Re: Airbag Warning flashing

Think its down to a few reasons really,
Poor routing of airbag wiring (like getting caught when moving seat back etc)
Poor quality terminals in multiplugs (Fiat use tin foil I reckon )
Lots of connectors due to amount of components in the system (I repaired a stilo otherday with 8 bloody airbags!)
Money!.....most 'punters' would prefer colourful strips/CD player/alloys etc thus the manufacture has to provide this and keep price down so sacrifices/cost cutting is carried out.
Your right that Fiat (and Alfas) suffer more than most but the faults are well known and the areas they occur what annoys most folk is £40-50 to 'put light out'!

Re: Airbag Warning flashing

Is there a separate Airbag type examiner and access point to pinpoint where the fault lies? It must be a nightmare trying to trace one dodgy connector without something to help narrow down its location

I think there's one for the air con too, is that correct?

Damn! I thought the Stilo air bag light was self extinguishing. Is it the same as the Bravos then that the warning light "locks on" and can only be put out by dealer examiner software?

Re: Airbag Warning flashing

Ok let me try and explain why airbags are such a problem.
Basically the system uses explosives to inflate the airbags in the event of certain types of accident. Because igniting explosives within the confines of a car is quite dangerous in itself, the systems are built to failsafe if a fault is detected and switch themselves off. Older systems cannot reset themselves but newer ones can recheck for faults and if all is well they can re-activate. the problem is that on every other system the fault has to be apparent for a fixed amount of time between seconds and minutes. With airbag systems its instantly put into failsafe when a fault occurs, now this may be a resistence increase of 0.5 ohms, something that any other system can cope with, or something more serious. The other problem is that if the fault has occured for 0.25 of a second during the previous 70 hours of driving then it can be a problem to diagnose as the fault is not there to test for when in the dealers. Multimeters also cannot be used without very great care as the voltages produced by the meter can detonate the explosives. This is why a dealer may need more than one attempt at correcting an unusual airbag fault. Hope this is of some help.

Re: Airbag Warning flashing

i had my stilo towed to the garaged by the aa the first time the airbag light came on and demanded a courstesy car while mine got fixed, as, i quote the aa 'its one of only a few where you cannt actually drive while the light is on' (trust fiat!). anyway the service manager was a sarchy **** and asked why i had brough it in if it was running ok, after some precision shouting and a few choice words, it became a case of we cannt fit you in for two weeks to, pick it up tommorow first thing. result. but it still happened so i just chopped out the connector as everone else has previosly done.

Re: Airbag Warning flashing

Thanks for the detailed description NumanR and I'm relieved the warning light extinguishes on it's own now when the fault is cured as that was just a stupid design to just "lock on" the warning light at any momentary fault. All other systems can perform a self test at start up and reset themselves so why not air bag system?

Re: Airbag Problem

It's often caused by the connectors underneath the seats which are tacky to say the least on most cars these days. Thankfully on the Stilo, once you hit the jackpot, the air bag light goes out on its own and doesn't need taking to a dealer just to reset the warning light. Dealer should be able to fix in no time but there's a lot to airbag systems so they often come on again

NB the airbag warning light is saying it's found a fault and the airbag system is shut down (rather than watch out it might go off in your face!) so it's up to you whether you drive it or not

Re: Airbag Problem

Mine used to come on all the time, mainly when there was a passenger present...

Now currently fixed - dealership had two attempts at fixing it, and ended up being the passenger weight sensor in that seat.

Re: Airbag Problem

"NB the airbag warning light is saying it's found a fault and the airbag system is shut down (rather than watch out it might go off in your face!) "

Not true, the airbag warning light and message comes on to indicate a fault with the system, the airbag ecu SHOULD shut the system down BUT if the fault is with the ecu then there is no way of telling what the airbag system will do. Personally I would be ok with driving it but it is up to the driver to make his/her choice.

Re: Airbag Problem

Are you sure NumanR? ALL of the many criteria must be met before an air bag can be allowed to trigger to go off and one of them is no faults found in the self test system.

Whilst, taken to extremes, absolutely anything can happen regardless of whether the airbag light is on or off, the air bag system should be non functional if the warning light is on

Re: Airbag Problem

Yes I am sure, if the ecu is faulty it does not have to follow ANY criteria before it fires any airbag.

Re: Airbag Problem

So when we manually switch the passenger air bag off and the passenger air bag warning light comes on to tell us it's non functional your saying the passenger air bag could still go off? Or is that different?


