Technical Air bag replacement

[Cameron1590]

Hello All,

I went to get something out of the glove box last night and noticed a yellow sticker that said "caution replace components on above dates" or something along those lines.

Any way there were two dates one for the passenger air bag that needs replacing in march 2020 and one for the "clock spring" which should have been done last year.

Any idea what the clock spring is? Has anyone else taken note of this warning sticker?

Thanks

 

[varesecrazy]

Hello All,

I went to get something out of the glove box last night and noticed a yellow sticker that said "caution replace components on above dates" or something along those lines.

Any way there were two dates one for the passenger air bag that needs replacing in march 2020 and one for the "clock spring" which should have been done last year.

Any idea what the clock spring is? Has anyone else taken note of this warning sticker?

Thanks

I've NEVER heard of anything being changed due to date, certainly never gets an MOT mention even on @1999 cars

the clockspring is the "flexible" part that lets the steering wheel turn - whilst maintaining electrical connectivity

used to be a basic "slip-ring" in pre-airbag days.

Charlie

 

[koalar]

Don't worry about it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/8078919/Out-of-date-airbags-should-not-need-replacing.html

 

[Sweetsixteen]

You'll find it under the steering wheel, when you remove the switch stalks.
It is just a coil of flat cable that has been wound exactly so that, whenever you turn the steering wheel, it can coil or uncoil without strain or breakage. It is part of the airbag firing mechanism.

Unless you've had work that's been bodged on the steering column and switchgear, just leave well alone. No worries.

Fiat have to cover themselves - hence the sticker in the glove box.

Reminds me of my late father-in-law. He was so precise that when the manual stated that all brake hoses should be changed at 50k miles, he did it - or when tyres should be rotated in a particular pattern (including the spare) every 10k miles, he did it. Wiper blades, brake pads, pedal rubbers - all had to be renewed exactly on mileage. Great guy, and I learned a lot from him, but much of it not strictly necessary.

 

[portland_bill]

When airbags were in their infancy, it was generally thought that the chemicals inside that were 'fired' to create the gas would deteriorate, so were given a shelf life. Most manufacturers chose 10 years. It would have seemed more believable if it had been an unusual figure. Since then, with no recorded airbag failures on older cars, most car manufacturers have accepted that the airbag module will last as long as most cars, so many new cars no longer have these change recommendations. So, really, no need to worry about it.

Whilst the Panda airbag is probably available, the clock spring is not listed as a separate part. I wouldn't even think of replacing it unless it fails. then it is a trawl of Ebay, I've seen in the past some available for Panda.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

:yeahthat: