Published: August 16, 2026 · Last updated: October 31, 2026
The 30-second answer. A stored airbag fault after a repair clears over OBD with any full-system scanner. Crash data after a deployment, a locked module or an internal fault sits in the module's memory chip, and no scanner rewrites that through the port. For that you need a dedicated airbag tool that works on the bench (OBDSTAR P50, CGDI CG70) or a chip programmer that reads the EEPROM or MCU so the dump can be cleared (CarProg clone, Orange5 clone).
I earn from qualifying purchases and sometimes get tools for free (full disclosure). It never affects my scoring.
The 30-second answer
OBDSTAR P50 6 / 10
The only dedicated airbag tool with an official list that covers OBD and bench on the same device: 110 brands and about 17,000 module part numbers, most of them with crash data erase.
- ✓Official coverage list per part number with chip and method | OBD reset on 2020+ CAN FD cars (Toyota
- ✓Honda
- ✓Kia/Hyundai
- ✓Renault) | Bench wiring diagrams in the app
- ✓No opening of the module for most units | SAS and battery reset included
- ✕Yearly fee after the first year | Not a chip programmer: units outside the list need another tool | Chinese-brand heavy list
- ✕European coverage thinner on older cars
Autel IM608 PRO 2 9.1 / 10
professional key programming and diagnostics tool considered one of the best IMMO tools for workshops. Great choice as one-for-all scanenr in car shops.
- ✓Industry-leading key programming
- ✓Full-system diagnostics
- ✓ECU programming
- ✓Extremely wide vehicle coverage
- ✕Very expensive
- ✕Annual subscription required
- ✕Overkill for home DIY
CarProg clone 8.5 / 10
The cheapest way into airbag crash data: external EEPROM and old Motorola MCU units read through the connector pins or a clip, dump edited or cleared with the built-in airbag module. The clone runs old software, so 2016+ units are out of reach.
- ✓About 90 USD with all adapters | Read a Skoda Fabia airbag through the pins without opening the module (my bench) | Covers HC05/HC08/HC11/HC912 and 95xxx/93Cxx/24Cxx/25xxx memories | Also immo and dashboard jobs
- ✕Clone quality varies
- ✕Reads can be unreliable | No RH850
- ✕TriCore
- ✕XC2xxx or SPC56 support | Old software
- ✕No updates | Windows only
Orange5 clone 8.6 / 10
Chip programmer, not an airbag tool: strong on Renesas H8SX, NEC V850 and Fujitsu MCUs that CarProg cannot touch, so it complements a CarProg clone on the bench. Crash data is cleared by editing the dump.
- ✓Good at older Renesas H8SX and V850 airbag MCUs | RH850 with the V3 licence in newer clone kits | Cheap
- ✓No fees
- ✕No airbag list
- ✕You need to know the chip | Every job is chip level | Clone software
- ✕No updates
CGDI CG70 6 / 10
Cheaper OBD plus bench airbag tool with about 900 part numbers on its list, mostly Honda/Acura, Hyundai, Ford, Nissan, GM and Great Wall; almost every unit on it is also on the P50 list.
- ✓One-button Auto Repair on the listed units | OBD and bench on one device | No yearly fee reported
- ✕Small list (about 900 units) | No chip-level work outside the list | Price and availability vary by reseller
Which tool can reset my airbag module?
Pick the car brand, then type the part number from the label on the airbag control module (the most reliable way) or pick the model.
Type at least 4 characters. Spaces and dashes do not matter. Bosch numbers (0 285 ...) work too.
Model lists come from reset-service databases and part-number prefixes, so they are not complete. If your model is missing, use the part number.
What these tools actually do on real cars
All tools by job
Not all-rounders. Each one does one job very well, often better than anything in the table.
The job over the tool
Try the reset over OBD first. It is free and fixes the stored-fault cases. Bench tools are for faults that survive a proper OBD clear and for deployed modules.
2018+ modules (RH850, TriCore, CAN FD) need the P50 or OBD where the brand allows it. A CarProg clone has nothing for you there.
Bench through the connector keeps it sealed, ten minutes. Chip level means opening, clipping or desoldering, reading, clearing the dump, writing back.
One module: a 50 to 100 dollar programmer plus Dumphacker, or a mail-in service. A workshop: the P50 pays for itself on the first jobs.
Keep the original dump before any write. A failed verify means nothing was written and the crash data is still there.
Which tool for whom
Dedicated airbag tools (OBDSTAR P50, CGDI CG70)
For anyone who does airbags regularly. They carry a part-number list, talk to the module on the bench through its connector or over OBD, and erase the crash record themselves. No dump editing, no soldering on most units.
Chip programmers and clones (CarProg, Orange5, Xprog, UPA)
For the module you already have on the bench. They read the memory chip, the crash block gets cleared on Dumphacker, you write the file back. Cheap, no lists, you need to know the chip; the lookup under the table tells you.
Scanners that also program (Autel IM608)
For the one-device owner. Reset over OBD where the car allows it, and with the XP400 the EEPROM route for external-EEPROM modules. Pure scanners (D8S, IP900BT) stop at the port.
Where the lookup data comes from
Official coverage lists of OBDSTAR P50, CGDI CG100X and CG70, the CarProTool module list, reset-service databases, my own archive of 760 airbag dumps and part-number prefix rules for nine makers. 23,400 units, 13,900 with a vehicle model. Vendor rows mean the maker lists it, by-chip rows mean the programmer reads that memory family. Send me your result through the experience form and it becomes a verified row.
When to send the module away instead
One module, no bench: a mail-in reset costs 50 to 150 dollars and two days. The middle road is reading the chip with a 50-dollar programmer and clearing the dump on Dumphacker. The full read-and-reset procedure with my photos is in the guide below.
Which tool can reset my airbag module?
Pick the car brand, then type the part number from the label on the airbag control module (the most reliable way) or pick the model.
Type at least 4 characters. Spaces and dashes do not matter. Bosch numbers (0 285 ...) work too.
Model lists come from reset-service databases and part-number prefixes, so they are not complete. If your model is missing, use the part number.
I'm Juraj Lukacko and I work as an auto electrician. On this site I share what I learn from real work on real cars, to help you pick the right tools for diagnostics, programming and tuning and get the job done.
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