Airbag Warning Light

[jason.p]

Hello all. I've just taken possession of my first Galaxy. It's a 2000 (W reg) TDI and having suffered with a Ren Espace for a couple of years I am very pleased with it. One small problem is that the airbag warning light stays on. I had this on another car(Rover 200) and all it was was a loose connection under the driver's seat. Is there any chance that this is something as easy to fix?

Thanks in advance.

[Mirez]

Hello all. I've just taken possession of my first Galaxy. It's a 2000 (W reg) TDI and having suffered with a Ren Espace for a couple of years I am very pleased with it. One small problem is that the airbag warning light stays on. I had this on another car(Rover 200) and all it was was a loose connection under the driver's seat. Is there any chance that this is something as easy to fix?

Thanks in advance.

 

The airbag light is a hard light so won't reset itself and needs clearing by specialist tools. Could be any number of reasons its been thrown but again the tool will tell you. Where abouts are you in the SW?

[jason.p]

Hello all. I've just taken possession of my first Galaxy. It's a 2000 (W reg) TDI and having suffered with a Ren Espace for a couple of years I am very pleased with it. One small problem is that the airbag warning light stays on. I had this on another car(Rover 200) and all it was was a loose connection under the driver's seat. Is there any chance that this is something as easy to fix?

Thanks in advance.

 

The airbag light is a hard light so won't reset itself and needs clearing by specialist tools. Could be any number of reasons its been thrown but again the tool will tell you. Where abouts are you in the SW?

Thanks for reply Mirez. I'll ask my local friendly mechanic if he has the tool. I'm in West Wales.

[mikej]

If your ever travelling east along the M4, i'm in Bridgend and can reset it for you !

[jason.p]

If your ever travelling east along the M4, i'm in Bridgend and can reset it for you !

 

Thanks Mike. I do travel that way every so often so I may take you up on your kind offer.

[cyborg]

Hi Don't want to extinish hope but I have done several mk1 galaxy clock springs it highly unlikley that it's a quick reset.

you diagnose fault with vagcom its most likley the spring beneath airbag .so set aside half an hour to fix the spings are

 

[jason.p]

Hi Don't want to extinish hope but I have done several mk1 galaxy clock springs it highly unlikley that it's a quick reset.

you diagnose fault with vagcom its most likley the spring beneath airbag .so set aside half an hour to fix the spings are

 

[cyborg]

Thats right airbag fuction is completly disabled once light is on . This is because there's no resistance detected .You can disable the the offending bag

which will enbale system should you have more than one bag .The light however will still stay on as a technical failure warning.

[jason.p]

Thats right airbag fuction is completly disabled once light is on . This is because there's no resistance detected .You can disable the the offending bag

which will enbale system should you have more than one bag .The light however will still stay on as a technical failure warning.

Thanks again :rolleyes:

[Mirez]

Thats right airbag fuction is completly disabled once light is on .

 

Be very careful giving that advice out mate as its simply not true, the airbag system is still very much active even with the lamp on so don't go prodding about thinking its safe and deactivated because it could hurt :rolleyes: I *think* you mean "if the clock-spring unit has gone O/C then it won't be able to fire that bag" which is a much safer line to give although even then I've seen CS units that have been diagnosed as faulty by their controllers that could still have carried enough current to fire the igniter. Also since the cause is yet to be identified that's a risky statement in itself. I'm not having a pop (boom-boom) at you btw - it's just the SRS system is more then capable of killing someone if they arn't expecting it. (There was a story recently about a German guy who's airbag went off whilst he thought it was disabled and the force put the screwdriver he was holding through his neck killing him instantly eek!)

 

There are some exceptions where the system would be disabled entirely (Internal memory fault, input voltage outside range, more then one crash sensor faulty etc) but a zero or high resistance to the drivers igniter won't disable it - in the event of a crash it will still go through the motions and attempt to ignite that bag regardless, along with any others the system thinks are required (or are fitted)

Edited September 19, 2011 by Mirez

[daddyfixit]

Thats right airbag fuction is completly disabled once light is on .

