AU
B16E0-00

DTC B16E0-00 indicates a short to ground in the Left Rear Impact Sensor signal circuit within the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) — Atto 8

Safety System

DTC B16E0-00 indicates a short to ground in the Left Rear Impact Sensor signal circuit within the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS).

This sensor typically mounts in the left rear quarter panel or C-pillar area to monitor collision acceleration at the left rear of the vehicle.

A short to ground indicates abnormal continuity (resistance below the normal range) between the sensor power wire, signal wire, or shield and the vehicle body metal frame.

This causes the SRS control module to receive a continuous low-level signal.

This fault forces the SRS into fail-safe mode and may cause the following: 1) The left rear side airbag/curtain airbag fails to deploy during an actual collision. 2) The system misinterprets the fault as a collision and inadvertently deploys the airbag. 3) Entire SRS functionality restricts, severely compromising passive safety performance.

The B16E0-00 fault code on the Atto 8 indicates a short to ground in the left rear impact sensor circuit for the SRS airbag system. This is a high-severity fault because it can limit airbag protection or cause incorrect deployment behavior. Common causes include damaged wiring in the left rear quarter panel or water/corrosion in the sensor connector. Visit an authorised dealer for diagnosis and repair. Typical repair cost data is available.
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Cases Logged
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Causes
Likely Causes — Atto 8
  • 1Wiring harness chafing or crushing inside the left rear quarter panel: Prolonged driving over rough roads causes the wiring harness to rub against metal edges, damaging the insulation and shorting the signal wire to ground.
  • 2Sensor connector water ingress and corrosion: Car washing, wading, or poor sealing causes a short circuit between the connector terminals, creating a path to ground.
  • 3Rear crash sensor internal fault: Damaged internal electronic components cause a short circuit between the power supply terminal and the ground terminal.
  • 4Improperly secured wiring harness after collision repair: Failure to route the wiring harness along the standard path during left rear collision repairs caused the seat bracket or interior trim panel screws to pinch the harness.
  • 5SRS control module internal short circuit: Fault in the control module internal signal processing circuit causes the left rear sensor channel to short to ground.
What To Do
  • 1
    Safety preparation: Disconnect the 12V battery negative terminal, wait at least 90 seconds for the SRS system capacitor to discharge, and wear an anti-static wrist strap.
  • 2
    Visual inspection: Remove the left C-pillar trim panel and the left side of the rear bumper. Inspect the left rear crash sensor (usually numbered Y3) for physical damage. Check the connector for looseness, water ingress, or corrosion.
  • 3
    Circuit continuity test: Set the multimeter to resistance mode. Disconnect the sensor connector and the SRS module connector. Measure the resistance between the harness-side signal pin (usually corresponding to the pin in the scan tool data stream) and body ground. The normal value is infinity (OL). A reading of 0-5Ω confirms a short to ground.
  • 4
    Section-by-section troubleshooting: Follow the wiring harness routing along the left rear quarter panel (passing under the left rear door frame seal to the floor harness). Gradually strip back the corrugated conduit to inspect the harness outer sheath. Focus on contact points with the seat rail, seat belt retaining bolt, and rear fender inner liner.
  • 5
    Insulation repair or replacement: If the wiring harness is damaged, apply a double layer of heat-shrink tubing or waterproof tape; if the sensor itself is faulty, replace it with an OEM left rear crash sensor (part number usually begins with 5A-). Tighten to 8-10 N·m.
  • 6
    System verification: Reconnect all connectors and restore power. Use VDS or Launch X431 to clear the fault code. Perform an SRS system self-test. Read the data stream to confirm the left rear sensor voltage signal changes normally with impact within the 0.5-4.5V range. Perform a simulated collision test (lightly tap the sensor mounting position) and observe the data stream changes.
Real-World Cases
BYD DTC AI Analysis

BYD Qin EV300 left rear impact sensor short circuit after wading

✓
After driving through water about 30 cm deep, the airbag warning light on the instrument panel stayed on. Read fault code B16E0-00. Removed the left rear sill trim panel and found water inside the left rear impact sensor connector. Water caused a short circuit between pin 3 (signal wire) and pin 1 (ground). Dried the connector with compressed air, applied electronic contact cleaner, and replaced the seal ring. The fault cleared. Check the left rear quarter panel vent seal strip for deterioration.
BYD DTC AI Analysis

Wiring harness crimping after accident repair caused short circuit on Qin 100

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The vehicle was rear-ended on the left side. After the left rear quarter panel was replaced at an external repair shop, DTC B16E0-00 set. Inspection revealed that when reinstalling the interior trim panel, the technician had routed the left rear impact sensor harness (yellow corrugated tubing) beneath the seat mounting bolt. The bolt washer crushed the insulation, allowing the copper wires to contact the chassis directly. Re-routed the harness, secured it with dedicated clips, and replaced the damaged wire section. Fault cleared.
BYD DTC AI Analysis

Qin EV450 sensor internal short circuit

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The airbag warning light illuminated intermittently during normal use, with increased frequency in humid weather. A wiring harness check found no short to earth, but measuring the left rear impact sensor alone showed a resistance of only 12 Ω (normal is several kilohms). This pointed to an internal MEMS accelerometer circuit fault causing a power short to earth. Replaced the left rear impact sensor (part number 5A-3638400), performed configuration coding and adaptation, and fully resolved the fault.
BYD DTC AI Analysis

Retrofitting a reversing camera damaged the wiring harness.

