B1796-00

DTC B1796-00 indicates a short to ground in the control circuit of the driver-side second-stage seat belt pretensioner — Qin Plus

Safety System

DTC B1796-00 indicates a short to ground in the control circuit of the driver-side second-stage seat belt pretensioner.

The second-stage pretensioner is a dual-stage ignition component of the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS).

During a severe collision, a pyrotechnic device rapidly tightens the seat belt to eliminate slack between the occupant and the belt. "Short to ground" indicates an insulation failure between the pretensioner drive harness (typically the positive control wire) and the vehicle body ground (GND), causing resistance to drop abnormally (<1Ω).

This fault causes the SRS control unit (ACM) to detect abnormal circuit current, trigger fail-safe mode, and disable the pretensioner.

In extreme cases, this prevents the seat belt from tightening properly during a collision or creates a risk of unintended deployment under specific conditions.

4
Cases Logged
BYD DTC AI Analysis

B-pillar wiring harness chafing caused intermittent short circuit on Qin EV300

**Symptoms:** Airbag warning light comes on intermittently on rough roads, goes off on smooth surfaces. Intermittent DTC B1796-00. Owner reported recent seat height adjustment. **Diagnosis:** Removed B-pillar lower trim panel. Found driver seatbelt pretensioner harness (yellow) had chafed through insulation at seat rail mounting bracket, with copper conductor contacting chassis ground. Resistance fluctuated between 0.2Ω and 5Ω during vehicle vibration. **Resolution:** Repaired damaged harness (soldered, double-layer heat shrink tubing), adjusted harness routing and added rubber protective sleeve, re-secured to harness bracket. Fault resolved.
BYD DTC AI Analysis

Qin 100 pretensioner connector corroded after water ingress

**Symptoms:** After driving through deep water, the airbag warning light remained on constantly. Scanned DTC B1796-00. Found the carpet under the driver's seat was wet. **Diagnosis:** Removed the seat. The pretensioner connector (yellow 2-pin) had obvious water stains and green corrosion inside, with insulation resistance between terminals down to 0.8Ω. The sunroof drain tube had detached, allowing rainwater to run down the A-pillar and pool beneath the seat. **Resolution:** Thoroughly dried the seat and wiring harness. Cleaned the connector terminals with precision instrument cleaner, blew them dry, then applied dielectric grease. Repaired the drain tube. Cleared the fault code; it did not return.
BYD DTC AI Analysis

Qin EV450 second-stage pretensioner internal short circuit

**Symptoms:** No collision history. Airbag warning light stays on after normal startup. DTC B1796-00 stored and will not clear. **Diagnosis:** Disconnected the pretensioner plug under the seat. Measured >10MΩ insulation to earth on the harness side (normal). Measured 0.3Ω across the pretensioner itself (specification ~2.0Ω). Determined the second-stage igniter has an internal short to housing. **Repair:** Replaced the driver-side seat belt assembly (Part No. BYD-5820XXXX). Post-repair resistance measured 2.1Ω. Cleared the DTC; system self-test passed. Processed the old component per explosive material recycling procedure.
BYD DTC AI Analysis

Seat modification pinched the pretensioner harness, causing a short circuit.

**Symptoms:** After installing racing seats, the airbag warning light came on while driving with DTC B1796-00. The shop had removed the factory seatbelt buckles. **Diagnosis:** The aftermarket seat bracket was crushing the factory pretensioner wiring harness, damaging the insulation and shorting it to the bracket (chassis ground). Resistance at the short: 0.1Ω. **Resolution:** Removed the aftermarket seats and repaired the harness (cut and re-spliced due to severe damage). Re-routed the wiring to clear the seat rail travel path and added a harness protection plate. Fault cleared. Advised the owner to use pretensioner-compatible seats or retain the factory seatbelt system for any future modifications.
Data confidence: Community This information is for reference only. Always consult a qualified technician for diagnosis and repair. Do not attempt high-voltage system repairs yourself.