In this video, you will see the process of locating the Airbag Control Module (also known as the Restraints Control Module or RCM). If your truck has been in an accident, your dashboard airbag warning light is permanently lit, or you need to remove the module to send it out for a crash data reset, this visual guide shows you exactly where to look inside the vehicle to find it.
How this video helps you: The Airbag Control Module is intentionally buried deep inside the passenger cabin, bolted directly to the structural floor pan of the vehicle. This central placement ensures the internal sensors can accurately measure crash forces from any angle. Because it is hidden entirely beneath interior trim pieces, carpeting, or console assemblies, you cannot see it from a normal seat position. This video points directly to its exact location on the vehicle so you can see it clearly. You will see exactly which interior components must be unbolted and pulled back to reveal the module, and get a clear view of the heavy-duty locking electrical connectors that link it to the SRS system.
⚠️ CRITICAL SAFETY NOTE: The Airbag Control Module retains backup electrical power even after the ignition key is turned off. To prevent accidental deployment of the airbags or seatbelt pretensioners—which can cause severe personal injury—always disconnect the vehicle’s negative battery cable and wait at least 15 to 30 minutes to let the system fully power down before touching, unclipping, or working near the module!
Common signs of an issue with the Airbag Control Module: The RCM is the brain of your Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), continuously running diagnostics on every airbag, sensor, and seatbelt buckle in the truck. When it stores crash data or experiences an internal electronic failure, it triggers these signs:
- Permanent Airbag Light on the Dash: The red or amber airbag icon stays illuminated continuously on your instrument cluster, indicating the safety system is completely disabled and will not deploy in a crash.
- Hard Crash Data Locked: If the truck was involved in a collision where the airbags deployed (or a severe impact where they didn’t), the module locks down internally with a hard fault code that standard OBD2 code readers cannot clear.
- Restraint System Trouble Codes: A diagnostic scan tool connected to the truck flags specific SRS system communication faults or circuit errors pointing directly to an internal module failure.
Watch the video to see the exact location inside the cabin and handle your SRS diagnostics safely!