✓
The owner installed a surround-view camera system themselves. While drilling to route wiring on the left rear side, the drill bit damaged the factory left rear impact sensor harness, breaching the insulation and exposing the copper core. The exposed core contacted the body metal, triggering DTC B16E0-00. Removed the left rear quarter trim panel and found a ~3mm wound in the harness from the drill. Cut out the damaged section, spliced in a heat-resistant wire (0.5mm², 125°C rated) by soldering, and sealed with double-layer heat shrink tubing. Normal operation restored.
Other Atto 8 Fault Codes
B110811This DTC indicates a short circuit in the air conditioning system PM2.5 air quality sensor (rapid detector). Specifically, abnormal continuity exists between the sensor power supply circuit or signal output circuit and body ground or battery positive. This causes the control module (ACU/air conditioning controller) to detect abnormal current or a voltage signal outside the valid range (typically 0V or supply voltage). The PM2.5 sensor monitors internal and external particulate concentrations, providing the data the automatic air conditioning system uses to switch between fresh air and recirculation modes. A short circuit disables the air quality monitoring function. This fault may force the air conditioning system into recirculation protection mode and trigger related thermal management system faults, as the air conditioning system acts as a key actuator in vehicle thermal management. In severe cases, the short circuit current can damage the internal sampling circuit of the air conditioning controller or overheat the wiring harness.B1109DTC B1109 indicates an open circuit in the communication line between the air conditioning system PM2.5 air quality sensor (dust concentration sensor) and the air conditioning control unit (AC ECU), or an open circuit within the sensor internal circuitry. Typically located in the air conditioning intake duct, this sensor monitors real-time PM2.5 particle concentration inside and outside the vehicle. It provides data to the automatic air conditioning system for intelligent switching between fresh air and recirculation modes and for controlling the air purification device. During an open circuit fault, the AC ECU cannot receive the air quality signal, triggering the system fail-safe mode. Symptoms typically include failure of the automatic recirculation function, abnormal air purification indicator light operation, or abnormal air quality data displayed on the air conditioning panel. Severe cases may compromise the cabin environment control strategy, but do not directly affect vehicle driving safety.B110A02DTC B110A02 indicates the thermal management master control unit (HVAC ECU) or body control module (BCM) failed to receive valid CAN data frames from the PM2.5 air quality sensor over consecutive communication cycles (typically 500ms per cycle). The sensor typically mounts at the HVAC unit air inlet or behind the glove box and transmits real-time particulate concentration data (unit: μg/m³) to the HVAC controller via the CAN bus. The fault is essentially a communication link layer timeout. Potential causes include physical layer wiring faults, sensor power supply failures, sensor internal MCU lockup, or CAN network topology damage. Although this non-critical fault does not directly affect driving safety, it disables the intelligent air purification strategy and the automatic fresh air/recirculation switching function. In extreme cases, it triggers a thermal management system degraded mode, limiting compressor power or fixing the air flap position.B110B07This fault code indicates abnormal operation of the internal air pump (sampling pump) in the PM2.5 air quality detection module. The PM2.5 detector uses the laser scattering principle to measure particulate concentration and requires a built-in air pump to draw ambient air into the detection chamber at a constant flow rate. The ECU sets this code when it detects an open or short in the air pump drive circuit, abnormal current (stall or free-running), or abnormal speed feedback. This fault causes the automatic air conditioning system to lose air quality sensing capability, preventing automatic switching between fresh air and recirculation modes. The instrument cluster air quality display may show '--' or a fixed value, but the fault does not affect the vehicle powertrain or basic air conditioning cooling and heating functions.B173CDTC B173C indicates the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) detects the Right Second Row Side Airbag squib circuit resistance exceeds the calibrated threshold (typically >4.5Ω). This fault is an active diagnostic result of the SRS system, indicating a high-resistance condition in the circuit between the Airbag Control Unit (ACU) and the airbag module. Causes for excessive resistance include increased contact resistance, a partially broken wiring harness, terminal oxidation, or an aging squib wire inside the airbag module. This fault causes the system to mark the airbag circuit as 'unreliable', meaning the airbag may fail to deploy during a collision. The fault typically illuminates the instrument cluster airbag warning light (SRS light) continuously, and some models also sound a warning buzzer.
Common problems reported for Atto 8 →Atto 8 overview →
Data confidence: Official This information is for reference only. Always consult a qualified technician for diagnosis and repair. Do not attempt high-voltage system repairs yourself.