What does it mean?
B1443 is a Body (airbags, seat belts, body electronics) fault code. It indicates: Curtain air bag module (RH) (squib) system fault ground circuit (short-circuited to ground) .
Symptoms
- Airbag warning lamp on and the right curtain airbag disabled at every start
- Curtain protection unavailable in a side impact or rollover
- Code cannot be cleared and returns instantly as current
- May be intermittent and appear only after heavy rain or a car wash if water ingress is the cause
- No effect on engine, brakes or any other driver facing system
Likely causes
- Chafed roof rail harness where it crosses a pillar flange or a headliner support bracket
- Trim clip or fastener trapping the loom against bare metal during reassembly
- Water entering from a roof drain, sunroof hose or windscreen seal and corroding a terminal to the connector shell
- Insulation degraded by heat where the loom lies against the roof panel in strong sunlight
- Internal ground short inside the curtain airbag inflator assembly
- Previous repair splice taped straight against a metal edge
- Restraint control module output driver shorted internally
How to fix it
- Switch off the ignition, disconnect the battery and observe the specified reserve energy discharge time first
- Check the roof drains, sunroof hoses and windscreen seal for leaks, since water is a very common origin of a curtain circuit ground fault
- Drop the headliner edge and follow the yellow harness looking for chafe points, crushed sections and trapped clips
- Unplug the curtain airbag at the pillar and inspect the connector for corrosion and a pin leaking to the shell
- With the approved load tool fitted in place of the airbag, verify whether the short to ground remains in the wiring
- Repair the insulation or renew the harness section, then secure it in its original clips clear of metal edges
- Fit a new curtain airbag unit only after the harness has been proven good, clear the codes and confirm the warning lamp extinguishes