Technical Airbag failure warning in 2004 Punto

[gfotopou]

Hi all! As a second car (my gf's car actually) we have bought a new Punto 1.2 8V Active last March. The last couple of days the driver's airbag light is on indicating that there is a problem. Having a Stilo, I have seen that it's a common problem for Stilos (touch wood I hadn't had it yet) and usually has to do with the wiring underneath the seat, in other words it's not really dangerous to drive the car when this warning appears. What about the Punto? Is this a common problem? She is worried driving the car now (it's booked to go to the garage next Wednesday) because someone that has a Bravo told her that it's dangerous because the airbag might be detached (which sounds completely stupid to me!!).

Grigoris

3-Door Black Stilo 1.8 Dynamic, 17" Alloys, Dual Zone Climate Control, Spoiler

 

[PuntoOllie]

i needs checking by a dealer, its also an MOT failure to have ur airbag warning light on - well i can only speak for uk dunno bout the swiss!

 

[sh33n]

If the lights on the airbag won't go off!!

Just tell her not to crash and she'll be ok, haha

It will just be a loose wire probably, nothing to worry about and your warrenty will cover it no matter what the problem is anyway

Punto Sporting 16v MK2, Abarth Kit, Abarth Alloys, GMax AirFilter, Angel Tuning, ICE Install, Plus other bits​

 

[Ned]

open your glove box and if the loom for the airbag is hanging down and can be touched by any thing in the glove box this will be the cause but you still need the dealer to rectify it, If the light is on the airbag system has been deactivated by the control unit as a safety thing.

 

[gfotopou]

Thank you all for your replies. The car is going to the garage next Wednesday. Is this airbag problem a common one with Puntos as it is supposed to be with Stilos?

Grigoris

3-Door Black Stilo 1.8 Dynamic, 17" Alloys, Dual Zone Climate Control, Spoiler

 

[sh33n]

Yer I think it is.

Both me and a friend have a had a problem, and it was both with the passenger side airbag. (Not sure if you have one) but that was our problem.

Punto Sporting 16v MK2, Abarth Kit, Abarth Alloys, GMax AirFilter, Angel Tuning, ICE Install, Plus other bits​

 

[gfotopou]

Originally posted by sh33n
Yer I think it is. Both me and a friend have a had a problem, and it was both with the passenger side airbag. (Not sure if you have one) but that was our problem.

The car has 6 airbags (driver's, passenger's, side and window). The problem is with the driver's one.

Grigoris

3-Door Black Stilo 1.8 Dynamic, 17" Alloys, Dual Zone Climate Control, Spoiler

 

[sh33n]

6! God.... and I thought having two was special!! lol.

That must be in the new ones then!

I have a 2001 MK2[8D]

Punto Sporting 16v MK2, Abarth Kit, Abarth Alloys, GMax AirFilter, Angel Tuning, ICE Install, Plus other bits​

 

[joel]

I have 2 in my mk1 punto, but if I had a choice I would remove the passenger one so that I could put stuff there instead .. never understood why you would need an airbag on any place except for driver (for not hitting the head on the steeringwheel).

 

[sh33n]

It's all about wiplash etc, and lots of other stuff, etc.

Or something like that

It must be good to have more though!

My mate had a crash and rolled his Punto, he missed the airbag as he had the window open and his head kind of went out that with the force of the car flipping as the airbag went off!!

So they're worth having!! lol

Punto Sporting 16v MK2, Abarth Kit, Abarth Alloys, GMax AirFilter, Angel Tuning, ICE Install, Plus other bits​

 

[PuntoOllie]

ive heard that airbags can be dangerous in an accident!!!! dunno where i got that info from but has anyone heard the same or no why?

[?]

 

[sh33n]

Yer I heard that, but I think thats only in minimal cases, and for the best part they save lifes.

They better do anyway!!

The Punto MK2 has 4 Stars on the Euro NCAP test, so they must be useful for something

Punto Sporting 16v MK2, Abarth Kit, Abarth Alloys, GMax AirFilter, Angel Tuning, ICE Install, Plus other bits​

 

[PuntoOllie]

glad its not just me!

