer enough to see if the light will come back.

 

No change in airbag light, but it seems that once the engine is hot, light comes in at every start and stays lit.

 

Sounds like one of the wires on the airbag control module side of the wiring has shorted to another wire somewhere in the system. I posted the wiring diagram for the front discriminating sensors in another post (search for B0036).

 

Thanks Swartlkk, I'll look into this today.

 

Opened the connector (2151) in the engine compartment and saw high resistance from the module, which means I have a circuit in that direction. Look toward the discriminating sensors and saw an open. Opened the connector at the Left Hand sensor and saw 1k ohm toward the Right Hand sensor. Shorted the Yellow and Black/white at 2151 toward Left Hand sensor and saw the short. So it appears that my Left Hand discriminating sensor is bad. Can't pull it until I get another, so cleaned both sides of the connector terminals for the 3rd time. Put connector back together and looked toward the sensors at 2151 and saw the 1k ohm from Right Hand sensor. Put 2151 connector together and did 6 starts in garage and no airbag light yet. I'll run the '98 Blazer and get her warmed up to see if light stays out. Thanks again swartlkk for the schematic.

 

If you have continuity through the LH sensor with the RH sensor disconnected, then the LH sensor is bad.

 

I took the Blazer out and when it warmed up the light was intermittently on and off. Pulled it into the garage and while it was warm, tested again. At 2151 looking toward sensors saw 1k ohm from RH sensor. Looking toward module, saw high resistance from module, only not as high as cold test yesterday. Quickly put it back together and light was on at first start. It sat overnight and when started this morning, no light. The wiring harness that goes to the module runs to the LH side of the engine compartment and then the firewall, so heat isn't that big an issue toward module. 2151 connector sits near the engine. Thinking about hardwiring around 2151, or is this a SDM symptom? Any suggestions?

 

Testing the resistance within the module really isn't a functional test since you do not know what goes on in that circuit within the module. Testing continuity from the SDM to the sensors is a valid functional test.