Quick answer
If the airbag warning lamp is on after hub or wheel work, stop driving and use a licensed SRS workshop - do not probe airbag connectors, and refit only with factory alignment marks and published torque.
Problem
- Airbag and SRS parts must be handled only by qualified workshops.
Symptoms
- Airbag warning lamp on after wheel or hub work.
Cause
- Clock spring over-rotation, connector damage, or incorrect hub stack height can disturb SRS circuits.
Fix Step-by-step
- Collect identity before you order - VIN, build month, clear photos of the current hub and airbag clip style (no powered probing). Kits are matched to SRS generation, spline, and stack height - not PCD alone.
- Stack-height budget - Measure OEM hub + approved adapter + wheel: total must respect clock-spring and airbag clearance in the supplier note. Common mistake: stacking spacers from mixed kits to “make it fit.”
- Dry-fit splines - Wheel should slide onto the hub by hand; if it needs hammering, spline count or centre bore is wrong - stop.
- Plan SRS-safe service - Battery disconnect and airbag handling steps are in the OEM manual - follow them before the wheel lifts off.
- Photograph alignment references - Straight-ahead hub marks and clock-spring timing dots/tabs before the wheel clears the column.
- If the airbag lamp is on - Do not drive for “one more test”; use a licensed SRS workshop. Never back-probe airbag connectors with a meter.
Ordering mistakes we see often
- Wrong-generation hub because the wheel looked the same online.
- Aftermarket cruise stalk or horn pad depth changed without re-checking clock-spring compression.