I odnt know if what i heard is because the odd rare case goes off for no apparent reason!
I certainly wouldnt remove mine has anyone took theres off to put an aftermarket steering wheel on? have u come accross any problems or just wish u hadnt?

I feel a poll commin on!

 

[gfotopou]

Originally posted by sh33n
6! God.... and I thought having two was special!! lol.

That must be in the new ones then!

I have a 2001 MK2[8D]

It's a 2004 one (so I guess Mk3??)

Grigoris

3-Door Black Stilo 1.8 Dynamic, 17" Alloys, Dual Zone Climate Control, Spoiler

 

[gfotopou]

Originally posted by joel
I have 2 in my mk1 punto, but if I had a choice I would remove the passenger one so that I could put stuff there instead .. never understood why you would need an airbag on any place except for driver (for not hitting the head on the steeringwheel).

I disagree... Have a look at crash tests and you'll see that passengers are at very high risk (even a reduced one when compared to the driver's) of chest injuries in the event of a frontal collision. Airbags drastically reduce serious or fatal injuries. Recently a friend of mine was practically saved from the airbags, when he was hit at the side from a lorry entering the main road without checking: he was pushed out of the road and he ended up on a wall. All airbags went off and if it was not for them probably he wouldn't be alive now...

Grigoris

3-Door Black Stilo 1.8 Dynamic, 17" Alloys, Dual Zone Climate Control, Spoiler

 

[gfotopou]

Originally posted by PuntoOllie
ive heard that airbags can be dangerous in an accident!!!! dunno where i got that info from but has anyone heard the same or no why?[?]://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/puntoollie/wallbanff.png[/IMG]

Well once upon a time, first generation airbags could have been potentially dangerous in case of an accident, because the activating sensor could react too fast and open the airbag a few fractions of the second too early. This could result in pushing violently the head backwards (imagine a balloon inflating underneath your chin) and it could cause some serious neck injury. However, in reality this never happened, but it was the source of this rumor... Modern airbags are absolutely safe and there is no danger at all. Of course even the most sophisticated systems can fail in this world. But in reality they are life savers.

Grigoris

3-Door Black Stilo 1.8 Dynamic, 17" Alloys, Dual Zone Climate Control, Spoiler

 

[PuntoOllie]

Airbags must work otherwise the new cars wouldnt come with so may
Renault seen to come top in the NCAP tests are they usin side and seat airbags/curtains or are they relying on build quality of the car?

 

[gfotopou]

Originally posted by PuntoOllie
Airbags must work otherwise the new cars wouldnt come with so may
Renault seen to come top in the NCAP tests are they usin side and seat airbags/curtains or are they relying on build quality of the car?

Both, but mainly car architecture. They all have airbags FIAT is not bad either...

Grigoris

3-Door Black Stilo 1.8 Dynamic, 17" Alloys, Dual Zone Climate Control, Spoiler

 

[thefishdude]

the most dangerous thing is the passenger airbag if you have a baby in a rear facing seat thing the force of airbag jams the back of there carrier and can kill them with the force. but on mk2 punto you can turn the airbag off on passenger side with use of a key. then you can put a rear facing child seat in for ya baby.

also american airbags can be more danngerous on american spec cars as some are more powerfull then uk airbags and deploy with more force, this is because its not law to wear seat belts in all states of america so the airbag has a lot more force to try and stop moving in an accident,

but over over all they are a good thing to have and i hope i never see one deployed

2001 Punto sporting in sprint blue with matching Mr Bump air freshner all together now mmmmmmm

 

[PuntoOllie]

Originally posted by gfotopou

Both, but mainly car architecture. They all have airbags FIAT is not bad either...

What have fiats cars recently gained in the ncap tests? when was this ncap test introduced and do u no how the cars are rated or is it a list of ifs and statistics that we dont need to no?
Also how much difference is between NCAP 3 and NCAP 4 and NCAP 5?

Just curious!