Airbag or seat belt warning light on: what it means for the APK (MOT)

Your airbag warning light stays on and the APK, the compulsory Dutch vehicle inspection, is coming up. Whether that means a fail depends mainly on the date your car was first put into use. This article explains what the rule of the RDW (Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer, the Dutch vehicle authority) says, how the inspector checks it and what you can do.

By the team at Autobedrijf Willemsbrug, RDW-approved APK (MOT) test station since 1979 · Updated 4 November 2026

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The short answer

If the warning light for the airbag system or the seat belt tensioners shows a fault, that is a rejection point (afkeurpunt) at the APK for cars first put into use after 31 December 2017, so the car fails. For cars first put into use before 1 January 2018, the inspector notes a repair advisory point (reparatieadviespunt): the car passes, with a note on the report. The inspector checks this after starting the engine. An airbag system with a fault may not work in a collision, so have the fault read as soon as possible.

Is an airbag warning light a reason to fail the APK?

Yes, if your car was first put into use after 31 December 2017. This is set out in article 5.2.47 of the Regeling voertuigen, the Dutch vehicle regulations, and explained in the APK manual of the RDW (in Dutch). The warning device of the airbag system must then not show a defect. The same applies to the warning for the seat belt tensioning system and the seat belt force limiting system. A fault warning is then a rejection point: a defect that means the car does not meet the APK requirements.

Date the car was first put into use Airbag or seat belt warning shows a fault
After 31 December 2017 Rejection point. The car does not get a new APK until the fault has been fixed.
Before 1 January 2018 Repair advisory point (RA1). The car passes, with a note on the report.

Source: RDW APK manual (article 5.2.47), RDW repair advisory points (RA1) and ANWB.

According to the ANWB, the Dutch motoring organisation, this check has applied since 20 May 2018. More checks on warning lights were added to the APK at that time. The date that counts is the date the car was first put into use: the date of first admission (datum eerste toelating) on your registration certificate (kentekenbewijs).

A repair advisory point is not a free pass. According to the RDW, it is repair advice about a safety system that is not working properly. The car passes, but the fault is still there. You can read more about the types of points in how to read your APK report.

How does the inspector check the airbag and seat belt system?

The inspector (in Dutch: keurmeester), the qualified person who carries out the APK, looks and listens after starting the engine. If the car then shows with a light, a message or a sound that the airbag or seat belt system is not working properly, the car does not meet the requirement. If he is in doubt, he takes the car for a short test drive.

  1. He starts the engine and looks and listens to see whether the car reports a fault in the airbag or seat belt tensioning system.
  2. If the car shows with a light, a message or a sound that the system is not working properly, he records the defect.
  3. If he is in doubt, he carries out a road test.
  4. Separately, he checks the seat belts themselves: the mounting, any damage, the buckle, the locking and the retractor.
The inspector cannot see whether the airbags are still there or whether they work. According to the ANWB, the APK does not check this. The inspection only looks at whether the warning system reports a fault. So a light that stays off is no proof that everything is in order.

What does the inspector check on the seat belts?

The compulsory seat belts must be present and work properly. Which belts are compulsory depends on the date the car was first put into use. A damaged belt or a belt that does not lock is a rejection point. This is separate from the warning light and from the date 31 December 2017.

  • Mounting: the belt must be securely fitted.
  • Webbing: no tears, cuts or other damage. Fluffing of the webbing does not count as damage. The inspector pulls a retractable belt all the way out to check this.
  • Buckle: the buckle must work properly.
  • Locking: the inspector pulls on the belt. If that is not conclusive, he checks the locking during a brake test on the road.
  • Retractor: after you put the belt on, it must lie against your body.
  • Repaired belt: a belt must not have been repaired, shortened or lengthened by joining the ends of the belt back together.
Date the car was first put into use Compulsory seat belts
After 30 September 2000 All forward-facing and rearward-facing seats
After 31 December 1989 and before 1 October 2000 All forward-facing seats
After 1 January 1971 and before 1 January 1990 The driver’s seat and the seats next to it, in so far as they border a door

Source: RDW APK manual, occupant protection (article 5.2.47)

The light or beep that warns you that you have not fastened your belt is not a fault message. It is a reminder. For the APK, what matters is the warning that the system itself has a defect.

Why does the airbag light come on?

