Lost Communication With Restraints System Sensor E
What it means
U0174 means the restraints controller has lost communication with restraints system sensor E — one of the crash/impact sensors that tell the airbag system when and how to deploy. It turns on the airbag warning light and can leave part of the restraint system unable to react correctly in a collision, even though the car drives normally. It is usually caused by a wiring or connector fault, a lost power or ground feed, or a failed sensor, and should be treated as a safety-priority repair.
Can I keep driving? The car drives, but the airbag light is on and one restraint sensor is offline, so airbags may not deploy correctly in a crash — repair it promptly.
Common symptoms
What you'll notice
- Airbag / SRS warning light on
- Restraint or airbag function partially disabled
- Restraints system sensor E unresponsive to a scan tool
- Intermittent SRS fault, sometimes after a bump or over rough roads
Common causes
Most likely first
- Damaged, corroded, or disconnected wiring or connector at the sensorLikely
- Lost power or ground feed to the sensorCommon
- Failed restraints system sensorCommon
- CAN or dedicated-circuit fault between the sensor and the restraints controllerLess often
- Water intrusion or impact damage at the sensor's mounting locationLess often
How to diagnose & fix
Work through it in order
- Scan the SRS system and confirm whether restraints sensor E responds.
- Inspect the sensor's connector and wiring for corrosion, damage, or water intrusion.
- Check power and ground at the sensor where applicable.
- Check the circuit between the sensor and the restraints control module for opens or shorts.
- If wiring is good but the sensor stays silent, replace it, then clear and re-test with a proper SRS scan tool.
FAQ
Quick answers
Is it safe to drive with U0174?+
Can I just clear U0174?+
Related codes
Often seen with U0174
Read & clear U0174 yourself
Scan your car, confirm the code, and clear it once it's fixed — with OBD DashX on your phone.