If someone intends driving with an air bag warning light on then should they pull the air bag fuse to isolate the whole system?

Re: Airbag Problem

When you operate the switch for passenger airbag you do not interrupt the wiring to the airbag you send a signal to the ecu to do it. The ecu can still IF FAULTY fire that airbag. Strictly speaking it should be an AA recovery, if you go by the book. Personally knowing how few ecus I change I would carry on driving, but thats my risk, I certainly wouldnt have children in a front seat with an airbag malfunction warning light on.

Re: Airbag Problem

Thanks for the info NumanR. That's very interesting.

Someone is truly having a laugh with airbag systems. If you turn an air bag off then it should be off- off- OFF, fail safe no ifs or buts or maybes but completely non functional with no hope of life. As the dodo.

Quite frightening some of the systems that can kill you but totally rely on 10p microchip having a good day

Airbag Warning again

You may have seen my posts about my new Stilo coming up with the airbag warning light just like my previous Stilo. Well, looking back through some old threads I tried a suggestion to fiddle with the black box connector under my seat. Hey presto, lights out. I had booked it into the dealers so saved myself a visit.

Some top people on here you know.

Re: Airbag Warning again

bozzy said:

Normally I would agree but as the connector had become detached it was a no brainer. If the alarm light is on the bag ain't gonna work anyway so nothing to lose.

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Not true,I saw this happen infront of me (warning light was on!) & the unfortunate person in drivers seat had nasty burns up his arms-result new airbag,wiring,module £600! .Battery disconnected first,never work on airbag system unless battery disconnected for at least 10 minutes.

Re: Stilo - airbag problem- yes another one !!

I had my passenger seat sensor replaced twice now - the first one might not have worked - and now the problem seems to have gone away!

There are also issues with the wiring loom under the seat; however, it is advised not to work on this yourself.

Re: Stilo - airbag problem- yes another one !!

Stuart DemonD said:

I had my passenger seat sensor replaced twice now - the first one might not have worked - and now the problem seems to have gone away!

There are also issues with the wiring loom under the seat; however, it is advised not to work on this yourself.

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I play with the wires under the seat and everythings works again ok.

Re: Airbag Problem

Deckchair5 said:

It's often caused by the connectors underneath the seats which are tacky to say the least on most cars these days. Thankfully on the Stilo, once you hit the jackpot, the air bag light goes out on its own and doesn't need taking to a dealer just to reset the warning light. Dealer should be able to fix in no time but there's a lot to airbag systems so they often come on again

NB the airbag warning light is saying it's found a fault and the airbag system is shut down (rather than watch out it might go off in your face!) so it's up to you whether you drive it or not

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A few days ago the light came on on my 2002 1.9 JTD. This was the second time it happened. The first time I hit the passenger seat and the light didn't come on again after restart. This time I wasn't so lucky. So I went to the dealer. The guy said the light does not come off by itself (security measure, to make sure you don't drive around if there's even the slightest chance of something being wrong with it); and what he did (or I thought he did) was disconnect the wiring underneath driver's seat and reconnect again. Light went off. So I imagine that first time the light went off because the circuit was somehow disconnected, temporarily, by my hit. Though I cannot be so sure, since the engine was off at that time. Probably a battery disconnect would have solved the problem as well? Who can tell?

Re: Airbag Problem

Regular occurance with my JTD and my 1.6. I get under the seat, disconnect and reconnect. Works everytime, somebody will tell you how dangerous this can be but when you see the dealer do exactly the same thing then I wont waste my time taking it to them. If they effected a permanent fix then I would.

Re: Airbag Problem

mscortar said:

A few days ago the light came on on my 2002 1.9 JTD. This was the second time it happened. The first time I hit the passenger seat and the light didn't come on again after restart. This time I wasn't so lucky. So I went to the dealer. The guy said the light does not come off by itself (security measure, to make sure you don't drive around if there's even the slightest chance of something being wrong with it); and what he did (or I thought he did) was disconnect the wiring underneath driver's seat and reconnect again. Light went off. So I imagine that first time the light went off because the circuit was somehow disconnected, temporarily, by my hit. Though I cannot be so sure, since the engine was off at that time. Probably a battery disconnect would have solved the problem as well? Who can tell?

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Forgot to say the dealer actually connected the examiner to the car and checked ECU for error codes, THEN disconnected/reconnected the wires.