The airbag light comes on when the self-diagnosis system of the airbags finds a fault. According to the ANWB, the problem is usually in the control unit of the airbag system. Problems with the wiring or the connectors are also common. When looking for the cause, the mechanic therefore checks these parts, among others.

  • Connectors under the front seats: wires run under the seat to parts such as the side airbag and the seat belt tensioner.
  • Clock spring in the steering wheel: a coiled ribbon of wires behind the steering wheel. It connects the steering wheel airbag to the rest of the car.
  • Seat belt tensioners and buckles: a seat belt tensioner pulls the belt tight in a collision and is part of the same safety system.
  • Seat occupancy sensor: in many cars, the passenger seat contains a sensor that reports whether someone is sitting there.
  • Control unit: the computer of the airbag system, which also stores the fault.

According to the ANWB, the system often switches off the affected part when there is a fault. That stops an airbag from going off unintentionally. The consequence is that the airbag may also not work in a collision.

What should you do if the airbag light is on?

Have the fault read as soon as possible. According to the ANWB, it is time to go to the garage when the airbag light flashes or stays on. Do not wait until the APK, because in a collision your safety and that of your passengers is at stake.

  1. Do not work on the airbag system yourself. Leave connectors and wiring to a mechanic. A fault switches off part of the system precisely to stop an airbag from going off unintentionally.
  2. Have the fault code read. With a diagnostic check we see which part or which circuit is giving the fault.
  3. Have the cause measured. A fault code points in a direction. The mechanic then checks the connectors, the wiring and the resistance of the part.
  4. Clear the code only after the repair. A code that is cleared without a repair comes back. The light then comes on again, also during the inspection.

We read the fault code and discuss with you beforehand what is needed. According to the ANWB, the cost of fixing an airbag fault varies widely, depending on the make, the model, the cause and the airbag involved.

Can you take your car to the APK with the airbag light on?

Yes. You can present the car for the APK. If your car was first put into use after 31 December 2017, it fails as long as the fault is there. In that case, have the fault fixed first, or make sure the repair and the retest are done well before the expiry date.

If we repair the items that failed, we will also arrange the retest. We will tell you the cost of the repairs and the retest in advance. At our RDW-approved APK station, the APK costs € 50 for petrol, petrol hybrid and electric cars and € 60 for a diesel with a factory-fitted DPF (diesel particulate filter). For an LPG car or another diesel, we tell you the price beforehand. Registering the result with the RDW is included. You can find more information on our page about the APK at our garage in Rotterdam. If another warning light is on as well, read engine warning light on and the APK.

Frequently asked questions

Will my 2016 car fail the APK if the airbag light is on?

No. On a car first put into use before 1 January 2018, the inspector notes a repair advisory point. The car passes, but the fault is on the report. Do have the fault fixed, because the airbag may not work.

Does the APK check whether my airbags still work?

No. According to the ANWB, the APK does not check whether the airbags are present and working. The inspector only checks whether the warning system reports a fault.

Is a broken seat belt on an older car a reason to fail?

Yes. If the car must have a belt in that seat, a broken belt is a reason to fail. The requirements for the belts themselves do not depend on the date 31 December 2017. A damaged belt, a buckle that does not work or a belt that does not lock is a rejection point.

How much does it cost to fix an airbag fault?

That depends on the cause. According to the ANWB, the cost varies widely, depending on the make, the model, the cause of the fault and the airbag involved. We first read the fault code. Then we discuss with you beforehand what is needed and what it costs.

What does it mean if the airbag light flashes or stays on?

The self-diagnosis system has found a fault. According to the ANWB, the system then often switches off the faulty part, so the airbag does not go off by accident. That airbag then also does not work in a collision. According to the ANWB, you should go to the garage when the light flashes or stays on.

Does the seat belt tensioner warning count separately?

Yes. The warning for the seat belt tensioning system and the seat belt force limiting system is a separate requirement in the APK manual. On cars first put into use after 31 December 2017, a fault message from it is also a rejection point. For older cars, the RDW lists the airbag and seat belt systems together in one repair advisory point (RA1).

Airbag light on?

Call us on +31 10 479 00 00 to make an appointment. We read the fault code and discuss with you beforehand what is needed.

You will find us at Boterdiep 11 in Rotterdam-IJsselmonde, close to Stadion Feijenoord (De Kuip). We work by appointment. For a quick question or check you can walk in without an appointment.

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