B0001-11: Driver Squib Shorted to Ground

Circuit fault

What B0001-11 means

When one of the two driver squib conductors touches chassis ground, the module measures a resistance far below what an intact igniter presents. It stores B0001-11 and shuts the restraint system down, because a firing circuit with a path to ground is not something it can control predictably.

The contact point is almost always mechanical. Insulation wears through where the harness crosses a bracket or a column bolt, or a wire gets pinched between a trim panel and metal during reassembly. The clockspring can also short internally when its ribbon frays against the housing, which puts it on the list alongside the harness.

Common causes

• Insulation worn through where the airbag harness contacts the steering column bracket
• A wire pinched between lower dash trim and metal during reassembly
• A clockspring shorting internally as the ribbon frays against its housing
• Water at the driver floor bridging a damaged section of harness to ground
• An internal short inside the driver airbag inflator
• Aftermarket wiring run through the column area that abraded the SRS harness

Crash data or hardware fault?

B0001-11 is measured live, and the module updates the reading every time it checks. That is what separates it from stored crash data, which is a permanent record written when an airbag fires and which stays put no matter what the wiring reads afterward. Only a module reset removes that record.

Does our reset clear it?

There is no reset that cures a short to ground. The module will read the same low value again on the next power up. Locate the point where the circuit is touching metal, repair or replace that section, and confirm the resistance falls back in range. After the repair, if the module also holds deployment data, mail it to us and we clear it.

Which makes throw it

This code and suffix combination is listed under Ram. The suffix system Ram uses distinguishes an open from a short to ground on the very same circuit, which is a useful head start compared to codes that only name the circuit.

What to do next

Disconnect the driver airbag and measure each conductor to ground with the harness alone, because isolating the two halves settles in one step whether the short is in the wiring or in the bag. If the harness is clear, the clockspring or the inflator is next. Inspect the column area for rub marks and pinch points, and check any aftermarket wiring routed through there. We carry genuine OEM Ram driver airbags and clocksprings. Related codes: B2765-11, B0001-13, B1B06.