Damaged, corroded or loose connector at the centre seat belt pretensioner or under the seat; Wiring fault in the pretensioner circuit, such as an open circuit, chafing or a short to ground or voltage; Faulty pretensioner or seat belt retractor assembly; Previous repair, seat removal or trim work that left a connector unseated or a wire trapped; Pretensioner already deployed in a past collision and not replaced; Fault inside the restraint control module's deployment driver.

B0071

First Row Center Seat Belt Pretensioner Deployment Control.

Generic
Body
Generic code
High severity

How this code is built

B: SystemBody
0: Defined bySAE, the same on every car
0: AreaBody area 0
71: FaultThe specific fault in that area

What it means

B0071 is the standard SAE J2012 code for a fault in the deployment control circuit of the first row centre seat belt pretensioner. The restraint control unit tests the pretensioner's firing circuit and sets the code when resistance, voltage or the driver circuit is outside its expected range. Only vehicles with a centre front seat position, such as some bench-seat vans and pickups, use this circuit, and the exact fault limits vary by model.

Symptoms

Airbag or SRS warning light on the dashboard
Light stays on permanently or comes on after a seat or trim has been disturbed
Other SRS codes stored alongside it, such as seat belt or buckle circuit faults
Pretensioner may not fire in a crash, which cannot be seen by the driver
Seat belt warning light or chime behaving oddly on the centre seat

Possible causes

Damaged, corroded or loose connector at the centre seat belt pretensioner or under the seatlikely
Wiring fault in the pretensioner circuit, such as an open circuit, chafing or a short to ground or voltagelikely
Faulty pretensioner or seat belt retractor assemblypossible
Previous repair, seat removal or trim work that left a connector unseated or a wire trappedpossible
Pretensioner already deployed in a past collision and not replacedpossible
Fault inside the restraint control module's deployment driverrare

How to diagnose

Read all stored and pending codes with a scan tool that supports SRS, and note any related belt, buckle or other airbag codes
Check freeze frame or status data, if available, to see whether the fault is current or history, and confirm whether the vehicle has a centre front seat
Look for signs of previous collision damage, seat removal or trim work near the centre seat and belt anchorage
Disconnect the battery and wait the time given in the manufacturer's procedure before touching any SRS connector
Inspect the pretensioner connector and wiring for pushed-out pins, corrosion, pinched or chafed cable, and check the connector lock or shorting clip is seated
Do not probe or apply a test current to the pretensioner circuit. Measure only as the manufacturer's SRS procedure allows, using the specified method
Check the manufacturer's data for wiring layout and connector locations, as these differ between models
After any repair, reconnect, clear the codes and confirm the SRS light goes out and the code does not return

How to fix

Reseat, clean or replace a damaged connector, following the manufacturer's SRS procedure
Repair or replace damaged wiring between the control module and the pretensioner
Replace the centre seat belt pretensioner or retractor assembly if it is faulty or has deployed
Rectify any fault caused by earlier seat or trim work, making sure the wiring is routed and secured correctly
Replace the restraint control module only after wiring and pretensioner faults are ruled out, and set it up as the manufacturer specifies

Can I keep driving?

High severity

The car can usually be driven short distances, but the centre seat belt pretensioner may not work in a crash, so avoid carrying a passenger in that seat and have the SRS system inspected promptly by a qualified technician.

Guide written by AI from the code's definition. Confirm with a diagnosis before replacing parts.