What 'Crash Data Stored' Means and How to Clear It

If a scan tool is showing "crash data stored" (or "crash event recorded"), it means your vehicle's airbag control module has saved impact data and locked itself after a collision. It is one of the most common reasons an airbag light stays on. Here is exactly what it means and how it is cleared.

What "crash data stored" actually means

When the SRS system detects an impact, the airbag control module permanently writes crash data to its internal memory. To prevent the system from operating with a fault, the module then enters a locked state. Until that data is cleared, the module will not arm your airbags and the warning light remains on.

Why you can't just clear it with a scan tool

Standard OBD scan tools can read the code but cannot erase it — the crash data is written to protected EEPROM memory. Clearing it requires resetting that memory directly, which is what a proper airbag module reset does. This restores the module to its factory, pre-crash state.

Related codes you might see

Alongside "crash data stored" you may also see "control module locked," deployment fault codes, or communication errors. These typically clear together once the module memory is reset. For the full technical breakdown, see our pillar guide on SRS airbag module crash data reset.

Clearing it the smart way

Instead of buying a new module, most drivers can reuse their original module after the data is cleared. We reset modules by mail for most brands — find your vehicle on the airbag module reset page to get started.