 

Be very careful giving that advice out mate as its simply not true, the airbag system is still very much active even with the lamp on so don't go prodding about thinking its safe and deactivated because it could hurt :rolleyes: I *think* you mean "if the clock-spring unit has gone O/C then it won't be able to fire that bag" which is a much safer line to give although even then I've seen CS units that have been diagnosed as faulty by their controllers that could still have carried enough current to fire the igniter. Also since the cause is yet to be identified that's a risky statement in itself. I'm not having a pop (boom-boom) at you btw - it's just the SRS system is more then capable of killing someone if they arn't expecting it. (There was a story recently about a German guy who's airbag went off whilst he thought it was disabled and the force put the screwdriver he was holding through his neck killing him instantly eek!)

 

There are some exceptions where the system would be disabled entirely (Internal memory fault, input voltage outside range, more then one crash sensor faulty etc) but a zero or high resistance to the drivers igniter won't disable it - in the event of a crash it will still go through the motions and attempt to ignite that bag regardless, along with any others the system thinks are required (or are fitted)

 

an entertaining true story;

 

once upon a time there was a brand new renault kangoo (postman pat van). it comes off the delivery transporter to be put away till sold, "airbag light is on" says the delivery guy who dropped it off at the dealership.

so the van gets sold; and is brought in for pdi and number plates, a warranty job card raised for the airbag warning light is also to be done by the mechanic. he does the pdi,fits number plates to a van that has never seen the road or had the owners bum on its seats.

he then gets the renault diagnostic kit to find the airbag warning light fault, he plugs it into the comms.port and sits with both feet on the workshop floor, ready to do what master technicians do best..........

 

once he has been picked up off the floor by the people working alongside him, it becomes apparent that the ecu is faulty and has fired the airbags/pre-tensioners as soon as it was connected up and he switched the machine on----------it hit him on his left-hand side and threw him out the van onto the floor !!

 

i dont trust them when the battery is off either !! farting little capacitors (smaller than netto peanuts !!)are used as backup to the car battery and are able to fire the system in case of battery destruction in the event of a crash, i never sit in front of one, instead work from the side.

[cyborg]

Thats right airbag fuction is completly disabled once light is on .

 

Be very careful giving that advice out mate as its simply not true, the airbag system is still very much active even with the lamp on so don't go prodding about thinking its safe and deactivated because it could hurt :rolleyes: I *think* you mean "if the clock-spring unit has gone O/C then it won't be able to fire that bag" which is a much safer line to give although even then I've seen CS units that have been diagnosed as faulty by their controllers that could still have carried enough current to fire the igniter. Also since the cause is yet to be identified that's a risky statement in itself. I'm not having a pop (boom-boom) at you btw - it's just the SRS system is more then capable of killing someone if they arn't expecting it. (There was a story recently about a German guy who's airbag went off whilst he thought it was disabled and the force put the screwdriver he was holding through his neck killing him instantly eek!)

 

There are some exceptions where the system would be disabled entirely (Internal memory fault, input voltage outside range, more then one crash sensor faulty etc) but a zero or high resistance to the drivers igniter won't disable it - in the event of a crash it will still go through the motions and attempt to ignite that bag regardless, along with any others the system thinks are required (or are fitted)

 

Agreed, extreme caution is to be taken when adjusting any airbag system. A definate a fo par by myslef making light of complex task....... I welcome your coments and agree "if the clock-spring unit has gone O/C then it won't be able to fire that bag".The bags themselves are very much a live device and should be treated with respect at all times even when there past there 10 year life span.

 

On a technician note , vagcom does allow bag on /off feature within simular to the on /off feature allowing a child in front passenger seat .however that all said in the sense of real world home mechinc's who read a few webb pages and go forth should be strongly diswaded from any adjustment of airbag system so in retrospect and disclaimer to all posts left by me 'cyborg' "LEAVE AIRBAG SYSTEM ALONE treat with extreme pejudice " .

[jason.p]

Thanks guys. I think with due consideration I'll probably leave the airbag alone for the time being and work on the assumption it's not going to work (whichever one it is!). On the scale of possible trouble with a used car it's a small problem :rolleyes:

[jason.p]

Update. Problem seems to have sorted itself! Had some wiring repaired (broken tailgate wires, bit of a mess!)and airbag light is now off. I presume the battery was disconnected and reconnected. It would be nice if all probs were so easy to resolve :(